Big calf

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linebacker

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May 1, 2006
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san angelo tx
Help me understand something. I put a supposedly heifer bull on a group of heifers. Owner said he used bull on 3 different groups of heifers and didnt have a problem. I have 5 calves on the ground out of him and all about 65-75 lbs. Had to pull a 100 lb calf on saturday. Can you tell me what might cause this? And will I be in for a rodeo with the remaining heifers?
 
what was the variable for the calves? i assume they all had the same environment, feed, sire, etc. what's the difference?

the cow.

some bulls cause more variability than others and there is some natural variability built into the process, but if the rest of the calves are very similar, the cow has to take some of the blame.
 
Geneticly the odds are in your favor.
First, just because the bull usually throws small calves does not mean it will happen 100% of the time. It just means the odds are in your favor.
Secondly, the bull is only 50% of the program. Those heifers also have genes that contribute, equally, to the size calf.
The odds might be 99 to 1, but you still have that one.
 
Large calves at birth is not all the bull's fault. The calf's birthweight is also affected by momma's genetics, maturity ( frame size, pelvic opening size, etc) and nutritition. I've used my bull for three years and my brother used him the previous three years with no huge calves just 70-80 pounders. We both used him on heifers and cows. Last spring I had a two year old heifer try to have a 98 pound calf; ended up at the vet's doing a c-section. All remaining calves from heifers and cows were in his "normal" range. It just happens sometimes.
 
Good comments here, but let me add this - is this a purebred bull or a cross bred? We never could get consistent calves from cross bred bulls so we use purebreds now.
 
Dusty Britches":16pt9o3v said:
Good comments here, but let me add this - is this a purebred bull or a cross bred? We never could get consistent calves from cross bred bulls so we use purebreds now.
Click to expand...
or a purebred bull on crossbred cows. plus those low bw epds or a gamble outside a given breed
 
ALACOWMAN":1z6rv30i said:
Dusty Britches":1z6rv30i said:
Good comments here, but let me add this - is this a purebred bull or a cross bred? We never could get consistent calves from cross bred bulls so we use purebreds now.
Click to expand...
or a purebred bull on crossbred cows. plus those low bw epds or a gamble outside a given breed
Click to expand...
the bull has the genetics an epds tobe an easy calver.but you have to remember the cows/heifers are half the calving ease as well.im betting the cow that heifer came from.has a tendency to throw big calves.all the time.
 
Linebacker,

All good comments here.

Also, were the diets the same? Size of calf can often be greatly influnced in the last tri-mester with rations. If so look at dam's numbers and accuracy of sire. May give you a pic.
 
All heifers are either Angus or Brangus and the bull was a "Low birth weight Angus" :shock: Bull. They have been out in the pasture and all have been fed the same the last 12 months. I have put out protein tubs but didnt think it would cause a problem such as this.
 
linebacker":24xm82tn said:
All heifers are either Angus or Brangus and the bull was a "Low birth weight Angus" :shock: Bull. They have been out in the pasture and all have been fed the same the last 12 months. I have put out protein tubs but didnt think it would cause a problem such as this.
Click to expand...
your feeding program didnt cause that calf tobe large.its in the genetics of the heifer to throw big calves.even using a longhorn bull her calf could be good sized.
 
We have had the same thing happen. All small calves except a couple. It is the cow, especially if it is only 1or 2 animals out of a bunch. We had one a number of years ago, first year she has a 105# calf, hard pull, second year she had 150# calf c-section. We kept her (maybe not the best decision) and bred her to our heifer bull every year after, 2 more pulls, and then she had a couple by herself. They were always 110+# calves. She is long gone now.
 
BY the same token I had a full term Char calf this year that only weighed 52 lbs. Yes the cow was in the same group as the others that avg'd 85 and from the same bull.

He was a dink when he was born and it looks like he will always be a dink.

Crap happens I guess. :oops:
 

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