Cow question

[Gleanerguy]

I recall reading somewhere about a pregnancy test for cows. Would be nice if there was a test that was reliable and cheap for my beef cows.

Would be a good alternative to calling out the vet and rounding them all up and paying out the usual $$$.

Anybody know anything about this subject?

 

[Tom N OK]

Never tried this but you might check out this link.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2120828_pregnancy-test-cow.html

 

[Coloken]

I learned to do it when in AI school.
With all these modern electronic devices, how about a portable ultra-sound for cows? Don't they use one to measure back fat in pigs?

 

[M Nut]

It's not 100%, but we've found it to be darn accurate if the cow is along far enough that the calf is developed. You can "bump" a calf by pushing on the side of the cow and feeling if a calf "bumps back" against your fist. It will let you know if a calf is in her or not. I'm sure this wouldn't work if only a few months bred though.

 

[Gleanerguy]

I used to be an AI technician, but I have been out of it for so many years now. It just all feels like "mush" now when I put my arm in a cow.

 

[Anonymous-0]

You just hit on one of my pet peeves when I had cattle. I have an AI tech breed the cow but it is illegal to have the same guy check her to see if it worked. The state rules that job is vet work and it is against the law for someone other than a vet to do it. The cow isn't sick. The tech isn't diagnosing a disease. The cow is my property and if I want to invite Joe Blow off the street to stick his arm up her butt and tell me if he thinks she's warm, cold, pregnant or whatever, that is my business. I used to have a tech years ago who would arm the cows to tell me if I needed to order more semen. No one said the "P" word.

 

[Dick L]

They will come back into heat in 18 to 21 days after breeding if they dont catch the first time. That was the way we checked all the time we had cows.

 

[Coloken]

Yer 100 percent right about the law..Learn to do your own. Vets arn't perfect either.

 

[highlandcowman]

thers a test where you send in a blood sample and in two days they tell you if she preg. or not 99.999% accurate less than 5.00 per sample plus shipping.we use it to cull open cattle might be worth looking at doug

 

[Anonymous-0]

This is only a joke,but,you have to ask.How sound is the judgement from someone willing to put his arm up a cows butt.

 

[phillip d]

They have had those for years now.Rechargable battery pack,strap around the vet's neck.Long black cord with a plastic probe on the end.Up the butt it goes,while being held they move it around and make a picture onscreen of the calf,or not a calf.Can preg check at 28 days using this method.At 70 days,not after 85,they can 90% accurately tell you if you are having a bull or heiffer if you want to pay them to look at that time.Can even tell you if the cow's having multiple birth.You can even buy sorted semen,90% heiffer's for dairy cattle.
A product that you are asking about is D-G 29 from Alta Genetics.You take the sample 29 days after breeding and ship it to their lab.You find out a few days later.Cows that are bred and don't show again later may not be in calf.They may be cystic and not come in heat again until they are treated with gnrh.Or they may have silent heats,or simply you may miss seeing them standing.The vets are expensive,but it is cheaper to find out she's open sooner,than assume she is and months later find out she's not.pd.

 

[Steven f/AZ]

I know there are ultrasounds for cattle... dunno about the cost, though.

The regular way up the rear only costs us $1 per cow - how can you get cheaper than that? Of course we always tip the guy more than that because it's just too cheap for the work he does...

I believe the local vet charges $2.50 or so.

 

[Bill in Colo]

Hire a good vet,ours tests about 20,000 a year. Sure I'm an ai tech and can check my own cows, but I don't. we need the extra help. Our vet will ckeck about 60 to 70 per hour and gives a reliable cut off date. I have a friend who is a vet and he hires mine to test his cows,he says if you dont a least a 1000 head your accuratcy suffers.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I sure does get tiring, following a cow around, waiting for her to pee, so I can use the EPT stick.

 

[Walt Davies]

I just wait a few months and the cow will show pretty good if she Pregnant. Don't see any reason to know right away since my bull has never failed me in the past.
Walt

 

[phillip d]

D-G29 is a blood test