recip cows

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braunvieh

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 6, 2008
Messages
355
Location
NW Kansas
We are just getting started with ET and am wondering if a recip cow fails 2 years in a row to either a: not come in heat, b: come in heat but not able to put an embryo in or c: put an embryo in and it didn't stick.  Would you keep trying with those cows or move them out of the recip herd?  These are cows that are at least 2 full months from when they calved and are not virgin heifers. Thanks!
 

Cowboy

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 13, 2007
Messages
692
Location
McCook Ne.
My policy for my customers has always been -- 

1 - failed twice to sync properly -- OUT

2 - failed twice to be accepted for transfer - OUT

3 - failed twice for pregnancy after transfer -- OUT

4- ANY combination of the above

If you get too set on using any one particular cow -- and she keeps having issues, you are ultimately losing out on your entire programs success. After all it takes to get to that point -- this is where you need to be ruthless or you are losing out --

I know it may be hard to replace a certain cow for the recip herd, but if you do not be really picky here -- it costs alot . I have had a few that would not sync correctly -- say they were off a day or so, and came back and used them later for frozen. If they didn't feel good THAT day however -- it's over. You just have to be ruthless here or it is all for nothing!

Best of luck --

Terry

 

klintdog

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 4, 2007
Messages
733
Location
NoDak
I'm looking at adding a small recip herd this year. We'll be flushing a few cows and to me it makes more sense to buy some good recips while the market is down and then recapture my investment down the road. When looking for a good recip cow, what would you recommend?
Would you buy them bred, calve them out, and then implant in the spring?
What particular breed would you look for?
What would you budget for implanting cost per cow or per egg?
 

LazyGLowlines

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 7, 2008
Messages
533
We do a lot of embryo work and the hardest thing we find is finding a good receip cow, if you find one put a star on her head and keep her! If she's failed two times it is hard to justify keeping her in your receip herd.
 
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