2022, here we go again!

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lithuanian farmer

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As every year, here is a new thread about our farm's calving season.
We did start calving in December for the new season, but it was just one calf and kinda an ooops calf- weanling bull bred one cow. An official start was yesterday.
So first, here is December born heifer. 116lbs, born unassisted, 287 days gestation. 61,5% limousine. Second pic done at 19days age. The last pic is the sire.
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And here is yesterday born bull calf. 285 days gestation, 103lbs, unassisted. Actually, his dam was my first AI work and she thankfully held. The calf's sire is Dutch improved red beef bull. The calf probably is the first calf sired by this breed born in my country. Very strong and lively calf. He was still wet when had to walk from the feeding area to the shed and he walked all the distance on his own legs almost without any falling.
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His dam is 9 years old sired by our angusxcharx crossbred bull, out of limxdairy cow. She is one of the most fertile and gentle cows we have. I've missed her one heat last year, when I still didn't had my AI equipment, but she held on the first try on the next heat. She had a calf on the 30th of January last year. Two years ago she calved on the 8th of March. I've a feeling, that she might be able to be fast and have another calf by the end of this year.
Actually, to this day can't find a bull, which would leave better daughters than that crossbred bull. Almost all his calves were like puppies since little. Have halter trained calves in the field, all were walking to me to get some scratches and snacks. His daughters in general are all fertile, milky, with great calving abilities, nice tempered at the calving, can help their calves to nurse while moms are just standing, some can be milked if needed, raises good calves, which also have their moms traits. If only knew that that bull will leave such great daughters. Unfortunately, have sold him after he did his job in the herd.

And here is a pic of the newborn calf's sire.
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Going to have two more calves from the same bull this year and three more from another bull, but of the same breed.
The next cow is due on the 27th of this month. Going to be a limousine sired calf.
 
He sure looks like a dandy.
What is the exact Breed? I see it says 100% VRB. Is he a composite/crossbreed?
Looks like VRB stands for Dutch Improved Red (probably before the translation to English). Seems like it might be related to a Piedmontese from my quick research. The OP is probably sleeping now and will probably update tomorrow. They sure have some different types of cattle in Europe. Take a look at this AI brochure which says they are easy calving low birth weight.

 
Looks like VRB stands for Dutch Improved Red (probably before the translation to English). Seems like it might be related to a Piedmontese from my quick research. The OP is probably sleeping now and will probably update tomorrow. They sure have some different types of cattle in Europe. Take a look at this AI brochure which says they are easy calving low birth weight.

That angus looks like a corriente in that brochure...lol

Those birthweights would scare the living daylights outa most people around here nowadays but when you have big stout mamas like you do, no issue. Though i do wonder, how the cows would handle having a 50lb calf?🤔😂
 
That angus looks like a corriente in that brochure...lol

Those birthweights would scare the living daylights outa most people around here nowadays but when you have big stout mamas like you do, no issue. Though i do wonder, how the cows would handle having a 50lb calf?🤔😂
What I have personally noticed, that Angus bulls in such countries, like France, Netherlands, Belgium, where more muscular breeds are popular, you can hardly find a good Angus bull. So usually, there is one or two Angus bulls in semen catalogues, but those sure aren't the nicest looking fellas.
The smallest calf we've ever had was 57lbs. Hardly can call it a calf 😅 Our average is somewhere in 100-110lbs, depending from the year. Never chased after low birth weights and easy calving bulls, so maybe that's what actually build a herd with pretty good calving abilities. Plus culled some females, which showed that they will have calving difficulties in the future, and most of the time trying to keep heifers, from dams with good calving history. There are a couple cows and heifers, which can have a difficulty with a wrong bull, but with a properly selected bulls they do just fine. I do have a couple easier calving bulls in the tank, but use those only on some more risky heifers and cows. All other get normal ease calving bulls, with some exceptional cows getting harder calving bulls.
Have seen some examples, when constantly using only very easy calving bulls generation after generation build a herd, where cows weren't able to calve smaller than average calf naturally.
 
What I have personally noticed, that Angus bulls in such countries, like France, Netherlands, Belgium, where more muscular breeds are popular, you can hardly find a good Angus bull. So usually, there is one or two Angus bulls in semen catalogues, but those sure aren't the nicest looking fellas.
The smallest calf we've ever had was 57lbs. Hardly can call it a calf 😅 Our average is somewhere in 100-110lbs, depending from the year. Never chased after low birth weights and easy calving bulls, so maybe that's what actually build a herd with pretty good calving abilities. Plus culled some females, which showed that they will have calving difficulties in the future, and most of the time trying to keep heifers, from dams with good calving history. There are a couple cows and heifers, which can have a difficulty with a wrong bull, but with a properly selected bulls they do just fine. I do have a couple easier calving bulls in the tank, but use those only on some more risky heifers and cows. All other get normal ease calving bulls, with some exceptional cows getting harder calving bulls.
Have seen some examples, when constantly using only very easy calving bulls generation after generation build a herd, where cows weren't able to calve smaller than average calf naturally.
Im sure the American Angus was selected only within itself that got them today ranging in sizes and there was ABSOLUTELY NO crossbreeding going on.😂😂
Nice cattle as always though. Im half surprised Europe hasnt caught the "if it aint black, it aint worth anything" syndrome. Guess could always develop a European version of CAB, but its my understanding y'all prefer a leaner type of beef than across the pond.
 
I thoroughly enjoy all of @lithuanian farmer posts!

I'm curious. What do your mature female breeding cows average for weight?

Do you know what that mature bull weighs?
Our smallest cow is around 1100lbs, biggest might be around 1850lbs. Average ~1450-1550lbs. But trying to increase an average every year. Some heifers calving this year should be around 1650lbs now, so they will make some big cows.

Don't know exactly, but my guess would be +-2000lbs.
 
Im sure the American Angus was selected only within itself that got them today ranging in sizes and there was ABSOLUTELY NO crossbreeding going on.😂😂
Nice cattle as always though. Im half surprised Europe hasnt caught the "if it aint black, it aint worth anything" syndrome. Guess could always develop a European version of CAB, but its my understanding y'all prefer a leaner type of beef than across the pond.
Angus are pretty popular in my country, BUT no weanling buyers want them. You can sell them, but the price will be very low. More muscled calves are selling way easier. Also in the last two decades Angus has lost some of their important traits, such as easy calving. Years ago you were certain that if you use angus on a heifer, the calf will be small and easily born. Now, on the other hand, often angus calf can cause more trouble than a limousine calf. That's why we actually stopped using Angus. They often brought more calving difficulties on heifers, less shape than continental calf and lower price, plus harder to sell as a weanling. They do make good cows, but if need to sell it, a continental cross animal will always bring more money.
The most desirable animals here are limousine, in the second place- charolais. So actually, black colour isn't wanted by the weanling buyers. Any other colour is okay, but black usually brings lower price. Not a problem when there are just a couple black calves though.
In a scale from 1 to 5 in fat score, the best one, when you sell for slaughter, is 3. Very lean cattle get lower price, so it's the best to in the middle.
 
Our smallest cow is around 1100lbs, biggest might be around 1850lbs. Average ~1450-1550lbs. But trying to increase an average every year. Some heifers calving this year should be around 1650lbs now, so they will make some big cows.

Don't know exactly, but my guess would be +-2000lbs.
1850lb equates to 840kg. Some of my mature Angus cows are over 800kg at the end of summer when they wean their calves so your cow size is not as big as I would expect.

Ken
 
1850lb equates to 840kg. Some of my mature Angus cows are over 800kg at the end of summer when they wean their calves so your cow size is not as big as I would expect.

Ken
You're not the first person saying that. The dairy breeds, which are in our cows, aren't big, so it takes time to breed bigger cows. Plus the limousine bull, which sired half of our herd wasn't big, so his daughters usually aren't super big too. Now, when finally started using AI more and can find more info about the bulls, I'm trying to increase some size in future generations. With each heifers group there are less smaller size ones.
We never really weigh our cows, except when they go to slaughter, so can't say the exact weights of the living ones, but they shouldn't be far from my guess judging by their past not living comrades.
 

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