Birth to weaning weight ?

[Dusty Britches]

We just sold a bunch of calves and calculated their average daily gain from birth to weaning. For the group, the average was 2.5 pounds per day. We do not supplement feed, they did this on their own.

Is this a good average, or should we consider different genetics for better growth?

 

[bigbull338]

2.5lbs gain from 0 to 205 is great.the way to add milk to your herd is by adding a heavy milking breed of bull on your cows.scott

 

[1848]

We just sold a bunch of calves and calculated their average daily gain from birth to weaning. For the group, the average was 2.5 pounds per day. We do not supplement feed, they did this on their own.

Is this a good average, or should we consider different genetics for better growth?

Sounds good to me based on the conditions! What kind of cattle are you running?

 

[Dusty Britches]

primarily brangus heifers with angus bull. The crossbred 5 + year old cows averaged 2.7 pounds per day with their calves. I'm expecting 2.7 + on the brangus next year, when they are a little older. Some of the heifers were bred a little too early, but due to an easy calving bull, they calves fine. Their calves were a little light, but I'm expecting better next year on them.

We did have a drought this year, too, but the cows pulled through it just fine.

 

[MikeC]

We just sold a bunch of calves and calculated their average daily gain from birth to weaning. For the group, the average was 2.5 pounds per day. We do not supplement feed, they did this on their own.

Is this a good average, or should we consider different genetics for better growth?

That would equate to a 600 lb calf minus an 80 lb. birthweight. divided by 205 days. Not burning it up, but not too shabby either.

We always calculate WDA (weight per day of age) at 205 and yearling also. Just take the gross weight of the calf and divide by age in days.
3 to 4 lbs/WDA works for us.

 

[Susie David]

Thats our goal...2.5/day year round...any less we don't make our goal...any more then we make a few $$$.

 

[Dusty Britches]

Are we correct to expect a little less from the first calf heifers?

I have one that really surprised me. Her calf only gained an average of 2 pounds per day. I'm very concerned with that. The rest of the calves ranged from 2.4 to 2.8 pounds.

 

[MikeC]

Are we correct to expect a little less from the first calf heifers?

I have one that really surprised me. Her calf only gained an average of 2 pounds per day. I'm very concerned with that. The rest of the calves ranged from 2.4 to 2.8 pounds.

Yes, That's the reason I separate them from the older cows and maybe supplement them some and for breed back also.

 

[SPRINGER FARMS MURRAY GRE]

2.5lbs gain from 0 to 205 is great.the way to add milk to your herd is by adding a heavy milking breed of bull on your cows.scott

Murray Grey would be a good choice!!! ;-) :cboy:

 

[Dusty Britches]

The cows are producing great bags, why would I want to add milking ability?

 

[Ann Bledsoe]

The cows are producing great bags, why would I want to add milking ability?

The size of the udder really doesn't relate to milking ability -- a big bag could be mostly fat with very little working mammary tissue, while a small bag can be all mammary tissue with no fat at all.
I've seen many, many dairy and beef cows with huge udders that produced very small volumes of milk. On the other hand, I've also seen many, many dairy and beef cows with very small udders that were milk factories.


With dairy cows, we milk them, we know how many pounds/liters/gallons of milk they're giving in a day -- but it's not quite so easy with a beef cow. About the only way to judge milk production in a beef cow is the growth/weigh gain of the calves. I have on one occasion even resorted to weighing the calf before and after nursing for several days to try to get an estimation of the mother's milk production -- of course, that approach is not feasible for most.

Ann B

 

[Scotty]

That is great gain. If you change genteics do it only to add what you are selling your cattle for. Sounds like you have great milk anyway.



Scotty

 

[Dee]

That is exactly what my first calvers did last year, 2.5. There were 2 with smaller calves, and they weaned smaller calves this year also, so they will go live with someone else. As second calvers they did milk better and I got 2.8 per day this year. I don't know if this is their peak or if they will continue to do better?