My heifer is trying to mount my steer

[michelle43]

So my 2 yr old highland heifer was naturally bred 4 weeks ago by a yearling angus bull, but didn't settle. He bred her again last Saturday. Right now, my heifer is trying to mount my steer. What's up with her? Also, my 6 yr old cow with 3 month calf at her side still hasn't cycled. I removed the calf for about 36 hrs last weekend. The only inkling of any interest by the bull was he sniffed her once yesterday and did the flehmen response, but he doesn't seem anymore interested. Any ideas on both of these girls?

 

[WildRoseBeef]

Obviously your heifer is back in heat again. That's the only valid reason that she's riding the steer. I think you may need to get her checked by a vet to see why she's not catching like she should. It's possible that she's cystic, since cystic cows tend to have irregular heats, and always seem to be in heat. Some cystic cows NEVER go into heat. I believe even heifers can get cystic as well, though it's more liable to happen in cows that have just had a calf than in heifers. BTW, has this heifer had a calf before?

As for the older cow, I would also have her checked by a vet. It's possible that she has had some sort of illness that has rendered her infertile. Have you gotten any health records on her from the farmer you purchased her from? If she's been sick before, then it's likely that it has caused her to become infertile. The other possibility (and this is merely guesswork) that she could be cystic as well.

My oh my, it sounds like you may have to start over again, but I wish you luck in finding out the necessary information on these two girls about their reproductive status.

 

[michelle43]

One more quick question.....could it be possible that my cow is coming into heat and my heifer is reacting to her heat? And no, my heifer has never had a calf. Highlands are slow to mature and are not normally bred until 2 yrs. Her last 3 heats have been right at 21-22 days, so I'd be very surprised that she would go into heat less than a week from her last heat....

 

[aggieterpkatie]

I think even if your heifer was reacting to your cow being in heat, she'd be riding the cow and not the steer. :/

 

[WildRoseBeef]

If your heifer would be reacting to the 6 y.o. cow's coming into heat, the heifer would be attempting to mount the cow, not the steer, and the cow would be trying to mount either the heifer or the steer. And the steer would be paying attention to her more often too.

And like I said before, the only reason that your heifer would be mounting the steer is that she is in heat, not the cow.

 

[michelle43]

Okay....I hear ya, but then my bull should be intested, right? Her last 2 heats he was all over her.

 

[WildRoseBeef]

Yes, if he's still in the same corral as she is, which I assume, by your original post, he isn't.