Big Calf?

[Lammie]

I was talking to my Uncle Pat a couple of days ago, up in Oklahoma and he said that he had a heifer calve for the first time several weeks back. The calf was big and it ended up killing the heifer so he started feeding it on the bottle. He said the calf weighed 100 pounds at birth.

I didn't ask about any of the specifics of breed or anything, but is that possible??? That's a big calf.

Anyway, he said he got her weaned and they have a horse that pastures with the cattle and it kicked the calf and broke her shoulder and he had to put her down. I said he bout cried. I guess he got attached to the critter.

100 pounds? He'sbeen doing this sort of thing all his life, so he probably knows what he's talking about.

 

[redfornow]

Yep it happens, hate it when it happens to a heifer.
There are a couple on here that have pics of a 150 lbs calf, now that gets harder to believe.
Have already had two, hundred plus here and we are still early in the season.

Your uncle is right, it happens

MD

 

[bward]

I had one out of a big 2 year old that weighed 115. She had him half way out and we figured she could use a little help with the last half. He was a vigorous calf and weaned around 800 pounds. And finally, he was delicious.

I prefer them under 100 pounds 80 to 90 is just right.

 

[rc]

horses and cows not a good idea.

 

[Saltydawg]

One of my cows just spit out a 114lb bull calf....which is odd cause I've never gotten anything over 85lbs from the bull that was used.

Luckily it was one of my best cows....6 yrs old and never any troubles...she spit it out like it was a 50lb calf.

Calf was a little "dumb"...couldnt figure out how to nurse right....but putting momma on a rope and wrestling the bugger into place....he's a nursing pro now.

I didn't get any pictures at birth but he's only a week old so ill go snap a couple shots. He looks like a nice little bull calf...just bigger framed than what I'm used to from the Hereford bull I used.

Hoping none of my heifers are carrying a little monster inside them.

 

[Bez!]

We routinely have calves in the 90 - 100 pound range. Largest to date on the mature girls was around 115 on the scale.

You have to have cows that can handle this or you are looking for a wreck.

Bez!

 

[Dap]

I'm having my worst year that I can remember for large calves. A neighbor stopped by and started complaining about his big calves too. I'm wondering if it has something to do with the abnormal weather we've had over the last several months. Maybe the stockpiled fescue was a little different, or maybe the warmest January ever and a cold March had an affect. Whatever it was, I hope it doesn't happen again.

 

[alacattleman]

ive had a couple calve's with broken bones that healed up fine these where roping calve's one that just stopped and my horse freight trained turned him out healed up carried him to the sale the idiots at the sale barn ran a grown bull in the alley on him broke his hip right above the last break they paid me for him brought him back home he healed back a resold him again most money i ever made on a roping calf. but anyone thats been around cattle and horse's know they don't run well together

 

[Rod]

Seems like if its ever gonna happen its gonna be with a heifer!

 

[Oldtimer]

I just had a baldy heifer that had a 94 lb calf with no problem....One of the angus bulls I used on heifers is throwing 70- 80 lb calves, the other is throwing 80-90lb calves, but they are long and slim with little heads and coming with no problem....

Few years ago I was heading to a cow sale one morning-- saw a cow laying out in the pasture calving and thought nothing more since she was an older cow and my old cows are pretty much on their own...When I came back about 4PM, I saw she was still there...Long story short- I went down and had a hard pull- calf weighed 148 lbs...Hereford cow bred to an angus bull- I think the hybrid vigor kicked in early ;-) Calf had to be fed for a couple days as the cow couldn't get up- but then they both came out of it fine.....

 

[randiliana]

I just had a baldy heifer that had a 94 lb calf with no problem....One of the angus bulls I used on heifers is throwing 70- 80 lb calves, the other is throwing 80-90lb calves, but they are long and slim with little heads and coming with no problem....

Few years ago I was heading to a cow sale one morning-- saw a cow laying out in the pasture calving and thought nothing more since she was an older cow and my old cows are pretty much on their own...When I came back about 4PM, I saw she was still there...Long story short- I went down and had a hard pull- calf weighed 148 lbs...Hereford cow bred to an angus bull- I think the hybrid vigor kicked in early ;-) Calf had to be fed for a couple days as the cow couldn't get up- but then they both came out of it fine.....

Speaking of Hereford/Angus cross, hubby just got back from the vet. Had a c-section on a Hereford cow bred Angus. The calf was upside down with both legs back. We got it turned over and straightened out, but it wouldn't budge. So we hauled her in, and the vet took it out the side. It was dead (she'd been wandering around for the last couple days) and it weighed 112lbs. She's had bigger, but the front shoulders on this one were just too big. Incidentally, the last c-section we had was on this cow 6 years ago. 150lbs live straight Hereford one then. She's heading down the road this time. Should have sent her about 7 years ago......

 

[bward]

We had one c-section in the 26 years we have raised cattle. This was an older crossbred cow that spit out little 90 pound calves. Then one year despite using the same bull she had a 148 pound calf. Makes me wonder if some cows get some kind of metabolic problem that causes them to produce an over size calf, much the way a diabetic woman can have an oversize baby. Any expert thoughts on this?