After the Abstract: Pregnancy Loss in Crossbred Beef Cows

On this episode of After the Abstract on Bovine Science with BCI reviews a recent study on pregnancy loss in crossbred beef cows, focusing on factors that influence whether pregnancies are maintained after conception. The vets highlight that estrus expression at the time of artificial insemination, cow body weight, and season all play significant roles, with lighter cows, those not showing estrus, and those bred in the dry season experiencing higher loss rates. They also emphasize that changes in body condition after breeding, especially losing condition, are strongly associated with increased pregnancy loss. Overall, the discussion suggests that nutrition and reproductive physiology are key drivers of pregnancy retention, even more than factors present at the time of breeding.

Read Article Here

Guest Cambree Schmaltz: CalfDex and Transporting Pregnant Cows

On this podcast episode of BCI Cattle Chat, the team and guest, Cambree Schmaltz, discuss the CalfDex project, which aims to simplify record-keeping for cow-calf producers and help them use data more effectively for management and economic decisions. They also answer a listener’s question about the risks of transporting pregnant cattle, emphasizing that early pregnancy is the most vulnerable period for pregnancy loss due to stress. 

5:14 CalfDex   

14:27 Transporting Pregnant Cows

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CalfDex

Herd Health: Pregnancy Loss Factors

What causes 30-40% of pregnancies to not have a live calf? Dr. Bob Larson brings a research report article which summarizes a lot of information on pregnancy in beef cattle. Dr. Brad White and Dr. Larson will discuss new information that could be applicable when dealing with pregnancy loss in a herd.

Link to Article: Highlighting factors contributing to pregnancy loss in beef cattle

Herd Health: Open Cows

In this episode of Herd Health a Bovine Science podcast Dr. Bob Larson and Dr. Brad White breakdown open cows. They talk about how to figure out what causes a cow to not be pregnant. They also discuss what to do once you find the problem.