Heifer showed up in calf

High bike

I think I know the ans to this before I ask but here goes anyway.Bought two heifers off a lad in November with a view to bulling them this year.Theyr just coming 2yo in April,asked at the time could they be I calf but was assured no way he had seen them bulling only last week.As he was a farmer and seemed a straight enough chap I took him at his word,but unless I'm seeing things one of em is starting to spring down and at a guess I'd say will be called in a month.Theres no way she got bulled since I bought her and anyway the timeframe is wrong so my question is do I have a case to send her back,as I have nothing in writing I'm thinking just suck it up?

Kovu

First things first, get her dipped/scanned to doubley make sure.
Do you think the heifer is fit to calve? If she's iffy restrict her intake immediately and get her back down to less condition. Calving down at 23/24 months isn't the end of the world, it's usually sought!

Tricky thing is you haven't got the maiden status of the mart heifer ring to back you up. I'd ring the farmer and let him know the story and see if he can tell you what might have got to her. If he's decent he'll speak to you and try to help you out but I don't think he's obliged to take her back. May give you a bit of money back on her at best.

Miname

Why isn't he obliged to take her back?if she was sold as a maiden then he should take her. If she's anywhere near fit she is probably going to cover costs well with the price difference anyway. I'd weigh up what she's worth springing and what she cost and if she's fit and comes lucky you should be alright.

High bike

Don't think there's any need to scan her I'm pretty sure she's incalf and not worried about the 24 month calving.The problem is she' not over big and I'm afraid she's going to have problems,especially as I don't know what she's incalf to

Kovu

There's no proof of what was said so if the seller claims he said she may be incalf, it would be his word against High_bikes. If he then stands his ground and argues that the heifer was maiden, there'd be no area of recourse except court. I mention the mart as there's always a disclaimer there that a heifer is sold as a maiden unless otherwise stated. If a heifer was sold there and turned up incalf, this is what gives the buyer reason for comeback if you get my drift.

Of course he should take her back but here it's more of a case of would.

I'd phone up the farmer and see how he acts, if he is sound like mentioned in the first post, then he may well give some compo out of decency.

tanko

If a heifer is within a month or so of calving she can hardly be brought to a factory can she?
A 23/24 month heifer calving to an unknown bull could be bad news. A c-section might be on the cards.
As said above, find out if she's in calf or not. I'd talk to the seller and see what he says. If the heifer was sold through a mart the buyer would be entitled to his money back and to get paid for feeding her but I don't know if this applies to a private sale.

High bike

tanko wrote: »

If a heifer is within a month or so of calving she can hardly be brought to a factory can she?
A 23/24 month heifer calving to an unknown bull could be bad news. A c-section might be on the cards.
As said above, find out if she's in calf or not. I'd talk to the seller and see what he says. If the heifer was sold through a mart the buyer would be entitled to his money back and to get paid for feeding her but I don't know if this applies to a private sale.

That's what I'm thinking mysef,if this ends up a c section it's an expensive lesson the last one was 350e as far as I can recall.HAve a herd test next week so will ask the vet what he thinks before I do anything.

High bike

Just to update,had that heifer scanned today 7 to 8 mts incalf

Miname

High bike wrote: »

Just to update,had that heifer scanned today 7 to 8 mts incalf

Put her onto hay and minerals, hopefully she's lucky.

High bike

Miname wrote: »

Put her onto hay and minerals, hopefully she's lucky.

have her in a bare paddock,would she be better off inside on hay do u think and what mineral do u suggest?

Miname

High bike wrote: »

have her in a bare paddock,would she be better off inside on hay do u think and what mineral do u suggest?

Leave her on the bare paddock and throw her a bit of hay. Put a pre calver mineral lick with her ( bucket type should do).

High bike

Miname wrote: »

Leave her on the bare paddock and throw her a bit of hay. Put a pre calver mineral lick with her ( bucket type should do).

will do thanks

locky76

High bike wrote: »

have her in a bare paddock,would she be better off inside on hay do u think and what mineral do u suggest?

wouldn't agree with this, you are not going to sort out her bcs at this late stage and she will need her full strenght to calve down with no complications...
It's a misconception to limit feed in the last month of gestation and leads to more calving difficulties as the heifer will be undernourished...

Jb1989

locky76 wrote: »

wouldn't agree with this, you are not going to sort out her bcs at this late stage and she will need her full strenght to calve down with no complications...
It's a misconception to limit feed in the last month of gestation and leads to more calving difficulties as the heifer will be undernourished...

+1
Bit of everything is no harm
Plenty of minerals
An keep a bit of mail with a highish energy content
She'll need energy when she's young

White Clover

Jb1989 wrote: »

+1
Bit of everything is no harm
Plenty of minerals
An keep a bit of mail with a highish energy content
She'll need energy when she's young

I'd bring her in and put her on hay and a couple of kilos of rolled oats daily. U might think the paddock is bare but there's a fresh pick coming on it everyday. That wouldn't do anything to keep calf size in check. Plenty minerals too

Kovu

locky76 wrote: »

wouldn't agree with this, you are not going to sort out her bcs at this late stage and she will need her full strenght to calve down with no complications...
It's a misconception to limit feed in the last month of gestation and leads to more calving difficulties as the heifer will be undernourished...

Wouldn't agree with this myself as the calf grows most in the final month of pregnancy, restricting feed would cut back how much the calf gets and it wouldn't be as fat. Ad lib minerals/lick and hay would be what we would do but it seems everyone has their own way.

charolais0153

White Clover wrote: »

I'd bring her in and put her on hay and a couple of kilos of rolled oats daily. U might think the paddock is bare but there's a fresh pick coming on it everyday. That wouldn't do anything to keep calf size in check. Plenty minerals too

I dont know what the rolled oats does ,i was giving hay minerals and oats before calfing ,the calfs were generally smaller ,but i had a cracking charolais calf but he was all bone and no flesh he is only filled out now,it was c section,so when does the bone grow and is there any way to prevent these big charolais calfs all advice appreciated

White Clover

In my experience the oats dont swell the calf, but gives the cow plenty energy and therefore plenty power to calve

High bike

That heifer went home today,in fairness to the man gave him scanning cert got a few bob to cover expenses and everyone's happy.Hope she calves down ok for him,but I wouldn't take a chance on her.

The man in red and black

High bike wrote: »

That heifer went home today,in fairness to the man gave him scanning cert got a few bob to cover expenses and everyone's happy.Hope she calves down ok for him,but I wouldn't take a chance on her.

Good outcome all round. Glad it got sorted successfully!

High bike

The man in red and black wrote: »

Good outcome all round. Glad it got sorted successfully!

yeah an easy man to deal with in fairness

Genghis Cant

High bike wrote: »

yeah an easy man to deal with in fairness

I've found throughout my life that the vast vast majority of people I deal with are decent people. Particularly if you're fair and honest with them.
So I think it's a testament to yourself that the man was easy to deal with.

The amount of true Pricks I dealt with in my life I could count on my fingers. People are people. Treat em right and you'll be treated right....... Usually :cool:

High bike

Genghis Cant wrote: »

I've found throughout my life that the vast vast majority of people I deal with are decent people. Particularly if you're fair and honest with them.
So I think it's a testament to yourself that the man was easy to deal with.

The amount of true Pricks I dealt with in my life I could count on my fingers. People are people. Treat em right and you'll be treated right....... Usually :cool:

thats probably the nearest thing I'm goin to get to a compliment here ,but I'd agree with you there try to treat people as you would want to be treated and you won't go too far wrong