Belt, no belt.

[Ky hills]

This is a first calf heifer., bought her as part of a 3 in deal about a year and a half ago. Her mother calved again last fall with a solid black calf and is due again any time,
This calf is by our BWF 3/4 Angus bull. It's another tiny one probably under 40#.
We were hoping for a white faced belt but didn't happen, oh well it will sell better without a belt if it makes it.
Plan is to sell both belts with calves after they both calve.
Had to go run off about 20 buzzards away from the pair.

 

[A.J.]

Glad you got a healthy new calf. Hope the calf will make it and grow out good for you. That belt pattern sure is unpredictable, you never know what they will look like til they pop out. Around here the calf would bring several hundred dollars more without a belt at sale time, so there is consolation in that. Maybe the next one will be a heifer with white face and a belt.

 

[Ky hills]

Calf is another tiny one this one maybe 30 pounds.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Do you weight any of the calves or just guess weights?

 

[puzzled in oregon]

What do these belted cows weigh?

 

[Ky hills]

Do you weight any of the calves or just guess weights?

Weigh some guess others.
Don't have scales anymore so use a weigh tape. Almost all of these heifers calves the last few years are too small for a weigh tape.
That calf is closer to a half a feed sack than a full one

What do these belted cows weigh?

guessing that heifer at around 800 give or take

 

[crossbredcalves]

Those belts are wildly unpredictable. I had a belted cow.
Bred to a black angus bull, solid black calf.
Bred to a Charolais bull, grey calf with belt.
To a Sant Gertrudis bull, she had a panda marked calf.

 

[puzzled in oregon]

In relation to the heifers size it doesn't look that tiny. I would re-evaluate them in 6 months.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Using a weight tape is still a guess... slightly more educated guess sometimes.

 

[Ky hills]

In relation to the heifers size it doesn't look that tiny. I would re-evaluate them in 6 months.

You're right it doesn't look as small as it really is. We brought it to the barn lot to get some colostrum down it just in case.
I carried it from the side by side. Very lightweight

 

[Ky hills]

Using a weight tape is still a guess... slightly more educated guess sometimes.

Yes, tape isn't entirely accurate, but I've found it to be consistently close.

 

[dave_shelby]

Whats wrong - calf isn't showing vigor? (looking at the pic of you carrying it)

Always wanted a beltie...along with a speckle park and randall lineback.

 

[Ky hills]

Whats wrong - calf isn't showing vigor? (looking at the pic of you carrying it)

Always wanted a beltie...along with a speckle park and randall lineback.

Hoping nothings wrong, but calf had seemed to be not very vigorous. It came to life some after I let it down to tube feed it.
The heifer had not really bagged up much at all and just a a couple days before calving we were wondering if she was even bred, then all of a sudden saw a little bit of an udder. She's kind of skittish so it's hard to get much of a close look at her, so when we found the calf laying away from her this morning we thought we'd get some colostrum down it just in case.

 

[dave_shelby]

always a good idea if in doubt. and putting hands on calves seems to acclimate them to human interaction.

 

[puzzled in oregon]

You're right it doesn't look as small as it really is. We brought it to the barn lot to get some colostrum down it just in case.
I carried it from the side by side. Very lightweight View attachment 50907

Glad you didn't wait 6 months to re-evaluate.

 

[Ky hills]

Glad you didn't wait 6 months to re-evaluate.

Yeah, colostrum is a high priority here, without it there probably wouldn't be anything to re-evaluate later.

 

[Ky hills]

For size comparison that boot is a 7.

 

[puzzled in oregon]

For size comparison that boot is a 7.View attachment 50909View attachment 50910

That calf could almost curl up in Old Ephraim's foot print.

 

[Ky hills]

That calf could almost curl up in Old Ephraim's foot print.

Yeah I believe he could. I'm sure glad we don't have any of old Ephraim's kind here.

 

[Travlr]

oh well it will sell better without a belt if it makes it.
Plan is to sell both belts with calves after they both calve.

Yup, I'd sell them and replace with something that will produce some profit. That may sound harsh to some people here, but even pets need to pay the freight in my opinion.