A couple of new babies

[Joy of Texas]

We had an April Fool baby bull born around 6pm. Weighed 102.

The cow I had the udder problem with calved today at 6:15. She had a heifer weighed in at 98 lbs.

 

[IluvABbeef]

And those new babies are sure cute!

 

[Beefy]

hows she milking?

 

[popsjp]

JOT nice looking calves, which bull are they out of?

 

[Joy of Texas]

hows she milking?

Well beefy, the front quarters did not drop. But they did have milk in them. I went and checked her daily. The back quarters are full. This calf is alot bigger than her first calf.So I know she will be more demanding. I have a nurse cow on stand by just in case.

 

[Joy of Texas]

JOT nice looking calves, which bull are they out of?

Thanks popsjp, Posting a pic of my bull.

 

[Alice]

Oh Joy, I do like those babies! :heart:

Alice

 

[Joy of Texas]

Oh Joy, I do like those babies! :heart:

Alice

Thank you Alice.... Good to see ya again.

 

[bigbull338]

dang joy those are some heavy weight calves.what are you feeding to get the calves that big.they are some cute calves let me tell ya.thats a nice looking bull to.

 

[popsjp]

Nice looking bull. Good topline not too much sheath. From the color you must be soothing for those colorfull paints. Nice cattle.

 

[Jogeephus]

I like your bull and calves. In a word, your bull looks "stately". (I think he knows he's the man ) Don't you love calving season!?

 

[Joy of Texas]

Thanks all, Yes Jo I do love calving time. Never know what any of the calves will look like till they hit the ground. The black cow had the ugliest little bull calf last year. I know I could have won the ugliest calf award on him. But this year her heifer calf is just beautiful.
Even though my bull is paint . I don't always get a paint calf out of him. On the limo's I had last year,most came out solid and no white anywhere.

 

[fourstates]

How do you get those "giant" calves?? Are you graining your bred cows? Those nice mommas can handle hundred pounders, but they are about 20+ lbs above the breed average. Are you seeing higher WW? I love your bull and I doubt he's throwing those big babies... You have beautiful cattle. You make me proud of the Beefmaster breed.

 

[Joy of Texas]

How do you get those "giant" calves?? Are you graining your bred cows? Those nice mommas can handle hundred pounders, but they are about 20+ lbs above the breed average. Are you seeing higher WW? I love your bull and I doubt he's throwing those big babies... You have beautiful cattle. You make me proud of the Beefmaster breed.

Thank you ,fourstates I do believe it is not just the bull producing these big ones . These are 10 plus year old mommas. They weigh 1500 to 1800 lbs. For them to have a large calf isn't a big deal.
We did not grain any of these cattle ,except a handful of calves that got held back. They got their hay ,minerals and lick tubes. Thats it ,well the last couple of weeks waiting on the grass they did get a few bags of cubes. There was some grass and they started really wasting hay. So we put cubes out. Now it's grass and minerals.
I am glad you are proud of the beefmaster. So am I . You also have some beautiful animals. You know I can set watch these guys all day. The calves that I have on the ground are just awesome. Growing at such a rapid rate. They won't be babies for long.

 

[3waycross]

Joy those are sure good lookin calves. I thought at first that those birth weights were kinda hi but they are not even 7% of their mothers weight. Not much different than an 1150lb Angus being expected to deliver a 75 pound calf without assistance.

The real key is if you're good with keeping 1500 to 1800 lb cows then those calf weights are not that high. I think I saw on the Sask Valley Shorthorn website that their bull calves avg'd 98 lbs and heifers around 92, and those are shorthorns. If I'm not mistaken one of the foundation breeds of the Beefmasters is shorthorn,so those birth weights are not that unusual. Besides we have found out in recent years that structure has caused us far more problems than weight for calving ease.

Good luck with your calves they sure look good to me.

 

[East Caney]

Congratulations on your calves.

I also find it abnormal that the birthweights are so high on those beefmaster calves. How long have you been selecting for high growth? It sounds as if you're increasing your frame size significantly and your birth weights are following suit. How do you measure your calves' weights (scale or tape)?

I think most people stay away from larger framed cattle for the simple reason that many smaller framed cattle seem to be easier keeping. I'm sure an 1,800 lb heavy milking female could raise a monster calf. I also know of a foundation bred heifer being weighed at the time her calf was weaned...she weighed in the 9's and her calf weighed in the 8's. It doesn't always take a lot of frame to get good weight. I do see how you wouldn't have much trouble with those large calves when the cows are that size. I don't know how much of an advantage you have at weaning. Some will argue, due to maintenance, that there may be no advantage at all.

I also don't know that very large frame cattle are what the market considers "optimum". Then again, raising paints, I don't suppose you're giving much reference to what the market considers optimum.

Someone stated that your birthweights were about 20 lbs over the breed average, and I'd say they were "at least" that. There are quite a few BBU bred animals out there with good EPDs. Those same animals seem to be the ones with higher birthweights and larger frames. The cattle business is a game of balance. For whatever you get, there will be something that must be given. I think it's our job to properly manage that balancing act.

Anyway, you've explained the size of your herd which somewhat explains the size of your calves. I know you're fond of paints, and it seems that your program works for you. I wish you well. I just want to ensure that everyone doesn't think that those 95-105 lb birthweights are the norm within the Beefmaster breed.

EC

 

[Joy of Texas]

East Caney, The very first time I saw a beefmaster bull and cows. They were huge awesome animals.This was back in the 70's. Alot, has changed with the breed since then. I will only have a handful with birth weights like that. As I stated they are from the older cows. I don't think it is abnormal in their weights. The cows themselves are extra large framed animals.They hold and maintain their weight on year round basis. No extra anything .
I also have smaller framed cows. Those that follow beefmaster guidelines. These calves are for myself only. I kept the heavier weight heifers from last year and the year before. I'll have some data on them this year when they start calving in the fall. And yes some are 2 yrs or better in age. I believe a heifer should have plenty of time to mature. Oh my I went against the grain again. I personally think that's the trouble people breeding heifers to young. They have so much trouble with them. I rather give them a little extra time when they are younger. Then I have a better chance of them being with me longer. By that I mean age wise.
I know I don't go with the flow. People are always changing things within their breed anyway. I had a man tell me they were trying to breed beefmaster to have ears like limo's. So that tells me someone is going to cross limo's and beefmaster and E-6 them. I have some crosses and their ears are not that much smaller. The same people that crossed an angus with a beefmaster. It's not a black beefmaster It's a brangus. To each his own,but I will never have a black beefmaster bull.
I weigh them with a tape. So I guess I could minus 5 lbs off of their weight. But I've been within a lb or 2 for the last few years. No I agree that the birth weights that I have are not the norm. It is just with a handful of OLD cows. I had a heifer born yesterday she weighed 72lbs. That cow weighs 1100.
I only have one other extra large framed cow bred to a different bull due next month. I guess then I will see if the cow or bull causing these high birth weights.
Yes I do love these paints. Just because you have a paint cow does not mean you will have a paint calf. Some have paints,some have solid,or some are dark topline and white underline. If you really look at my bull. I don't call him paint .I call him white with a red mask and red stockings. His colors are changing the older he get though. ^The dark spots on his back are getting darker .

 

[hillsdown]

Nice babies , I really like the first one.
How much does that bad boy weigh? (your herd bull)

 

[Joy of Texas]

Well, TN I wonder why the paints calves had to be pulled ? That's interesting.. I used this bull on some heifers last year. Out of 22 I had to help with 2 of them. The birth weights were 65-126 lbs. Only 1 at a 126 lbs. Do I blame the bull ? No, I blame it on the time it was born. Although,there are those that disagree with me. I'll have to look back and see when that one was born. But if I recall it's after all the grass had started. That's why this year all of my heifers will calf in the fall and winter. That's just an experiment I am trying for myself. I have used 3 different bulls on 15 heifers each. One of the bulls had a high birth weight himself. And he is solid. The other 2 bulls are low birth weights and they are paints.

 

[Brute 23]

I do not know anyone around here that would be interested in even purchasing those calves for breeding stock due to their birthweights. About the only thing you could sell them for around here would be to put in someone's freezer.

Any ways... :roll:


Keep doing what you are doing... Joy. Not that you need to be told,,, but if you aren't enjoying cattle then you might as well not be doing it. Good looking animals...