Breeding Heifer

[cloud9cattle]

We currently have 10 heifers 9 of which are averaging around 500 pounds or so and we plan to hold off till the spring for breeding. However we just aquired an awesome 650 pound 13 month Angus Plus heifer that we are considering taking to a buddies for some ai work to a calving ease angus bull. I am also playing with the notion of holding her back so the entire group is synced at once in a 90 day window. Would it benefit her to hold her off until march when we breed the others? Or would you just fire away and get her bred? Looking for thoughts...

 

[dun]

For convenience I would hold off and breed them all at the same time.

 

[Nesikep]

I think they're small for 13 months... I rarely retain something less than that size at weaning (7-8 months)... I really don't know what the sound advice is here, I think they would do better waiting a while on the whole bunch, but a year is a darned long time and a lot of feed. I would breed them all together though.

Dun, but would you wait nearly a year to breed them?

 

[dun]

I think they're small for 13 months... I rarely retain something less than that size at weaning (7-8 months)... I really don't know what the sound advice is here, I think they would do better waiting a while on the whole bunch, but a year is a darned long time and a lot of feed. I would breed them all together though.

Dun, but would you wait nearly a year to breed them?

The little ones are way to little and the "bigger" one is still too small to breed for my taste. But I wouldn;t have bought her knowing I was going to have to wait almost a year to breed her.

 

[cloud9cattle]

I think they're small for 13 months... I rarely retain something less than that size at weaning (7-8 months)... I really don't know what the sound advice is here, I think they would do better waiting a while on the whole bunch, but a year is a darned long time and a lot of feed. I would breed them all together though.

Dun, but would you wait nearly a year to breed them?

The little ones are way to little and the "bigger" one is still too small to breed for my taste. But I wouldn;t have bought her knowing I was going to have to wait almost a year to breed her.

I would never breed the young ones that early. We have always planned to breed those in the spring. The new one however is throwing for a loop. I know shes big enough to handle it. Her mom was only about 1100 pounds smaller framed cow but very deep and soggy made. Im tempted to breed the bigger one

 

[branguscowgirl]

She's still too small IMO. Minimum 800#'s. She needs to grow or you will set her back from reaching her full potential.

 

[TexasBred]

I would never breed the young ones that early. We have always planned to breed those in the spring. The new one however is throwing for a loop. I know shes big enough to handle it. Her mom was only about 1100 pounds smaller framed cow but very deep and soggy made. Im tempted to breed the bigger one

Sounds like your mind was made up before you asked....I'd still wait. But she's your problem.

 

[cloud9cattle]

I would never breed the young ones that early. We have always planned to breed those in the spring. The new one however is throwing for a loop. I know shes big enough to handle it. Her mom was only about 1100 pounds smaller framed cow but very deep and soggy made. Im tempted to breed the bigger one

Sounds like your mind was made up before you asked....I'd still wait. But she's your problem.

My minds not made up. I guess what problem im having is if there is any benefit to waiting and does it weigh out the investment.

 

[cow pollinater]

I would wait. It's a pain in the butt having two calving seasons and it is hard enough keeping first calf heifers fed right to get them to breed up when they're in a group much less when you're trying to help one by herself that calved way before the rest of the group.

 

[dun]

I would wait. It's a pain in the butt having two calving seasons and it is hard enough keeping first calf heifers fed right to get them to breed up when they're in a group much less when you're trying to help one by herself that calved way before the rest of the group.

This is the convenience that originally alluded to.

 

[Nesikep]

I think she, and the rest of the group both will be better animals if you wait... You should put your location in your info too... In some places fall calving is quite alright (here its pretty impossible), in which case perhaps breeding in december would give you September calves.

 

[skeeter swatter]

Since there is only one I'd breed them all together. Otherwise she may always have the oddball calf.

 

[cloud9cattle]

I agree with all of you on waiting. What benefits does it have on the cow by holding them of longer? Meaning Over 15 months of age? Ive read that a female bred after the age of 15 months on average has 1 less calf in her lifetime... Has anyone else seen this?

 

[Don McCallum]

I would go ahead and breed her, With the price of caring an animal through the winter, I would take the $1000 calf. Feed her extra grain, and she will
keep growing. Nobody knows how long this marker will be like it is now. If you have an investment make all you can while you can. I doubt all of those
heifers breed back on time anyway. In my area, SW. MS., with the weather we have, most people leave their bulls with the herd year round. I like an
average or below average size cow and breed to the best black bull I can find with low birth weight, and I like to carry as many cows as I can.

 

[branguscowgirl]

However we just aquired an awesome 650 pound 13 month Angus Plus heifer

She is small to begin with. If you breed her now the extra feed you give her to grow will likely go to the calf. (Perhaps giving her too large of calf for her size.) If you loose her and/or the calf, what money are you ahead? Instead of "one less calf" you could end up with none.
If she is as "awesome" as you say, why risk it and not let her grow some more and have some "awesome" future calves?

 

[Don McCallum]

I was talking about extra feed when the calf is by her side.

 

[Jessica06]

You won't have to worry about her losing her teeth while she's raising a calf. We routinely hold our fall heifers over and breed in the spring with our yearlings. The older heifers breed better, keep their condition better, and breed back faster. I'd probably wait, since it's only one.

 

[branguscowgirl]

I was talking about extra feed when the calf is by her side.

Then you may loose some much needed growth on the heifer.

 

[Don McCallum]

The key word "may"! I still have the $1000 or more.

 

[branguscowgirl]

The key word "may"! I still have the $1000 or more.

All I am pointing out Don, is what good is a dink heifer (then latter a dink cow) to you if she doesn't grow right? All for just $1000 calf?
If you grow her out right to begin with, she's going to make a better cow and produce better calves that make up for that one calf you missed. I think your dollars ahead if he is planning on keeping her. If he's not going to keep her, yes go ahead and stunt her growth and risk having birthing problems and raise some dink calves. It is all in what your long term goals are for her
I figured his goal was to keep her based on his post. In that case quality of her and her calf matters to him.