Can you use nature to select the gender of a calf? Does it have to be left to chance of 50/50 or can you change that in your favor. In this blog we are going to evaluate two separate ideologies from two different countries and breeds. One I heard about a few years back and have wondered how to implement it to see if it's true and the other I just read on a blog and they mention in passing the first one so I wonder if they have a separate method or are accidentally applying the first.
This first idea comes from a longtime breeder of longhorns and came up in conversation because I commented that this bull on the right, Rocky, gave me mostly bulls. Over the course of 6 years he only gave me 9 heifers, including one that died at birth, out of 24 calves. So with only 38% heifer I was wondering what if anything could be done, as I really liked the colors my bull was throwing but it's hard to grow a herd. with steers and bulls. This breeder stated they had the records to prove their herd gave near 80% heifers. So I began to ask questions because with a registered herd it would be easy to make the paperwork show only heifers by only registering them.
As we began to delve in the conversation I had to believe it had some credibility. It seems their water ph is somewhat alkaline and the cows thus have a more basic blood and uterus environment. A quick search did bring up other such ideas out there. However, I have yet to figure out a way to implement this in any sort of effective way. One such place suggested applying apple cider vinegar to water source, but clearly these people were dealing with a small operation where they could add something daily to water and not any scalable operation with multiple cows. Also they did not have how long nor how much to apply to alter the uterine environment. I would consider testing water for future sites to see and note any changes to outcomes.
The other idea came from a Canada ranch, however, I mentioned it to an older cattle
lady and she had heard of it. This has to do with selecting when to breed based on the numbered cycle of heat. Odd numbers results in changing the gender of the calf and even number keeps the same gender. I am attempting this with a cow that has given me only bull calves. We'll see if I pull a heifer out of her next year. This is definitely more intensive as I have to figure when in heat and count when it is which heat cycle. I guess I want to pull them out after the selected cycle so they don't breed on the wrong cycle also.
I emailed the author of the article to ask some questions of Tracy Howe of www.motherhoweslittlecows.com and will post the conversation below.
1. You mention your grandfather taught your father who taught you. Approximately how many animals would you say they raised?
My grandfather's herd consisted of =/-35 head of beef cows and 3-6 dairy or dairy crossed cows. Dad's herd were mostly Charolais and Red Poll with some Gelbveih and Red Angus (bulls) brought in during the last few years dad raised cattle. At peak, his herd was 120 head of cows.
2. Which breed of cows did they raise as well as yourself? +
Grandpa raised mostly Hereford and Shorthorn. Dairy cows were mainly Holstein, an occasional Ayrshire; crossed to Shorthorn bulls
3. You mention the PH level affecting the spermatozoa, where can I find that information?
4. Have you had any water PH levels tested on where these cows are raised?
No
5. Did the three generations live on the same land where the grandfather started?
Grandfather started the homestead. Dad took it over. Myself, I raised my cattle 1.5 hours from the homestead and then moved 15 hours away with my cattle
6. How often were bulls selected for?
Heifers were generally selected within the milking herd whereas bulls were more frequently selected within the beef herd (for marketing in the fall and freezer beef)
6b. If known what were the numbers of times bulls were selected for vs number of times successfully birthed bulls when selected for?
For this I have no answer. Dad is now 78; I am 55. Grandpa has been gone for 52 years now.
This is interesting to say the least. It would seem to implement it on a grand scale would be difficult beyond the first time the cow was put with the bull. Moving a cow in and out with a bull is time consuming and with a herd of any size not sure it is feasible. One could use it to put the cow with the bull based upon this information and hope that she takes on the desired heat. So the herd manager would plan the desired cycle to introduce her at but if she didn't take the ones after would just have to be taken. So management wise not sure if this would be feasible.