Does anybody guarantee heifers ??

[odoyle69]

Quick question for everybody . 3 weeks ago I bought 3 open heifers off a production sale near me . every year we have all our heifers pelvic checked by our local vet . We had one heifer score a 110 on pelvic which is really small and they also score her reproductive tract at a 1 out of 4 which is really bad (vet says probably wont breed back) . She is a Feb 8 heifer so she is a older heifer . My question is do I ask for my money back or tell the owner about this should he guarantee her like a bull ????

 

[cowboy_nyk]

Purebred cattle must be guaranteed to be breeders if they are sold as such.  It is in the governance of the breed associations.  If the breeder won't help you, you can then go to the breed association for help.  If this is a clubby heifer with no papers, good luck.  You are relying on the breeder's integrity alone.

 

[frostback]

I think that is a question that should have been asked before you bought anything.

 

[BTDT]

I agree Frostback, but at the same time, if you do not know enough to ask, why would you?  I can remember back in the "genetic defect OMG" days, that everyone was telling newbies that if they weren't smart enough to ask about defect status it was their own fault, when in reality, I felt it was sellers responsibility to test and tell.  Hard to ask about something you know nothing about?
(I am not digging at odoyle69 - just trying to give another side of the story)

 

[frostback]

If the heifers don't breed then yes a call to the seller could be made. If they were sold in a production sale for the purpose of production then you take a risk that a live calf may not be had, but if she gets bred then the seller has made his burden. If she is not big enough to have the calf that was the buyers choice. He picked the heifer. Too many people playing the victim all the time.

 

[justintime]

I doubt if you have any grounds to get your money back, unless you are dealing with a very reputable breeder with a very big heart. Many people will guarantee that heifers will breed, so if your heifer with the small pelvis breeds, you have little grounds to stand on. You could talk with the seller and tell him the situation and he may offer to replace the heifer. He may also offer to give you your money back, but at the same time, he may tell you to see if she will breed. If she does, I think you own the heifer.
While it would be great if more people would check the pelvic measurements before they sell heifers, I don't know of many who do this. I agree with frostback, in that if this is a concern to you, you should ask the question before you purchase.

 

[aj]

The lesson learned here.....don't buy cattle from registered breeders. I know a local salebarn that gaurantees heifers will pass a reproductive check if they are sold as replacements. If this is the best the show cattle industry can do than this industry is a freaking joke.

 

[ejoe326]

Yes I would take the heifer back and refund your money or offer you a replacement if I have one to sell if you had bought heifers from me.

Do you know the breeder well or at all?

We don't pelvic check until right before breeding.  I agree with justintime it would be much easier to do before they are sold but sometimes they are not old enough.  I have had a few that checked acceptable and then not grow which I will still do something about.

I try to do what I can to make it right with customers and there has been only one in recent memory where the guy was not being honest about his problems.  He said a 1st calf heifer had almost no milk and her calf was only alive because he was robbing.  I really doubted it but figured anything could happen.  I said he could load them up or I'd pick them up and give him his money back.  Turns out he was desperate for money.  Worked out great for me since she's gone on to be a very solid cow because there was nothing wrong with her in the first place.