Bull Bred Heifers Becoming Hard A.I.er's

[pweaver]

Has any one had or heard of problems getting cows to breed AI after they were bred by natural service as a heifer?  I see most if not all of Sullivan's breds are bred natural service and have heard a few problems getting them bred AI in subsequent years.  Is this because of the first breeding method, hereditary, development?  Is their percentage of non-AIer's no different then other breeding programs?

 

[BTDT]

I can only make comments from my experience and have experienced first hand via neighbors and business connections.
There is no difference is AI conception from natural serviced heifers in future years.
I would guess that most of sullivans heifers are sold as show animals and they get extra feed and probably kept in a cooler during the summer months. Two big fertility killers are fat (too much feed) and being shown (travelling, and extreme temp changes due to being in the cooler). 
I would also venture to guess that these are large framed, "showy" type of heifers. The ones I have seen in sullivans show string are HUGE (first calf bred heifer weighing 1750) so simply due to nutritional requirements, they may be hard to get bred as a 3 year old. Remember you are expecting several things from a 3 year old: Milk well, grow herself in frame and condition, AND get rebred. ANY 3 year old is harder to get re-bred due to those facts.  Selecting for high fertility and easy fleshing will decrease those issues, but I doubt those are high on the list at such a farm.

 

[RyanChandler]

I can only make comments from my experience and have experienced first hand via neighbors and business connections.
There is no difference is AI conception from natural serviced heifers in future years.
I would guess that most of sullivans heifers are sold as show animals and they get extra feed and probably kept in a cooler during the summer months. Two big fertility killers are fat (too much feed) and being shown (travelling, and extreme temp changes due to being in the cooler). 
I would also venture to guess that these are large framed, "showy" type of heifers. The ones I have seen in sullivans show string are HUGE (first calf bred heifer weighing 1750) so simply due to nutritional requirements, they may be hard to get bred as a 3 year old. Remember you are expecting several things from a 3 year old: Milk well, grow herself in frame and condition, AND get rebred. ANY 3 year old is harder to get re-bred due to those facts.  Selecting for high fertility and easy fleshing will decrease those issues, but I doubt those are high on the list at such a farm.