Factors affecting early pregnancy loss in cattle

This article references a review that highlights factors contributing to pregnancy loss and the rapidly evolving methods used to predict pregnancy failure. Bob Larson, DVM, and Brad White, DVM, review the study compiled by researchers at Texas A&M University.

In what seems a bit like Murphy’s Law, the veterinarians say early pregnancy loss is due to issues with the embryo, cow, bull or environment.

Source: Drovers, April 4, 2025. Link.

One of the things we do know is that when we take a fertile cow and a fertile bull and mate them together, 30 to 40 percent of the time we don’t end up with a live calf, and most of that loss is in the first 20 to 35 days.”