What would you do?

[Heater]

Hypothetically speaking, let's say you bought your daughter's first show heifer in June of this year.  She was a September 30, 2015 clubby heifer.  You and your daughter researched calving ease bulls and timing to be able to show her with a calf at her side in March 2018 as her retirement show.  Ya'll decide on a Lowline for the first go round at 14 months of age.  You take her to get set-up and then go back for insemination and hour each way.  When the tech goes in, you can tell it is taking him longer than normal.  He then turns and looks at you and asks, "Has this heifer ever been exposed to a bull?"  Of course you reply no because you just have a show steer and no other cattle around you for a mile.  He then tells you that she's 7 or 8 months bred.  You immediately call the breeder who does not know how it happened.  The only options are his neighbors commercial angus or an SOS herd mate that remained intact until sold.  The heifer is 14 months old, 1100 lbs, and 52" tall.  When I asked the tech how big the calf was, he replied, "Oh she's going to have a time with that one."  Two questions:
1.  What can we do to prepare?  I'm fixing to call the vet also.
2.  I this just the price of doing business or should the breeder make it right in some way.  I'm willing to take him the heifer back (6 hour drive) right now, if I could get my money back.  She got fed like a queen, cosmetic dehorned and showed 4 times.  I'd chalk it up to experience and know better next time.  We're going to be left without a show heifer for next year, would another option be to offer to swap the unknown calf for a fall heifer? 
I want to be fair but we're not set-up to calf a juvenile heifer from an unknown bull.  Plus her bag has not dropped at all.  If the protocol sends her into labor were gonna be bottle feeding.  ADVICE?

 

[ROMAX]

If he wants to stay in business of selling show prospects,he should take her back,and offer you another.Or at least give back the purchase price.

 

[Gargan]

If he wants to stay in business of selling show prospects,he should take her back,and offer you another.Or at least give back the purchase price.

I agree he needs to make it right, some way or another!

 

[LLBUX]

Better get her off the feed ASAP-

 

[RyanChandler]

I'd go get my money back, no doubt.  The math leaves no question as to whether or not she was already bred when you purchased her. 

 

[rcx]

When the tech "set her up" was lutalyse or estrumate used?

 

[cowman 52]

I'm having trouble understanding,  you had her 6 months or so and have not seen her in heat? As before, what is this set up deal? Too many things not working but,  yes you have some refund due, if you get it, that may be the question.  Take her off feed,  decide how far along she is and how big a calf you have and proceed.  If calf has feet pointed out, I'd induce and be prepared if there is a chance she can have it.  If too big, c section probably in order.  Way hard to collect on one that ain't alive.

 

[mark tenenbaum]

If he wants to stay in business of selling show prospects,he should take her back,and offer you another.Or at least give back the purchase price.//// WELL PUT-and try to save her if possible O0

 

[mark tenenbaum]

I'm having trouble understanding,  you had her 6 months or so and have not seen her in heat? As before, what is this set up deal? Too many things not working but,  yes you have some refund due, if you get it, that may be the question.  Take her off feed,  decide how far along she is and how big a calf you have and proceed.  If calf has feet pointed out, I'd induce and be prepared if there is a chance she can have it.  If too big, c section probably in order.  Way hard to collect on one that ain't alive./// Best answer-JMO-saving her means just that-get her off feed, maybe re-palpate and try to guesstimate whats up-and induce her-if necessary with the vet ready to do a c-section O0

 

[WT]

I'm going through the same thing right now. I bought a heifer back in May that is a June 2015 with intentions of breeding her in January. Fast forward roughly 6 months to this past Saturday evening. I penned a group of heifers that needed to be palpated and she was in with them. I figured, what the heck, I'll hit her with some Multi-Min and palpate her to make sure everything is healthy in there. You can imagine the look on my face when I found out she's about 8 months bred lol. I called the breeder first thing this morning and he offered to make it right.

I understand that things happen unexpectedly and, in your case, I'd probably take the breeder's word. I'm sure it never crossed his mind to palpate a 6 or 7 month old heifer before she was sold. That being said, I'd agree that it would be in his best interest to make it right and first priority should be a healthy cow and second, a live calf no matter what bull it's out of.

 

[CAB]

  You all have to remember that a bunch of these heifers are slid 2 to 6 months of age when you are buying them. It would probably be a great idea to just get into the habit of giving a shot of PG with some Dexamethazone when purchasing heifers. JMO

 

[Steve123]

Most people, when you have a reasonable conversation about this kind of thing come to a reasonable conclusion. I can promise you he didn't want this to happen either. The biggest fear is always the "what if's". You could spend a lot of time and money and end up with a dead calf and a c-sectioned cow or everything in between trying to deliver this calf. Not to mention the expense of 6 hours driving her back to a guy that probably doesn't want her either. 

My suggestion would be to tell him that you are going to take her to the local sale barn and sell her as a "kill" and he can send you the difference or give you credit on another one.

 

[BroncoFan]

If it were me, I would see if the breeder would make it right. If not, I'd find out from a vet if the calf is still alive. If the calf is still alive I would get a good estimate on the due date to see if the pregnancy is close enough to induce labor. I don't know how cold it is where you are but it's -20 here and birthweights go up a lot when it's really cold in the last trimester. There's not a cowman out there that wants a dead calf but this situation is different. I'd have a hard time doing it but I'd end the pregnancy if the heifer isn't close. Then she can get cleansed and recovered enough to breed next year. The poor calf might not make it in labor and the heifer might not either. Hard to sell a dead heifer. The calf might have health issues too and it most likely will have to be bottle fed. Hopefully the breeder will make it right.

 

[cowpoke]

The best thing is take her back.Unfortunately this happens in growthy 6 mo heifers sometimes.I question your technician setting her up and then determine she is pregnant as the  drugs used can terminate a pregnancy. Aborting her at 7/8 months can be about as bad as full term.Nothing worse for your daughter to experience an difficult birth and the results might discourage her.Get her another heifer and next time just give a shot to make sure. As a breeder I have had it happen and take them back no questions.I have calved some younger heifers and they turned into excellent cows.If she is fat that would make a difference but more than a few bred heifers get sold as fats and at over $1 per pound you could replace her. Not worth the risk and possible heartache.

 

[Bradenh]

First thing Id do is have someone ultra sound her or palpate her that is a fresh set of eyes. Im not questioning your vet... But you'd be amazed it never fails

My question in hindsight is why would you set up and breed a heifer that you've never seen in heat not one time? Sure the breeder is at fault if all this is true. But in the long run there's a lesson to be learned about breeding soundness and maybe preventing the problem before it happened--- like " hey she's 9 10 11 months old and hasnt cycled we need to ultrasound Her" perhaps this could have been more damage control

 

[Show Dad]

  You all have to remember that a bunch of these heifers are slid 2 to 6 months of age when you are buying them. It would probably be a great idea to just get into the habit of giving a shot of PG with some Dexamethazone when purchasing heifers. JMO

I've seen to many "rape" cases that I came to the conclusion it was no accident. After one such experience, we decided to take our newly purchased show heifers for an examination by our vet. After a number of stopped checks and returned calves we went to buying embryo's or bred cows for our show stock. Just got tired of all the lies.

This mis-aging has just got to stop. I know wishful thinking but eventually technology will eliminate this problem.

JMHO
SD
<alien>

 

[Bradenh]

Weights and measures! It doesn't prevent it but it makes a difference with the Brahmans after you get one kicked out

 

[hj.380]

If it were me, I'd have another vet check her out, just for more backup, and maybe even take a copy of the vet's report to seller in case he wants to say you're lying. I would just get my money back, but he should offer you another calf. I think that is all that is fair to ask. Since you're not set up to calve, I would definitely try to find out if theres anything the seller could do for you, after all, it seems like it is his fault, and he should step up.