Cows' heat behaviour

[2YardOfLard]

Got a cow that was A.I.ed three weeks ago. Started showing some signs of being in heat last nigh then calmed down again & changed her mind. No access to a bull or more AI for a few weeks now & they'll be all PDed at 2 months or so anyway, so it's a bit academic but do they still believe in "implantation heats" now ? (When I was a lad they said a cow was quite normal to have signs of heat at 23 days pregnant & as long as they didn't bleed after, they hadn't ovulated & not to worry.) I Googled "implantation heat" but nothing came up, so is that considered an old wives' tale now or do they call it something else?
Thanks, Lardy.

 

[happycows]

Glove and check for bulling string/clear mucous would confirm one way or other.
I often do this if in any doubt when using expensive sexed AI straws.

 

[agristudent]

Never heard of an implantation heat but I now use these for suspicious heats before I AI them,
http://p4rapid.com/

 

[2YardOfLard]

Thanks both for the input.
No question of another A.I. now, he needs a week's notice to come here, so we PRID them, then book him to do a bunch at once, then whoever doesn't take goes to the bog-standard bull on the common grazing, when he 'opens for business' in 6 weeks or so. Just wondering what's going on, is all. I'm walking past the cows every hour to get to the sheep shed, & the sheep are slow starting, so the cows are getting noticed a lot more than usual to be honest.

 

[jade35]

Never heard of an implantation heat but I now use these for suspicious heats before I AI them,
http://p4rapid.com/

@agristudent how much does an individual test cost and is it easy to use?

 

[Cowmangav]

I do think that cows sometimes show a "shadow" heat at 21 days.When we started DIY AI, there was a very keen guy here, and he AId anything that moved, to begin with.We ended up with a fair few cows calving to earlier dates, eg 21 days early with normal calves.

 

[2YardOfLard]

I do think that cows sometimes show a "shadow" heat at 21 days.When we started DIY AI, there was a very keen guy here, and he AId anything that moved, to begin with.We ended up with a fair few cows calving to earlier dates, eg 21 days early with normal calves.

That's interesting. I'm wondering if it's some cows in particular do it then? This cow we bought as an in-calf heifer from a very good place with very attentive stockman who's usually on the ball. He got her calving date 6 weeks out, which is very unusual for him.

 

[Whitepeak]

Some cows will always show some signs of heat every 21days or so even when well incalf. Something to do with the cycle of follicle growth and egg release never stopping, I think. I'm sure someone will come along with the exact science in a bit!
The risk is that if you were to AI these cows, inserting the gun too far into the uterus can cause the pregnancy to be lost.

 

[agristudent]

@agristudent how much does an individual test cost and is it easy to use?

£2.80 a test and very easy to use, just follow the instruction sheet.

 

[2YardOfLard]

Some cows will always show some signs of heat every 21days or so even when well incalf. Something to do with the cycle of follicle growth and egg release never stopping, I think. I'm sure someone will come along with the exact science in a bit!
The risk is that if you were to AI these cows, inserting the gun too far into the uterus can cause the pregnancy to be lost.

Thank you. We're not going to repeat A.I. because the vet does it - he's the only option here, & we can only get vet visits with some notice because his practice covers such a vast area, including several islands, so he can't be off in a remote corner & leave the rest without cover. That's fair enough - plenty advantages to being here - rough with the smooth! Made me smile, though on another thread about A.I.ing heifers when someone said that in some remoter areas they had to make do with A.I. once a day. In my dreams!