Breeding Heifers and Calves Birthweight

[aubridges]

In my opinion, the idea of Charolais Bulls throwing large calves are a thing of the past. Most of that has been bred out of them. Regardless, there is always risk with heifers no matter what Bull you use.

 

[greybeard]

We have done ok with a heifer/cow after pulling one. Stretches them open pretty good for the following calves.

Is this common for the rest of you?

Yes.
Problems the 2nd time tho is cull worthy for me.
"Stretching them open" --maybe or maybe just a matter of them being more mature by the time the 2nd-3rd ones come--or both.

 

[ANAZAZI]

We have done ok with a heifer/cow after pulling one. Stretches them open pretty good for the following calves.

Is this common for the rest of you?

An easy first calving with a small calf opens a heifer as good. The easier calvings of grown cows has nothing to do with "stretching".
A hard pull might make the heifer needing more time to clean out and heal up, making it more difficult to get her pregnant in time.

 

[Big Cheese]

I found the EPDs on one of our Bulls....not the one we are planning to possibly breed our heifers too but I want to put calving ease and birthweight on here so that maybe you guys can explain them to me. I can't find anything on the Internet to help me figure them out unless I'm comparing him to another bull.

The calving ease EPD is -2.5 and the birthweight EPD is 2.7. Can some of y'all help explain what I can expect from these? This bull has thrown 2 calves so far and they were about 50-65 pounds but they were bred to Longhorn heifers.

 

[CSM]

http://www.charolaisusa.com/pdf/2015/d% ... 0table.pdf
This table will show how he ranks for each EPD.

CSM

 

[CSM]

This bull would be in 15% hardest calving and 10% heaviest birth weight. Your bull EPD's may have very low accuracy or just estimates. Don't have any experience with longhorns that may play a large part with your low birth weights. Was this the Mr President or another bull?
Use this link to enter your bulls to get updated EPD's.
http://search.charolaisusa.com/Animal_Search.aspx
CSM

 

[Big Cheese]

That table helps me but how do you tell if his calves are going to be LBW or not and if his calves are going to be calving ease calves? That's what I don't understand.

 

[Big Cheese]

This was the son of Mr President bull. He's the only one we have papers on right now we are trying to get more info on our other bull.

 

[Lucky_P]

Ferd touched on something.
With most of our Bos taurus breeds, pelvic bones 'fuse' at around 27 months of age.
If you can get those heifers bred, and calved out before those 'sutures'/growth plates fuse, there is...potentially...a little more 'wiggle room' for a calf to be delivered...

Except for last spring, when we were participating in a progeny-test breeding trial, and HAD to collect birth weights as part of the deal...I've never weighed one of my own live calves. Big, dead ones, yeah... all I care about is that they get here alive, I really don't care what they weigh, and I can no more look at a newborn calf and guess its weight within 20 lbs than the man in the moon.

 

[CSM]

Son of Mr President, is he a Lincoln or a George?
The only birth weights listed are 88lbs for bulls and 83lbs for heifers born in 2014.

 

[Big Cheese]

He weighed 82 pounds when he was born. His name is Perfect President.

 

[CSM]

Looked your bull up. He is a very well bred bull. I have seen his maternal grand dam, and she is impressive.
CSM

 

[Big Cheese]

We like him a lot. He's impressive as well. I'm going to get a picture of him to post on here for you guys to see.

 

[Supa Dexta]

First calver last night - heifer calf @ 114lbs! All is well though after a bit of a pull.

 

[Boss Cowman]

I don't care what they weigh as long as they have em..............alive

 

[Big Cheese]

Good looking calf right there. Looks like you got a good heifer there.

 

[Rafter S]

I don't care what they weigh as long as they have em..............alive

.....and without help.

 

[Supa Dexta]

Had another 1st calver last night - 99lbs.

 

[Boss Cowman]

I don't care what they weigh as long as they have em..............alive

.....and without help.

Yes, of course. I kind of jinxed myself after saying this, we had to take one out the side of a heifer that night (he was bassakwards) and then had a BIG one had to pull right after the backwards one.

 

[Big Cheese]

I wanted to share a picture of our son of Mr. President bull. His name is Perfect President and he is throwing 50-60 pounds calves out of Longhorns so far like I said earlier.