Cow not in calf, does it mean the end?

[Adam Lowline]

We have just had the vet out and he confirmed our fears, our 8yr old Dexter is not in calf. (some of you might say she had a lucky escape as she was running with a Lowline Angus bull!) our question is, what do we do with her? She is a nice cow, rather fat, has had previous calfs, and is very maternal, short legged beefy type.
We tried putting a prid in her last year but it wouldn't stay in, we did then see the bulls on her the following week and they have not seemed interested since.
Does anyone have experience of this? Could she be destined for the freezer? Or cull her?
Any advice would be gratefully received, thanks

[Broomcroft]

Hi Adam

My vet has brought missed calvers back into calf with an injection. So I would ask your vet.

Is your cow just short, or is she a short-leg Dexter?

If a short-leg, it might be worth noting that I have crossed a short-leg Dexter once with an Angus and it was a disaster. She gave birth to a snorter. I assume I'm using the correct term as it snorted all the time, i.e. it couldn't breath normally. As I have never seen this before I assume (maybe incorrectly because it's only 1 out of 1) that this is what may happen when chondrodysplasia is passed onto Angus or maybe other breeds. As I understand it, someone correct me by all means, Angus and Herefords have spend decades getting rid of "dwarfism" and it nearly tore the Hereford society apart apparently, because show people who liked the look of the affected animals, wanted to keep dwarfism. Personally, I wouldn't want introduce it back again. And again speaking personally, that's one of the reason I would rather chondro didn't exist. A breed is not an island and you can't control what everyone does.

The calf I had was not just a snorter, but it had terrible legs and walked like a spider for the first 4 months. I don't know how I didn't shoot it. Eventually, it did straighten up and the snorting reduced to almost zero after a long time, and it has now gone for beef. Never again, I now have no shorts at all.

So as you might guess, I would recommend not crossing her unless she's a non-short.

[Mark Bowles]

Clive, why blame the short dexter, maybe you problem lay with the angus side of the cross!

[helena]

on the commercial cows we use a feeder bucket from denis brisicombe which aids cows into season a friend who has just 2 cows was very upset one would have to be slaughtered took her a bucket and a limi bull both in calf.might be worth a try.

[Adam Lowline]

Thank you, I have ordered one today for delivery Wed, will let you know how we get on thanks

[Broomcroft]

Clive, why blame the short dexter, maybe you problem lay with the angus side of the cross!

Because it's the only shortie cross I've had Mark, out of nearly 100 crosses and my vet indicated that was the cause. She, rightly or wrongly called it a snorter. I suppose it could be a coincidence, just bad luck, but that seems extremely unlikely, surely.

PS. Looking at articles, when you introduce "dwarfism" into Angus and Hereford, apparently they snort, as mine did. The Vet said it was something to do with the palette (I think) not being normal. So it certainly looks as though dwarfism and these breeds is not a good mix. I have never seen a snorting Dexter, shortie or otherwise.

[Steve]

Clive,
Snorter dwarfism was rife in Aberdeen Angus in USA in 1940/50's & various articles report that the problem was perpetuated by breeders in line breeding to get short, chunky attractively dished faced cattle. As I understand it both parents have to be carriers for the problem to occur, please correct me if I'm wrong, so maybe the blame should not be lumped (yet again) on the poor Dexter!
Steve

[Broomcroft]

I don't know Steve. I'm just saying that I crossed a Dexter, which had the genetic defect chondrodysplasia, with an Angus, and I got a calf that was very compressed, could not walk properly, and snorted badly. I have crossed now for 3 years and I know other people who do the same on a bigger scale (mainly Angus) and for longer than me, and I have never heard of any such problem other than mine with a shortie. I don't know anyone else who has used shorties in such a cross, normally people wouldn't simply because of the enormous size difference. But as the size difference does not exist with Lowlines, I didn't want Adam to be unaware of a potential problem.

As I said, it could be just bad luck, but personally, I would feel pretty confident it was chondro carried by the Dexter cow that caused the problem, or brought it out. Yes, it could be something within the Angus breed that when mixed lead to the problem, but the answer is still the same, I wouldn't mix the two especially as the other breeds have gone to such long lengths to get rid of the defective genes, and that applies to Lowlines who sell themselves as being free of dwarfism.

[Colin]

Adam,

Does the cow show any behavioural changes e.g. growling, or aggressiveness to other cows ?
One possibility for her not coming into calf is an ovarian cyst. You'll need to get your vet to check her internally. A friend had a CIDR fitted in a short leg cow, which stayed in. She looked a bit strange with a blue aerial sticking out of her back end.

Best to get your vet to give her a good internal examination. Don't give up on her just yet.

Regards,

Colin

[Inger]

I gave one of our heifers that wouldn't get in calf, seaweed meal and that seemed to do the trick. Perhaps she had a lack of iodine? Anyway, after the first calf, she never had any problems getting back in calf again.

[helena]

Hi
If you email your number I will ask the rep that calls here I am in yorkshire their main number is 0800 374325 customer service and clinic advice.The address is fordton industrial estate crediton devon.Registered office. email address is enquiries@brincombe.co.uk

[Broomcroft]

Does the cow show any behavioural changes e.g. growling, or aggressiveness to other cows ?

We had one of those a few years ago. She didn't get in calf, missed a whole year, started growling, pawing the ground, almost behaving like a bull. Vet gave her an injection if I remember correctly, and told me very confidently she would be in calf soon, and she was. And she's not missed a calf since, in fact had another one yesterday .

[John999]

A feeder bucket from denis brisicombe which aids cows into season was mentioned. Could someone tell me where I could get this as we have a cow we are having trouble getting into calf and I think this is worth a try.

I am having the same problem at the moment. and i have tried 3 times to A.I. our heffer with no luck. It would be her first calf if it worked, and I was wondering if this may be a cause.Also i have looked on denis brisicombe web site and not realy knowing what to look for cant seem to find this feeder bucket.Is it a particular item, or a bucket that contains some sort of mineral.
Thanks
John

[SteveM]

Have a short quite fat cow who had her 1st calf in Feb 2010, having missed a year she calved again last week. Vet had checked her in october and thought she was possibly in calf but not by long. Actually calved on time for the one date we had seen her with the bull last year.