Any advice on growing heifers?

[Travlr]

I weighed them

Are these things miniatures? 500 pounds now and getting them to 800 at a 1 3/4? Or am I ready this wrong and they've been stunted?

Look, you never answered the above question. If these animals are at these weights they are pretty light for full size animals. Anything these sizes would be hard for me to recommend using them as breeding animals. Have you thought about selling them and finding something better to use?

 

[M. Johnson]

Are these things miniatures? 500 pounds now and getting them to 800 at a 1 3/4? Or am I ready this wrong and they've been stunted?

I'm thinking they're that small because I weaned them at 3 months old

 

[NIdahoShorthorns]

I'm thinking they're that small because I weaned them at 3 months old

I'll ask my question again. Based on their genetic makeup, what size would you expect them to be a ~1.25-1.5 years old? How big do you anticipate they'll be mature? They should be about 70% of their mature weight by now, they look a little thin, but if you expect 1000-1100lb mature cows you're probably on track. If you're expecting 1300-1550, somethings wrong.

 

[Brute 23]

I'm thinking they're that small because I weaned them at 3 months old

I think you definately have to consider the long term effects that might have played on development, especially from a reproduction stand point.

Those calves will bring a lot of money in their current condition. You could wait for another calf crop or apply the money to some more animals.

The goal with keeping replacements is to control the development of your program, right? If you have a variable like question development early on it could likely effect their current production and your future decisions. It's like working with skewed data.

 

[farmerjan]

First off, welcome to the CT forum...
Couple of questions... Were these bottle calves? Or calves on cows? If they were on cows, WHY did you wean them at 3 months? The cow's job is to feed the calf to get it to grow to be weaned at an average 7 months... Unless there is extreme conditions, and sometimes drought will be one, there is NO REASON to wean at 3 months under normal conditions. And then, if you do wean off cows at that early age, they need to be fed well, so they will keep growing.

You said that there were several reasons they were at lighter weights and looking a little rough, and admitted it was more your own neglect/fault. I admire someone that can come right out and say, Hey I didn't do things right... need to try to fix it, make it better, and have learned from it. SO kudos to you for that.
If they were bottle calves then 3 months is good for weaning but they need good high quality feed and real good hay to keep on growing for at least another 4-6 months.... or they will be stunted.... By the time they hit 7-8 months, they still need good feed/grass, but they will have gotten a good start, and good grass will go a long way to helping them grow better with less concentrated feed.

The guys from Canada will have bigger cattle at weaning that many of us here in the central, eastern area.... VA, NC, SC, TN, KY.... many of our cows are not as big as the farther northern cattle and do not wean big calves like they do... Most of what we wean is in the 450-600 range... at 7-8 months... a round figure here is 75 lbs at birth, 50 lbs mo gain... and we try for better than that... but that is a very "round figure guestimate"... Has some to do with the humidity, crazy weather swings we get, the soil and grasses they have to grow on, age of weaning too... and the smaller size of the cows overall... ours run in the 1050-1250 range. We don't push them with feed, but they learn what some silage is, and once weaned they get silage and some grain top dressed, and good hay.... plus grass when we have it for them. They will get this for 60 days or more, and then we normally sell them as feeders. The heifers we keep for replacements will get some grain at pasture, mostly for the "keep them coming to the catch pens" a couple times a week... but they don't go out until they are pretty good size.
Fecal samples to determine worm loads... no need to worm too often, but timely worming can make a big difference.
Salt and mineral should be kept in front of them all the time...

 

[Mark Reynolds]

There can be benefits to genetically smaller mature animals. What I'm wondering is if they are stunted? You indicated you weaned them. How big are/were their mothers?

 

[Dave]

Two big if's here. If those heifers are actually 1 3/4 to 2 years old and if they actually weigh 500 pounds. Given that both of those things are correct I would put them all on a truck and head to the sale with them. They are most likely stunted and not heifers who will make good mature cows. Early weaning and worming can affect the weight. But proper nutrition to grow them would have a much larger effect.
The original question asked if you should feed them more or less. From the looks of them in that picture they certainly need more.

 

[WFfarm]

Worming 4 times a year seems excessive. I would think twice a year would be sufficient. Also, you might want to change up the types of wormer you are using so you don't get resistance. A good balanced mineral is important. You may also want to give them a shot of Multi-min as well.

We look at keeping replacement heifers with the goal of improving our overall herd. This entails keeping heifers that are out of our best cows, with genetics from a good bull we are using, and that show good growth rate. We may only keep one or two some years and up to 5 or 6 in others. If this group of heifers you have are behind the curve on development, you may want to think hard about selling them as feeders and buy something better, or wait until next year when you have a better system developed. Cattle stunted as a calve will take a lot longer to catch up in growth or may never reach their potential.

 

[simme]

Poor quality heifers and top quality heifers will have pretty similar expenses for upkeep the rest of their lives. Big difference maybe in the dollars they bring in from their calves sold. Are there long term savings on purchasing low quality heifers vs higher quality? For building a cow herd, start with good ones.
May be that better quality heifers will have lower expenses for upkeep. Probably bring more years down the road when they are culled as well.

 

[OBAX]

I think you have a lot of people here telling you you have poor quality heifers! What a disservice they are doing to you by assuming that. Too many cattle people will preach to you that if they do not wean at 600-700# that you do not have good cattle. That could can't be further from the truth. If your goal is to breed terminal calves to sell at weaning, then sure you should try to wean the biggest calves you can at 205. But genetics have proven to us that a calf can wean lighter, and even be lighter at yearling weights, and still be maternally superior to others that checked the boxes. I have raised a lot of slow growing heifers that turned out to be some of the best, most fertile, longest lasting cows in the herd, and bring me a nice calf every year.
If you weaned them, pretty good chance you know what they are out of, and if they have proven to be cow makers. I'd say stop worrying about their age, get them to 700-750# and breed them.
Never let anybody tell you they are not good enough and you should sell them and start over! They probably have better cattle than we do anyway, so no need trying to gain their approval.
Good luck!

 

[simme]

I think you have a lot of people here telling you you have poor quality heifers! What a disservice they are doing to you by assuming that. Too many cattle people will preach to you that if they do not wean at 600-700# that you do not have good cattle. That could can't be further from the truth. If your goal is to breed terminal calves to sell at weaning, then sure you should try to wean the biggest calves you can at 205. But genetics have proven to us that a calf can wean lighter, and even be lighter at yearling weights, and still be maternally superior to others that checked the boxes. I have raised a lot of slow growing heifers that turned out to be some of the best, most fertile, longest lasting cows in the herd, and bring me a nice calf every year.
If you weaned them, pretty good chance you know what they are out of, and if they have proven to be cow makers. I'd say stop worrying about their age, get them to 700-750# and breed them.
Never let anybody tell you they are not good enough and you should sell them and start over! They probably have better cattle than we do anyway, so no need trying to gain their approval.
Good luck!

Going to be 21 to 24 months old this fall. So, they are now 14 to 17 month old angus heifers that weigh 400 to 600 pounds, average of 500. That is well below average growth for an angus heifer in this area. The poster asked for advice. No disservice in giving advice when it is requested. These heifers are way beyond weaning age. No comparison to 600/700# weaning weights - in either weight or age. Advice is not telling someone what to do, it is telling someone what you would do.

 

[OBAX]

He didn't ask if he should get rid of them, he asked if he should be feeding them more.
I feel like everybody dog piled him about his heifers. Some said low quality. Or inferior, or stunted. All I'm saying is how can anybody assume he has low quality heifers? Maybe they have quite superior genetics and just got off to a slow start. If that's the case, all he needs to do is feed them through it and breed them. The genetics will still be there, regardless of the slow start.

 

[simme]

He did ask about feeding, but also said "Any other advice is welcome, not that I have to tell a cattle person that lol".

 

[Travlr]

He didn't ask if he should get rid of them, he asked if he should be feeding them more.
I feel like everybody dog piled him about his heifers. Some said low quality. Or inferior, or stunted. All I'm saying is how can anybody assume he has low quality heifers? Maybe they have quite superior genetics and just got off to a slow start. If that's the case, all he needs to do is feed them through it and breed them. The genetics will still be there, regardless of the slow start.

He mentioned that the heifers were 1 3/4 or two years old... and I'm not sure if he meant when they would be bred in Oct/Dec or if they are already at that age. At what age would you say a good heifer should weigh at a year and 3/4?

I don't think it's unrealistic to take a five hundred pound heifer to eight hundred to get her ready for breeding. But that's assuming she'll gain weight after she's bred and become a 1100/1200+ pound cow. There is something to be said for quality... or we'd all be raising Corrientes.

If they are 500# now and 1 3/4 years old now, or a year and three quarters in October with whatever weight they gain, how realistic is it that they will be able to reach a decent weight for a mature cow.

There's one other option and it is that we've misunderstood the way that @M. Johnson has stated the case. Maybe he meant they are something that's we all agree would be worth breeding, but we all read it like they are light weights. I doubt it's a bad idea to give someone a reality check if they are doing something that might harm them.

 

[chaded]

Unless they have been eating only air I'm doubting superior genetics..

 

[Brute 23]

He didn't ask if he should get rid of them, he asked if he should be feeding them more.
I feel like everybody dog piled him about his heifers. Some said low quality. Or inferior, or stunted. All I'm saying is how can anybody assume he has low quality heifers? Maybe they have quite superior genetics and just got off to a slow start. If that's the case, all he needs to do is feed them through it and breed them. The genetics will still be there, regardless of the slow start.

People are trying to prevent him from having issues down the road because they care. They are just laying out the possible risks. He still gets to choose what to do.

You can't have thin skin around here. The odds of every one agreeing on one thing are about zero... and that's the beauty of it, imo.

 

[Warren Allison]

I'm thinking they're that small because I weaned them at 3 months old

When you say you weaned them at 3 months...were these bottle calves? Or were they calves out of your cows, that you weaned too early? If so, what kind and how big are their momma's? Or , did you buy them off of some one who for some reason wanted to sell them before weaning time? If so, what kind and how big were those momma cows?

 

[Warren Allison]

I think you have a lot of people here telling you you have poor quality heifers! What a disservice they are doing to you by assuming that. Too many cattle people will preach to you that if they do not wean at 600-700# that you do not have good cattle. That could can't be further from the truth. If your goal is to breed terminal calves to sell at weaning, then sure you should try to wean the biggest calves you can at 205. But genetics have proven to us that a calf can wean lighter, and even be lighter at yearling weights, and still be maternally superior to others that checked the boxes. I have raised a lot of slow growing heifers that turned out to be some of the best, most fertile, longest lasting cows in the herd, and bring me a nice calf every year.
If you weaned them, pretty good chance you know what they are out of, and if they have proven to be cow makers. I'd say stop worrying about their age, get them to 700-750# and breed them.
Never let anybody tell you they are not good enough and you should sell them and start over! They probably have better cattle than we do anyway, so no need trying to gain their approval.
Good luck!

He didn't ask if he should get rid of them, he asked if he should be feeding them more.
I feel like everybody dog piled him about his heifers. Some said low quality. Or inferior, or stunted. All I'm saying is how can anybody assume he has low quality heifers? Maybe they have quite superior genetics and just got off to a slow start. If that's the case, all he needs to do is feed them through it and breed them. The genetics will still be there, regardless of the slow start.

Actually, I am surprised that he hasn't been "piled on" and "dogged out" all that much. No where near as much as usually happens when someone just joins and asks a question like this. Even the more rude and abrasive members on here have been more helpful than they usually are. I kind of agree with those that said to sell out and get some good ones. Right now they will bring dang good money.

 

[Brute 23]

Actually, I am surprised that he hasn't been "piled on" and "dogged out" all that much. No where near as much as usually happens when someone just joins and asks a question like this. Even the more rude and abrasive members on here have been more helpful than they usually are. I kind of agree with those that said to sell out and get some good ones. Right now they will bring dang good money.

I think a lot of newer people misinterpret the advice because it gives the appearance of us acting like we are perfect. It's not that at all. We are speaking from experience and we are just trying to skip them past headaches we went through.

I have a place I neglected this past year. I didn't get there enough and didn't allocate the resources to it. In hindsight it probably got hit the hardest from drought and I didn't realize it until it was too late. The calves are lighter and the cows are not where I like them to be. All the calves are getting sold as is, we are going to cut bait and go at it again.

On the plus side, there are some cows going to town too. For the neglect on my part the majority of cows still faired well. The few that fell apart I had been on the fence about and hadn't done any thing. It's done now.

 

[M. Johnson]

When you say you weaned them at 3 months...were these bottle calves? Or were they calves out of your cows, that you weaned too early? If so, what kind and how big are their momma's? Or , did you buy them off of some one who for some reason wanted to sell them before weaning time? If so, what kind and how big were those momma cows?

I weaned them off my cows.

First off, welcome to the CT forum...
Couple of questions... Were these bottle calves? Or calves on cows? If they were on cows, WHY did you wean them at 3 months? The cow's job is to feed the calf to get it to grow to be weaned at an average 7 months... Unless there is extreme conditions, and sometimes drought will be one, there is NO REASON to wean at 3 months under normal conditions. And then, if you do wean off cows at that early age, they need to be fed well, so they will keep growing.

You said that there were several reasons they were at lighter weights and looking a little rough, and admitted it was more your own neglect/fault. I admire someone that can come right out and say, Hey I didn't do things right... need to try to fix it, make it better, and have learned from it. SO kudos to you for that.
If they were bottle calves then 3 months is good for weaning but they need good high quality feed and real good hay to keep on growing for at least another 4-6 months.... or they will be stunted.... By the time they hit 7-8 months, they still need good feed/grass, but they will have gotten a good start, and good grass will go a long way to helping them grow better with less concentrated feed.

The guys from Canada will have bigger cattle at weaning that many of us here in the central, eastern area.... VA, NC, SC, TN, KY.... many of our cows are not as big as the farther northern cattle and do not wean big calves like they do... Most of what we wean is in the 450-600 range... at 7-8 months... a round figure here is 75 lbs at birth, 50 lbs mo gain... and we try for better than that... but that is a very "round figure guestimate"... Has some to do with the humidity, crazy weather swings we get, the soil and grasses they have to grow on, age of weaning too... and the smaller size of the cows overall... ours run in the 1050-1250 range. We don't push them with feed, but they learn what some silage is, and once weaned they get silage and some grain top dressed, and good hay.... plus grass when we have it for them. They will get this for 60 days or more, and then we normally sell them as feeders. The heifers we keep for replacements will get some grain at pasture, mostly for the "keep them coming to the catch pens" a couple times a week... but they don't go out until they are pretty good size.
Fecal samples to determine worm loads... no need to worm too often, but timely worming can make a big difference.
Salt and mineral should be kept in front of them all the time