I was wondering when the best time to breed my heifers is. I am thinking that if they drop in spring they can eat grass through the summer and save me some money rather than dropping in the fall and eating more hay. Also at what weight is the best to sell the cows to make the most money.
Breeding Cattle
- Thread starter Sherril
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SPRINGER FARMS MURRAY GRE
Well-known member
Not enough information. Your heifers should be around 14 months old to calve at around 2 years old. Time of breeding and calving depends on your operation. I like to put the bull in with the girls around the middle of may so they will calve in latter part of february or early march. As you said,they will have the spring grass to help them along. Keep the cows unless you have to cull,sell the calves when they are weaned, usually 4 - 7 cwt.
Jake
Well-known member
How big are your heifers now?
If they are 7-9 cwt now I'd put them on a bull in Dec. or January. You really cant afford to have them wait that extra 6 or 7 months to make them spring calvers, UNLESS spring calves are really important to you.
If they are 7-9 cwt now I'd put them on a bull in Dec. or January. You really cant afford to have them wait that extra 6 or 7 months to make them spring calvers, UNLESS spring calves are really important to you.
Thanks for the replies. The 2 heifers I have are already 2 years old. I had intended to raise them for meat, but then I decided to have them inseminated and start raising about 5 to breed every year. So now my timing is all off, but I don't want to wait any longer. I have 3 other heifers that are about 5-6 months old so that means my timing will be even further off next year. *SIGH*
Being a new farmer sucks sometimes! I'm learning though.
Being a new farmer sucks sometimes! I'm learning though.
Jake
Well-known member
JUST WAIT!!! If you only have 5 it's not worth having them all over the place, wait to breed the two older one until the rest are 13 or 14 months old.
sillco
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Sherril":1a1vdi5c said:
Sherril:
I would suggest you breed your heifers to calve when the grass is turning green so she can have enought grass make milk to feed the calf and to gain weight herself. It sounds like you are planning on selling the factory. Most breeders retain their cows and just sell the calves. Of course, you should be producing calves that are better than the cows from which they came. Use the best bulls you can afford.
