Menu
Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
New posts
New media
New media comments
New profile posts
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Members
Current visitors
New profile posts
Search profile posts
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles and first posts only
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Forums
Cattle Boards
Beginners Board
Breeding age
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Help Support CattleToday:
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Anonymous" data-source="post: 14365"><p>Ideally you want them to calve at around 24 mo. of age, so 14 or 15 mo. of age at breeding is about right, provided they have attained the requisite weight to give them a fighting chance at being sexually mature. Much depends on the breed and the amount and quality of the "groceries" you gave them. Also, keep in mind that some breeds reach sexual maturity a little later than others, for example anything with a lot of Brahman influence might be expected to reach sexual maturity a little later.</p><p></p><p>You didn't ask, but for what it's worth, I think it may also be a good idea to have your vet perform pelvic examinations on your heifers to see if you have any that are too small and that are likely to have problem deliveries. And make sure you use a bull that is expected to throw a low birth weight calf. It sound's trite, but it's a helluva lot better to have a small calf that's alive than a huge one that's dead (and that might take the heifer with it)!! It's hard to resist the temptation to keep back a few real good looking heifers in order to expand your herd, but if you are a "weekender", or only can be with your cattle several brief times a week, you may want to re-think the heifer retention issue. There aren't many more disconcerting things than raising a heifer for two years only to go out to your ranch and find her paralyzed or dead due to a difficult delivery.</p><p></p><p>Lastly, depending on your heifers' condition and the quality and quantity of your grass, you may want to consider removing their calves at say 3 to 4 months of age. Small calves sell for the highest price per pound, and you want to help out the heifer after her first calf -- she is still trying to grow herself, get re-bred, change out her teeth, etc. I have found that removing the first calf early on is the best thing to do, at least in my less than ideal environment. And also keep in mind that the nutritional needs of a recently calved, or about to calve, heifer are a good bit different than those of a mature cow -- another reason to think long and hard about the heifer retention issue if your facilities don't allow you to grow out your heifers separately from the other animals.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Anonymous, post: 14365"] Ideally you want them to calve at around 24 mo. of age, so 14 or 15 mo. of age at breeding is about right, provided they have attained the requisite weight to give them a fighting chance at being sexually mature. Much depends on the breed and the amount and quality of the "groceries" you gave them. Also, keep in mind that some breeds reach sexual maturity a little later than others, for example anything with a lot of Brahman influence might be expected to reach sexual maturity a little later. You didn't ask, but for what it's worth, I think it may also be a good idea to have your vet perform pelvic examinations on your heifers to see if you have any that are too small and that are likely to have problem deliveries. And make sure you use a bull that is expected to throw a low birth weight calf. It sound's trite, but it's a helluva lot better to have a small calf that's alive than a huge one that's dead (and that might take the heifer with it)!! It's hard to resist the temptation to keep back a few real good looking heifers in order to expand your herd, but if you are a "weekender", or only can be with your cattle several brief times a week, you may want to re-think the heifer retention issue. There aren't many more disconcerting things than raising a heifer for two years only to go out to your ranch and find her paralyzed or dead due to a difficult delivery. Lastly, depending on your heifers' condition and the quality and quantity of your grass, you may want to consider removing their calves at say 3 to 4 months of age. Small calves sell for the highest price per pound, and you want to help out the heifer after her first calf -- she is still trying to grow herself, get re-bred, change out her teeth, etc. I have found that removing the first calf early on is the best thing to do, at least in my less than ideal environment. And also keep in mind that the nutritional needs of a recently calved, or about to calve, heifer are a good bit different than those of a mature cow -- another reason to think long and hard about the heifer retention issue if your facilities don't allow you to grow out your heifers separately from the other animals. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Forums
Cattle Boards
Beginners Board
Breeding age
Top