Disastrous scanning what would you do?

Location
West Wales
Sorry to hear of this. 'What to do next' really depends on the root of the problem and your views on buying in, tightness of block etc.

Served in the autumn, (in theory) good heat detection, so presumably not seen bulling every time and only just scanned empty? Sounds like embryo loss/abortion rather than an actual conception problem. If it is, then if something like neospora would definitely mean a trip to the abattoir in my book.
Can you blood test for neospora? It would certainly tally with what we are seeing in terms of cows seemed to get in calf and now not. Happy to buy In and will likely need to. Not has a final count up but likely triple figures empty.

Did the flex’s get in calf ?
Total mixed bag. Cows that are in condition and hdvd been all winter just not of +

Don't think this is the year to be running cows round really.
Don't think this is the year to be running cows round really.

10 fresh would prob give as much as 20 empties.
I think you may well be right
 
Location
West Wales
When should they have been calving @Headless chicken
September - November
Didnt you notice all the buggers bulling ? Better off culled and replaced even if its half as many imo
Very little bulling activity, we do switch off a little to it outside serving but I’ve seen about 20/25 which tallied with rub marks. Nothing on the others.
This
We scan as close to 30 days post bulls out as possible
If we were to breed for more than 12 weeks we would scan mid way through
We always used to and I think we will have to go back to it. It was booked in for a while ago but then we needed to castrate all the beef too so the day went there.
 

In the pit

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Pembrokeshire
Had the same last year 26% empties ,this year 4%
Possible bvd ,had couple abortions and some weird looking calves born (domed heads ,undershot jaws & twisted legs) but couldn’t pin it down
Scan man said it felt like most had been in calf at sometime
I think main cause was some silage we moved February from one farm to here which was heating before we even fed it ,cows had big loss of milk through feb/early march and lost embryos as well I think
60 empties which we got rid of 15 and ran the rest round and all but 1 in calf and ready to dry off now
 
Location
East Mids
Can you blood test for neospora? It would certainly tally with what we are seeing in terms of cows seemed to get in calf and now not. Happy to buy In and will likely need to. Not has a final count up but likely triple figures empty.

Did the flex’s get in calf ?

Total mixed bag. Cows that are in condition and hdvd been all winter just not of +

Don't think this is the year to be running cows round really.

I think you may well be right
Only reliable time to test for neospora is either at the time of abortion (or ideally with some of the aborted foetus) OR - if she gets in calf again, then in the last couple of months before calving.

We first found our neospora problem when we ran a sweeper bull with the heifers years ago and we would have some calving about 4 months after we thought they were due (we didn't PD). They had been getting pregnant to AI but then aborting and then the bull would get them pregnant again. Not all calves will abort, some are born but are then carriers of the protozoan. These can be tested when born if have only had dam's milk.

I would be talking to vet about what to screen for regarding other things like BVD, depending on your herd health status. If you do swing any round then if they get in calf, test for neospora when you dry them off as it should show up then. https://www.evolutionfarmvets.co.uk/neospora#:~:text=There are blood tests that,at the time of abortion.

We still don't PD the heifers but we PD all cows through NMR, at 44 days+ (can be done earlier but we might just have missed a heat, so leave it until after 2 heats). Very pleased with results, just doesn't tell you when she will calf or if she is carrying twins. We PD manually anything that we are a bit suspicious might have lost her calf later on even if we haven't seen her bulling.
 

Martyn

Member
Location
South west
We had 18% empty after 10 weeks (mix of AI + Bull) I culled 3 and the rest are all now in calf to beef bull. I think I may of been to tight on concentrate use.
 
Location
West Wales
Cull the fecking lot and buy some xbred incalf heifers and start again.
Your shed got a roof on yet? That could be an issue if there getting wet and trying to milk all the time.
Big fleck cows might make 1300 quid.
Yep shed roof is on and one of the best winters we’ve had in a long time
Your milking a cow that wants to do 9k but you turn them out 1st jan like there 6k cows. That can't help can it?
Think our cows would be more like 7500 at the top end. Being bred for solids and they’d been fed well
 
You would easily fill a couple of wagons from the westcountry with in calf cows that have slipped from spring calving herds at less money than a fleck cull.

I have 30 August September calvers that are being dried off tomorrow and I'm undecided whether to milk or sell.
 
Location
West Wales
You would easily fill a couple of wagons from the westcountry with in calf cows that have slipped from spring calving herds at less money than a fleck cull.

I have 30 August September calvers that are being dried off tomorrow and I'm undecided whether to milk or sell.
Pm me a price if your keen to get them
Gone please

I’m sure you don’t want to have the hassle of carrying them through
 

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