Acceptable Breed Back Time

[lgfarms]

What is the accepted time frame for a cow to breed back after having a calf? I have heard a lot of discussion over the years and a lot of differing views.

Also, this is my first post after lurking for a bit. Really nice board and some helpful folks here. Thanks.

 

[sidney411]

No more then 90 days, the sooner the better, but if she goes out of the 90 day time frame, you wil not be getting a calf a year out of her.

 

[jcarkie]

if you run the bull a year long they can breed back as early as 2 weeks to 90 days. the average is between 45 and 80 days.
i use a 60 day season.i put the bull from about may 1st to july 1st, my calves can be born from feb 8 to april 8. usually they are all calved out by march 20th.

 

[HatCreekFan]

Couldn't you 'ease nature along' a little bit by using CIDRs? Make her cycle a little sooner to push back her next calving date?

Just wondering.

 

[dun]

Couldn't you 'ease nature along' a little bit by using CIDRs? Make her cycle a little sooner to push back her next calving date?

Just wondering.

Easier said then done. Some you can and some you can;t. Tried that with a cow this year and she turned up open.

dun

 

[Dusty Britches]

I've heard that she'll cycle back a little earlier if you remove her calf from nursing for 24-48 hours. It works, but it is very stressful on a young calf. Stress = down on feed, higher risks for illness, weight loss.

 

[Susie David]

Cow in OK shape after calving...I start at forty days...needing some condition...sixty. Not cycling after that then she becomes a candidate for a one way ride to the sale barn.

 

[Scotty]

Couldn't you 'ease nature along' a little bit by using CIDRs? Make her cycle a little sooner to push back her next calving date?

Just wondering.

Easier said then done. Some you can and some you can;t. Tried that with a cow this year and she turned up open.

dun

Have heard of people ruining their calving season trying to minipulate it too much.


Scotty

 

[redfornow]

It really depends on your operation and how you run it.

There are a many different veiws some right some well not so right but in the end its up to YOU.

With that said, at my place everything is by weight. lol we sell by weight so why shouldnt weight factor in? If you are selling around 205 (I do not have alot of extra pasture) you get more or less 600.00 bucks a calf depending on the market. So a cow makes you about 50 bucks a month gross or so. If the reason your cow doesnt breed back is because she puts it into the calf that buys her time, and extra 50 pounds on her calf buys her a month or alittle feed. More get more, whereas a smaller calf gets less time for momma. Not much time but some.

We are a smaller operation, so records are great and there arnt any free rides. But I never get rid of a girl that works they are just to hard to find. lol

I know not simple but hey what in the world is?

MD

 

[Workinonit Farm]

Most of mine breed back within 60 days, have 2 that have gone almost 90. Those two are the oldest of the herd. Anything that goes more than 90 gets culled from the herd. We'll see how the 2 "old ladies" fare this next season.


Katherine

 

[Scotty]

Most of mine breed back within 60 days, have 2 that have gone almost 90. Those two are the oldest of the herd. Anything that goes more than 90 gets culled from the herd. We'll see how the 2 "old ladies" fare this next season.


Katherine

Going to palpate Friday. No need to feed open cows. Giving second chances will kill the bottom line. One of my many lessons learned.


Scotty

 

[msscamp]

I've heard that she'll cycle back a little earlier if you remove her calf from nursing for 24-48 hours. It works, but it is very stressful on a young calf. Stress = down on feed, higher risks for illness, weight loss.

That sounds like a very good way to end up with a pretty good case of scours depending on the age of the calf, but I could very well be wrong.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

Most of mine breed back within 60 days, have 2 that have gone almost 90. Those two are the oldest of the herd. Anything that goes more than 90 gets culled from the herd. We'll see how the 2 "old ladies" fare this next season.


Katherine

Going to palpate Friday. No need to feed open cows. Giving second chances will kill the bottom line. One of my many lessons learned.


Scotty

I should have worded the last part better. All, including the two "old ladies", are pregnant. All were palped. What I meant by next season was, after they calve and after exposure to the bull if they are still open at palpation time, they will get their ride to the sale barn. Next seaon being 2006.
I am in full agreement, no need to be feeding open cows.

Katherine

 

[stocky]

There are times I would disagree with the statement that there is no use feeding open cows. This time of year is normally the cheapest time for slaughter cows. It is also the time that most people preg check their cows and sell for slaughter the open ones. They are generally suckled down so they dont weigh as much and bring less for slaughter. I have made alot of money buying the open cows now and either selling them in March as slaughter cows or as 2nd period cows or even holding until June to sell as 3rd period cows. If a cow puts on 100 lbs and adds 15 dollars per hundred to the slaughter price by march, she will bring around 200 dollars more then than now. Many times they will bring 300 more as a second period cow and 400-500 more as a springer. So, my experience is to feed that open cow, keep the bull with her to get her bred and then sell either in March or later, either as a slaughter cow or as a bred cow. If she is a huge, real fat cow now, you might as well sell her because she wont retain her weight in the winter

 

[NewCowboy]

If you are selling around 205 (I do not have alot of extra pasture) you get more or less 600.00 bucks a calf depending on the market.
MD

Are you saying you get $600.00 for a 205 pound calf???? Or is that selling at 205 days???? We just sold the last of our calves and the highest only brought 1.44/lb.

:cboy:

 

[redfornow]

Its when I take em off momma, sometimes longer sometimes shorter. Depends on grass (not much here this year) old girls condition and what the market is doing.
I am just saying I have no hard rules, I judge each one by how they work for me.

Like I said working girls are hard to find.

MD

ps yeah i wish I could get 600 for a calf, that would make this alittle easier