Mostly Heifer calves

[Brute 23]

There are articles that talk about how a diet effects male vs female calving.

 

[BFE]

6/7 heifers so far. Last year. Was the opposite with my spring calvers. Fall group was 50/50.

 

[Nesikep]

I had a 12 year old cow, she never had a heifer in her life
One year, I started off with 8 heifers and 2 bulls... was sure I was going to be heavy on the heifers by the end of it, but the next 10 were 8 bulls and 2 heifers...
My oldest grandma cow had 16 calves, 11 of those were heifers

 

[Dsth]

when I was AIing my dairy cows, I wanted a heifer calf from a bull that I really liked. I probably used 30 straws before giving up. not sure how many pregnancies I got, but a lot of bulls but not one heifer. My AI rep said no one else complained about all bull calves.

 

[TCRanch]

We generally end up 50/50 but this year we're heavy on heifers. Only have 13 more to calve, so hoping they're bulls.

 

[chaded]

I talked to my neighbor yesterday and he said he had mostly bulls so far this year so I don't know. I do know our management is different. Mainly, he feeds hay all year round where i do mostly opposite. I guess I will see how it plays out with the remaining half of the cows but with the first half being all heifers continuing last years trend I'm not overly optimistic.

 

[Dave]

I haven't looked at the count lately but I was running strong to bulls earlier.

 

[TCRanch]

Dangit, another heifer calf today. Up to 19 heifers, 12 steers. I culled hard last year so only calving out 43, which is the smallest amount in probably 14 years.

 

[lithuanian farmer]

From 22 calves only 6 bull calves so far. Heifer year here as well!

 

[crossbreed]

I guess the good Lord is preparing us to build back our herds! we are heavy on heifers also

 

[tater74]

I'm even for the year.

 

[Logan52]

75 per cent heifers, both last year and this. I had the same thought about this telling us we need to replenish the herd.

 

[Dave]

A lot of heifers lately but the bulls are still in the lead.

 

[Silver]

Bull calves have closed to within 8 of the heifers. The spread was 28 at one point.

 

[tex452]

I loaned my brother a bull, every calf was a heifer until the bull was sold last year, he has gotten a couple of bull calves on this last round.
We have 3 boys, my two brothers had all girls, five all together?

 

[GoWyo]

Sitting at 25 bulls and 19 heifers with 26 to go. They can all be bulls from this point on. I have plenty of replacement prospects and a sharp knife to make steers.

 

[Travlr]

Does it seem like your herds are dropping one sex... and then have a sudden switch to the other? If you look back ten months or so, before breeding, was there any kind of noticeable change in forage and/or supplements/minerals?

 

[GoWyo]

Does it seem like your herds are dropping one sex... and then have a sudden switch to the other? If you look back ten months or so, before breeding, was there any kind of noticeable change in forage and/or supplements/minerals?

On the cows that stuck AI we had quite a few heifers at the beginning then more bull calves. We are in the first cycle post-AI now and still getting slightly more bulls than heifers.

 

[mwj]

Averages need to be figured over more than one year to be accurate.

 

[Travlr]

On the cows that stuck AI we had quite a few heifers at the beginning then more bull calves. We are in the first cycle post-AI now and still getting slightly more bulls than heifers.

Was there a difference in forage and/or supplements/minerals just before breeding occurred, a month or so before breeding?