Babies having babies

[hillsdown]

This is why I estrumate and dexamethasone all of my heifer calves when they get vaccinated at fall herd health.

Went out today and found a little fetus about 3-4 months old. We did all the calves last week. Little Miss Sunrise , my 6th calf born this year has bloody mucus all over her tail today so I am assuming it is hers. I saw all come into heat last week and thought I just missed seeing her, but no she was bred. Those sneaky little bull calves who knew they could be so fertile so young.. :help: At least I know they will semen test well this spring.. :lol2:

I did of course, that is why I insist that all my heifers are given a shot to abort. I remember seeing the calves riding her when I was out in pasture with them in the summer..

I wonder how many of the ones I sold aborted..

 

[bigbull338]

dang HD that sucks to have a heifer bred as a calf.yall are gonna kill me for saying this.but we rarely if ever have a heifer get bred to young.am we leave the heifers with the cows an bull.

 

[hillsdown]

Well BB that is Gelbvieh, "fertile little buggers" as my vet says.. :lol:

I love the high and young fertility part, but you sure need to know how to manage your herd.

 

[SRBeef]

HD, you're getting me a bit scared here...

I have the whole herd together for a couple weeks yet until weaning. All of the bull calves were cut at the spring work up except for one who I was thinking at the time of maybe keeping as a bull replacement. I've now decided against keeping him as a bull. He's right at 177 days old now (just under 6 months). I see him over grazing by himself more than the steers who seem to be more with the herd.

When may a Hereford bull calf reach sexual maturity?

Jim

 

[S&WSigma40VEShooter]

HD, you're getting me a bit scared here...

I have the whole herd together for a couple weeks yet until weaning. All of the bull calves were cut at the spring work up except for one who I was thinking at the time of maybe keeping as a bull replacement. I've now decided against keeping him as a bull. He's right at 177 days old now (just under 6 months). I see him over grazing by himself more than the steers who seem to be more with the herd.

When may a Hereford bull calf reach sexual maturity?

Jim

Typically at a year old. However, that does not mean he cannot breed them now.

 

[novaman]

Well BB that is Gelbvieh, "fertile little buggers" as my vet says.. :lol:

I love the high and young fertility part, but you sure need to know how to manage your herd.

I've notice the same with my Gelb heifers. Had several heifers over the years come up pregnant even with the bull being pulled when they were no more than 6 months of age. Only steer calves, no bulls. For this reason I too have to lute and dex all heifers just to be sure. It sure is nice to have such fertile animals though ;-)

 

[S&WSigma40VEShooter]

Well BB that is Gelbvieh, "fertile little buggers" as my vet says.. :lol:

I love the high and young fertility part, but you sure need to know how to manage your herd.

I've notice the same with my Gelb heifers. Had several heifers over the years come up pregnant even with the bull being pulled when they were no more than 6 months of age. Only steer calves, no bulls. For this reason I too have to lute and dex all heifers just to be sure. It sure is nice to have such fertile animals though ;-)

Right on.

 

[snickers]

we bought a hereford heifer calf at a sale barn last year, she weighed 470# and we never even gave it a thought that she might be pregnant. she was alittle on the thinner side too so this spring I said this heifer is gonna have a calf and my husband thought I was crazy. she had it alright without any help or problems. She had a small heifer calf that we sold at about 4 months old. My question is will this stunt the growth of the orginal heifer or will she still grow to her potential or would you guys recommend getting rid of her?

 

[bigbull338]

she should be fine.just take her a tad longer to grow is all.

 

[hillsdown]

SRbeef I am not sure about herfs but I think many breeders do give them a shot of prostaglandin when they separate the group of heifers.

Snickers she will never reach her full potential, she used that time needed to grow herself on growing a calf instead. So yes she will be stinted, she still may be able to raise a heck of a calf each year though.

 

[Txwalt]

I wonder if this is something that is not as common down here in Texas. A lot of Brahman influence cows here. Later maturing...

Walt

 

[S&WSigma40VEShooter]

I wonder if this is something that is not as common down here in Texas. A lot of Brahman influence cows here. Later maturing...

Walt

I would say your probably right.

 

[msscamp]

When may a Hereford bull calf reach sexual maturity?

Jim

You're looking at the wrong side of the equation - it's not when the bull calf reaches sexual maturity that is important, it's when the heifer calves start cycling that matters. The basic facts of nature dictate that if she is not cycling she cannot be bred, wouldn't you agree? Generally speaking, heifer calves don't usually start cycling until around 7 or 8 months of age. Of course, if you've got a big, growthy heifer then all bets are off, and she can start cycling at anywhere from 3-5 months of age. That goes for all breeds, too. We've been caught - and more than once, too. I don't know of anyone that has been in the cattle business for very long that hasn't been caught by this. I might add that nine times out of ten, it's the herd bull that bred Little Miss Fancy Pants - not a bull calf. Watch your heifers, seperate your bull calves come weaning time, and you can usually avoid this unfortunate situation.

 

[S&WSigma40VEShooter]

When may a Hereford bull calf reach sexual maturity?

Jim

You're looking at the wrong side of the equation - it's not when the bull calf reaches sexual maturity that is important, it's when the heifer calves start cycling that matters. The basic facts of nature dictate that if she is not cycling she cannot be bred, wouldn't you agree? Generally speaking, heifer calves don't usually start cycling until around 7 or 8 months of age. Of course, if you've got a big, growthy heifer then all bets are off, and she can start cycling at anywhere from 3-5 months of age. That goes for all breeds, too. We've been caught - and more than once, too. I don't know of anyone that has been in the cattle business for very long that hasn't been caught by this. I might add that nine times out of ten, it's the herd bull that bred Little Miss Fancy Pants - not a bull calf. Watch your heifers, seperate your bull calves come weaning time, and you can usually avoid this unfortunate situation.

Good post.

 

[Dixieangus]

Well this doesnt make me fill good i have just purchased 2 calves and a pregnant cow.. the cow had her last calf on december 8 and im thinking she should have a calf any day...Well one of the calves about 550lbs born january 8 has mor slack in the back than the cow that should have her calf...P.S. do you think a cow should breed back her first heat if she was in a small herd of ten cows and a big brangus bull...Why i was thinking tjis is because the man who i bought her from his cows have had a calf on the 8 of something so the bull would have gotten them all on the same heat

 

[snickers]

I have a small herd and yes they can be bred all due within a three period, been there done that and that is a good thing. about the heifer it is very possible a 550# calf could of gotten bred since the heifer we bought weighed 470#. good luck

 

[msscamp]

P.S. do you think a cow should breed back her first heat if she was in a small herd of ten cows and a big brangus bull...

Assuming the management is there, the animal in question is a proven breeder, and the delivery was free of complications - then yes, most cows will breed back on their first heat post-calving. Sometimes you will have one that needs 2 cycles to catch, though.

 

[novaman]

P.S. do you think a cow should breed back her first heat if she was in a small herd of ten cows and a big brangus bull...

Assuming the management is there, the animal in question is a proven breeder, and the delivery was free of complications - then yes, most cows will breed back on their first heat post-calving. Sometimes you will have one that needs 2 cycles to catch, though.

I've always been told the first cylce post-calving is not highly fertile. Since I AI I can control when they are bred and always wait at least 45 days and usually 60 days until their first breeding. This gives them time to repair everything and cycle a time or two.

 

[hillsdown]

Right Nova, and first heat after calving is needed for the cow to clean properly. Like was said they can catch and do quite often with a natural service. I did that alot to move my calving interval up from spring to winter in 2 years. I do not suggest that you let a cow be bred after first heat unless absolutely necessary and would never suggest AI'ing on first heat, might as well throw that straw away.

 

[S&WSigma40VEShooter]

P.S. do you think a cow should breed back her first heat if she was in a small herd of ten cows and a big brangus bull...

Assuming the management is there, the animal in question is a proven breeder, and the delivery was free of complications - then yes, most cows will breed back on their first heat post-calving. Sometimes you will have one that needs 2 cycles to catch, though.

I've always been told the first cylce post-calving is not highly fertile. Since I AI I can control when they are bred and always wait at least 45 days and usually 60 days until their first breeding. This gives them time to repair everything and cycle a time or two.

Really, I have had several cows in the last few months calve twice in a year. Now if what you are saying is true then there is no way they could have caught on their first heat after calving and had another calf 10 and half to 11 months there is just no possible way yet it happened? A miracle? perhaps only it has happened four years in a row now.