Yesterday was spent pregnancy testing a small bunch of cows…
While we normally have the vet just “arm them”, the neighbor wanted her little bunch sonogrammed instead. She also wanted to find out what sex they were (which you can do if they are over 60 days old). While normal sonogramming can be almost as fast as “arming them”, to go and try to find their sex is a much longer process!
That’s his sonogram set up under the white blanket.
The camera is inserted… the vet looks at the screen… and just like that… a tiny skull is visible!
Sorry, you can’t see it better… but, believe me, there was a calf there! Of course, to determine sex takes a bit more positioning of the camera, but it works.
Our bunch we did after lunch, with just a confirmation of pregnancy and approximate date of birth just like our “typical” preg testing day.
It was interesting to do it this way. Learn something new everyday!
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It’s time (already!) for another Q & A session! Leave the question in the comment section, and I’ll answer them in a few!
I had the same question as another reader, why would it be helpful to know the sex before it’s born?
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Do you now sell those cows who are not pregnant ? (I know that is what we did, but we had a tiny herd compared to you. Not cost effective to feed them over the winter). A second question – when we were traveling around your county, Johnson & Sheridan countries – all we saw were Black Angus. Is that breed so popular because they handle the cold winters better than Herefords or other breeds ?
I know the sex of a calf matters after it’s born but what is the benefit of knowing before it’s born?
So interesting! So my question is, is the sonogram more costly than the “arm” method of pregnancy testing, and approximately how much per cow does the vet charge you? Sorry, I’m a repressed cattle rancher!