djinwa
Well-known member
Ran across this today which relates to this discussion.
http://www.angusbeefbulletin.com/extra/ ... skWejjSnIU
Interesting that brahman have the longest gestation at 292 days, vs 281 for angus. So if you have brangus heifers, which genetics are affecting gestation length and therefore birthweight?
http://www.angusbeefbulletin.com/extra/ ... skWejjSnIU
Sires used at the Nevada ranch were obviously short-gestation, calving-ease and low-birth-weight bulls, as only a light pull was required on less than 3% of the AI-sired calves. Many of these assists were due to an abnormal presentation of the fetus and not due to excessive birth weight. Ninety-one percent of the calves weighed less than 80 pounds (lb.) at birth. As birth weights increased to more than 80 lb., so did the assist rate.
Research has shown that there is an 80-lb. birth-weight threshold relative to dystocia in first-calf English-bred heifers. During the last 10 days of gestation, 1-1½ lb. of birth weight per day may be added to the size of the fetus. Within a five-day extended gestation, as much as 8 lb. could potentially be added to the birth weight of a calf. This could mean the difference between an unassisted birth or a dystocia situation.
Interesting that brahman have the longest gestation at 292 days, vs 281 for angus. So if you have brangus heifers, which genetics are affecting gestation length and therefore birthweight?