# ACV + heifer/cow = better chances for heifer calf???



## babyboy1_mom (Nov 27, 2009)

Hi all. It seems that I remember reading that if you give a heifer/cow ACV before breeding her, then your chances of getting a heifer calf were greater.  Has anyone ever done this and does it really work?

I have search for this topic, but have been unable to find any information about it.  If anyone knows or has exsperience with giving heifers ACV before breeding, please let me know.  

Thanks,
Dorothy


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## FarmerChick (Nov 28, 2009)

This is the info. I know about for goat breeding......maybe it can apply to your heifer and give you some info to help you.

I tried it, it never worked for me on my goats..LOL




WILL VINEGAR IN DOES' DRINKING WATER
PRODUCE MORE FEMALE OFFSPRING? 

Every breeding season goat producers renew the discussion of whether putting vinegar in the drinking water of breeding does will increase the likelihood that more females than males will be born. Some people swear by it, while others think it is nonsense. To better understand the potential for success or failure of this management practice, let's examine the biological foundations of sex determination.

Sex determination is entirely dependent upon the combination of X and Y chromosomes that join at each breeding. The male possesses one X and one Y chromosome, while the female has two X chromosomes. The Y chromosome determines males, while two X chromsomes equals a female. Therefore, it is clear that the male of the species determines the sex of the offspring. When anything is introduced into the gastrointestinal tract, its next place to go is into the bloodstream. The bloodstream buffers ---neutralizes the pH --- of an overly acidic or a highly alkaline element. The only path from the gastrointestinal tract to the reproductive organs is the bloodstream, and neutralization of the chemical will already have taken place.

There exists a long-held belief that vaginal pH affects the viability of male versus female-producing sperm. Folks who subscribe to this concept believe that a change in the pH of the vagina will kill off sperm that produce boys, allowing female-creating sperm to survive and successfully fertilize the egg to produce doelings.

Normal vaginal pH is acidic, and maintenance of optimum pH balance requires the complex interaction of hormonal, microbiological, and other unknown factors. Both semen and cervical mucous have a pH that is either neutral or basic (alkaline) and may change slightly but only temporarily.

If the goal is to get more acid into the vagina, then ingesting vinegar orally makes no sense. Changing the pH of the vaginal tract would be more likely by introducing this acid directly into the vaginal canal. However, medically speaking, douching with vinegar by human females has little effect on vaginal pH. There is no evidence available to prove that this is likely to be different in goats.

Sperm are formed in the buck's testes and then travel to the epididymis. The epididymis is a mass of tubes at the back of the testis -- the male reproductive gland -- where sperm stay for about 30 days until they are mature and ready to be ejaculated. If the buck has not been breeding recently, the first ejaculation is often known as "rusty load" because many of the spermatozoa stored in the epididymis are past their prime. Therefore, the likelihood of successful breeding, be it male or female, is reduced until a fresh supply of mature sperm are produced.

After reviewing the information presented above, it is more likely that sex is really determined by the age and motility (speed of movement) of the sperm than by anything else.


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## babyboy1_mom (Nov 28, 2009)

Thanks FarmerChick.  It seems that ACV = more heifers is not true, but wanted to check and see if anyone has experience with it.  Guess that when the time comes to breed my heifer, then I will just get whatever gender I get...lol   I will be happy, no matter what, but would prefer a heifer.  I know that most people would prefer a heifer...lol

Dorothy


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## FarmerChick (Nov 28, 2009)

Yup---gals are more valuable than boys usually in the critter world.


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## Beekissed (Nov 29, 2009)

http://www.naturalark.com/natacv.html

http://www.ewephoric.com/sheeptips4.html



> Helpful Natural Fertility Therapy ~  Out of desperation one can come across some interesting information on Natural Remedies.  After being inundated with two years of nothing but ram lambs we decided to take a horse-womans advice and introduce Apple Cider Vinegar into our breeding regimen.  We were told not only did it increase fertility it was commonly used to produce more female offspring.  Now, before you say Thats a bunch of hooey we have tried it with terrific results.
> The vinegar is added to the breeding flocks drinking water each day without fail.  Not only did we see a marked improvement in the number of ewe lambs born, our multiple births went through the roof!


https://fultonscrossingranch.com/Shared_Secret_s.html



> So far with folks from all over the United States and even Canada, we are at 139 fillies to 31 colts!!!  Now those aren't bad odds in anyone's book, especially MINE!!!  This has come from folks using numerous stallions, using such methods of breeding as live cover, AI and even shipped and frozen semen!!
> 
> Now it also isn't absolutely necessary to start this program 30 days or so in advance  I've known of folks with VERY LARGE breeding operations, that just feed 2 to even 3 cups of Apple Cider Vinegar to the mares that they were breeding JUST the actual week of breeding!?!?!  And they still got at least a better than 80% of their resulting foals to be fillies!!  Again, not bad odds!?!?!?!


I really don't know about goats, but it worked very well on our New Zealand meat rabbits.  I intend to try it on my sheep....what do I have to lose here?  It's a great immunity booster and will improve health during the stress of breeding.  If I get mostly ewe lambs each year, I'll report back!


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## babyboy1_mom (Nov 29, 2009)

Thanks Beekissed.  Some very interesting information.  From what I have gathered about ACV, then it is healthy for the body, so it would not hurt to use it, whether it works to increase the chances of a "girl" baby or not.  I may try this and see what the results will be.

Dorothy


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## mully (Nov 30, 2009)

FarmerChick said:
			
		

> Yup---gals are more valuable than boys usually in the critter world.


Critter World ....


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## FarmerChick (Nov 30, 2009)

LOl being Southern the word critter covers it all....that, and varmint..LOL

critters are good, varmints are bad..


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## babyboy1_mom (Nov 30, 2009)

Being from Louisiana, then I have plenty of both critters (not enough) and varmints (too many) in my back, front and side yards...lol


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## FarmerChick (Nov 30, 2009)




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## babyboy1_mom (Dec 1, 2009)

While thinking about the ACV and giving it to my heifer, I thought of something.  I know that I have to watch the diet of my cows, so as not to mess up their rumen.  I have read alot on ACV and it's many health benefits for both human and animal, but am worried about it messing up Daisy's rumen.  What do all of you think?

FarmerChick: It isn't very funny when there are so many varmints that I feel like I am on constant guard duty.  It can get pretty bad around here some times, watching over my flock of chickens, ducks and rabbits.  Not overly concerned about the cows, but do keep an eye on them as well. We have lots of drop off dogs in my area and I never know if they are going to choose my house to "visit."


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## FarmerChick (Dec 1, 2009)

ACV overkill is bad for humans and animals.
Use as needed with anything in this life.  All has plus and minus.
If you are feeding good etc..etc....then to just add extras on a rumen is not good.  Rumens in itself are very very delicate situations.

You can provide clear water and ACV water...animals choose....and yes, they will do what they need.

LOL on varmints.  varmints will find the food source.  I hope "they" don't come your way.

My friend Barb has a dairy.  She has some cows have calves in the lower pasture, one was torn apart.  Coyotes, yup, which we introduced back to NC and yup, got up here and are now a problem.

So just do usual mainteance to protect the herd...best we can do.


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## jhm47 (Dec 1, 2009)

You'd be wise to go lightly with the ACV.  You are right in that the rumen needs a delicate balance, and the ACV will acidify (lower the pH) the contents.  This might cause a shift in the beneficial bacteria that inhabit the rumen.  These bacteria enable the animal to digest their feed.  The wrong bacteria can be very damaging.  Adding a dry form of brewers yeast would be more helpful.  There is also a feed additive that has given me excellent results for decades.  PM me for info on this company.


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