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breeding heifers
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<blockquote data-quote="Anonymous" data-source="post: 14878"><p>> I'm curious about the age you</p><p>> breed heifers for the first time.</p><p>> Somebody on this board suggested</p><p>> 13-15 months and/or 80% of their</p><p>> growth rate. I had 6 yearling+</p><p>> heifers I tried to keep away from</p><p>> the bull. Needless to say 2 got</p><p>> bred, they fulfilled all the</p><p>> requirements to get bred, size,</p><p>> age, weight and etc. I compared</p><p>> the 2 that got bred with the 4 I</p><p>> held back and what a major</p><p>> difference! My husband had told me</p><p>> that they usually don't grow much</p><p>> once they're bred and boy was he</p><p>> right. Every heifer we've got</p><p>> that's got bred early doesn't have</p><p>> the quality of the heifers that</p><p>> get bred as 2 year olds. In</p><p>> summary we've found that for the</p><p>> most part, heifers bred as 2 year</p><p>> olds are: bigger, better milk</p><p>> producers, calve easier the first</p><p>> calf, seem to have less health</p><p>> problems, have bigger calves at</p><p>> weaning time and the cows seem to</p><p>> last a lot longer. We try to calve</p><p>> when our grass is at it's</p><p>> best(March-April) our cows are in</p><p>> their best condition and well up</p><p>> in flesh. By doing this we won't</p><p>> get a calf at the beginning but we</p><p>> end up with more calves per cow in</p><p>> the long run. We only run 50 pair</p><p>> and it makes it easier to manage</p><p>> our cattle unlike the larger</p><p>> commercial herds. Our cows right</p><p>> now average 7-8 calves per cow. I</p><p>> was just curious if anyone else</p><p>> had noticed this in their cattle</p><p>> operation?</p><p></p><p>I've only been at this a few years, but I haven't notice much difference between how my girls finish out when I compare the ones that were bred early, under 18 mths with my other cows. I even had a pair of twins I was able to compare. One was bred at 14 mths, the other at 30 mths. They both finished about the same at 3 yrs, gave good milk, same quality calf, etc. Maybe I have just been blessed but I haven't noticed that much of a difference.</p><p></p><p> <a href="mailto:GEscoe@msn.com">GEscoe@msn.com</a></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Anonymous, post: 14878"] > I'm curious about the age you > breed heifers for the first time. > Somebody on this board suggested > 13-15 months and/or 80% of their > growth rate. I had 6 yearling+ > heifers I tried to keep away from > the bull. Needless to say 2 got > bred, they fulfilled all the > requirements to get bred, size, > age, weight and etc. I compared > the 2 that got bred with the 4 I > held back and what a major > difference! My husband had told me > that they usually don't grow much > once they're bred and boy was he > right. Every heifer we've got > that's got bred early doesn't have > the quality of the heifers that > get bred as 2 year olds. In > summary we've found that for the > most part, heifers bred as 2 year > olds are: bigger, better milk > producers, calve easier the first > calf, seem to have less health > problems, have bigger calves at > weaning time and the cows seem to > last a lot longer. We try to calve > when our grass is at it's > best(March-April) our cows are in > their best condition and well up > in flesh. By doing this we won't > get a calf at the beginning but we > end up with more calves per cow in > the long run. We only run 50 pair > and it makes it easier to manage > our cattle unlike the larger > commercial herds. Our cows right > now average 7-8 calves per cow. I > was just curious if anyone else > had noticed this in their cattle > operation? I've only been at this a few years, but I haven't notice much difference between how my girls finish out when I compare the ones that were bred early, under 18 mths with my other cows. I even had a pair of twins I was able to compare. One was bred at 14 mths, the other at 30 mths. They both finished about the same at 3 yrs, gave good milk, same quality calf, etc. Maybe I have just been blessed but I haven't noticed that much of a difference. [email=GEscoe@msn.com]GEscoe@msn.com[/email] [/QUOTE]
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