Pleasant Surprise

[CRS]

Last year one of our cows did not breed on the same cycle as the others after having a later calf the year before and we noticed her open, so we decided to breed her to our herd bull.  She calved on July 31st unassisted with a 60 lb bull calf.  Dam is a Boardwalk x Ali/Kadabra/Total Play and the elusive 1100 lb cow.  Very pleased with him.  He is pictured at 30 days.  We took him to our county fair and showed him as a bull and he did well.  Probably will retain him for in herd use, he is a 5/8 Maine and 6% Chi.  Has a very pleasant disposition, just like his dam. 

 

[CRS]

We thought that he had been progressing well, but noticed he wasn't gaining much scrotal size.  We checked him and noticed that he only has one testicle.  Have checked and had the vet check him and can't seem to find the other one.  He believes it may be in there, but in the belly or flank somewhere.  He recommended selling him or steering him.  Vet also said that at 3 months he should be getting some testicular size to him, and it appeared smaller than normal.  Really kind of a disappointment.

 

[shortybreeder]

There could be some reproductive issues in the line if the dam was a consistently late breeder. Might be a disappointment, but it could also turn out to be a blessing in disguise saving you from a crop of slow-breeding heifers.
Just my 2 cents

 

[Spencer10218]

Might sound like a stupid question but if the dam does have slow breeding defect would that kill the chance of her ever being a recip cow

 

[Till-Hill]

Some hard breeders do take eggs. BUT NOT ALL! I would not try it with an expensive egg...

 

[CRS]

The cow is a Boardwalk out of an Ali/Kadabra/Total Play.  She carried an embryo for three months as a heifer and then came back in heat of course at our county fair.  We were showing her a lot and the weather was extremely hot. Took her to our bull and he bred her that day and she took.  2nd year was more of a management issue as we tried to breed her on first heat and then pulled her away from the bull and put her in a lot with her calf.  brought her back with the other cows and heat detected her that day, took her to the bull again and he bred her with this calf.  Granddam and dam have both been donors and very prolific.  Have held her over and will breed her at the end of March AI. Not sure how we are going to breed her this time, but our bull is a Sooner out of Winegardner's Brie, which is an Open Bar, so he is a purebred and that seems to have worked.  Attached is a barn picture at dusk with a cell phone, can't see much, but is pretty cool.