That Darn Dumplin

Dumplin’s been doing her job–too well. I started watching for signs of heat, ahead of giving Glory Bee the shot of lutalyse that was scheduled to be given on Sunday morning, to throw her into heat by Monday evening or Tuesday morning. Then the vet would come back and she would be inseminated. There was a chance Glory Bee might go into heat naturally, before the shot, so I started watching for signs of heat right away.

A cow, male or female, will respond to another cow in heat by riding up on them. It’s one of the simplest and most obvious signs of heat. So I separated Dumplin and Glory Bee, only putting them together for 30 minutes every morning and every evening to see how Dumplin would react.

Wednesday evening, no reaction.

Thursday morning, no reaction.

Thursday evening, no reaction.

Friday morning, no reaction.

Friday evening….

Dumplin?

Dumplin????

DUMPLIN!!!!

Then she rode up on Glory Bee three times in a row.

So. It was Friday evening. The worst time possible. I couldn’t order bull semen on the weekend. She was supposed to have the shot on Sunday, I’d order the semen on Monday, and be ready for a Tuesday or Wednesday insemination depending on when she went into heat.

I called Dr. Mason. She gave me several options, and I chose to wait until Glory Bee goes into heat again, naturally, in three weeks. A cow goes into heat approximately every 21 days, and a natural heat is more fertile than an artificially induced one, so now that we know her cycle, we can be prepared to hit her up on the next one.

But it was disappointing. I didn’t even get to be all tough and everything and give her the shot!