Timing Heats for Getting Heifers?

[TracyTooManyHorses]

This has worked like a charm for my grandfather, my father & now I am about to attempt it with NATURAL BREEDING on my young Jersey (had a bull calf 10/30)...

"if you wish to change the sex of what your cow just delivered, breed on the odd heats. If you wish to keep getting what you got, breed on the even heats".

Gramps used natural cover & dad would AI the milkers...dad got heifers EVERY time from unsexed semen...I have no idea how it works as the male carries the sex hormone BUT it may have something to do with rate of travel to the egg?? IDK!! Male sperm will live only 18-24hrs where as femal live up to 72 & maybe THAT is the key!

Has anyone tried this!? Has it worked for anyone else?

 

[jhm47]

Well, I don't know what to say, except ------- Good luck!

 

[Royd Wood]

yes and good luck from me and dont forget to use the rusty nail method on a piece of string over her back to determine if she's preggars

 

[Cricket]

Well, you don't have anything to lose by trying! It'd be interesting to go thru someone's herd records and see if there's any patterns.

 

[Alice Acres]

So how are you determining what is an "odd" heat and and "even" heat??

 

[TracyTooManyHorses]

Her first, third, fifth...etc are the odd heats. Second, fourth...are even. Dad use to AI the Guernsey back in the 70s: 4x to Brown Swiss = 4 heifers, 2x to Jersey = 1 heifer, 1 bull, 1 natural cover to Simmental bull = 1 bull calf, 2x Ayreshire = 2 heifers...maybe she was just a heifer producer. She is the only one I remember him breeding. We had a Jersey & mom says 3x she was AId & 3x had heifers...dad used the same rhythm.

 

[Alice Acres]

Her first, third, fifth...etc are the odd heats. Second, fourth...are even. Dad use to AI the Guernsey back in the 70s: 4x to Brown Swiss = 4 heifers, 2x to Jersey = 1 heifer, 1 bull, 1 natural cover to Simmental bull = 1 bull calf, 2x Ayreshire = 2 heifers...maybe she was just a heifer producer. She is the only one I remember him breeding. We had a Jersey & mom says 3x she was AId & 3x had heifers...dad used the same rhythm.

I see. So this would only work if you got the cow as a young heifer prior to any heat cycles. And were diligent with your records. Sounds kind of a lot of work, especially if you had her open and weren't breeding for awhile. Maybe if you had only a couple cows... :/

 

[TracyTooManyHorses]

No... IF your cow delivers you a bull calf & you really want a heifer, breed her on the first or third heat after calving. IF she delivers a heifer, breed her on the second or fourth heat to get another heifer.

 

[greybeard]

yes and good luck from me and dont forget to use the rusty nail method on a piece of string over her back to determine if she's preggars

Yep...I save all my rusty nails just for that Royd.
Works every single time!!

 

[TracyTooManyHorses]

OK, explain the rusty nail please lol