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Anonymous
I have a heiffer that is 15 mos. but only about 625-650 lbs. even though she is of breeding age how big a factor will her size be? :?:
Depends a lot on how she has been handled up to now - if roughed on grass only - I would not be worried, she will grow more on grass now that summer is here. If she has been fed and pushed to breed to calve as a 2 year old - I see some potential problems. Has vet tract scored her yet? She might not be mature enough to breed on 2 -3 heat even though she is old enough. I do not tract score - have found that breeding to calve as 2 1/2 year olds really is the best of all worlds. (Fall born calve as spring calvers - Spring born calve as fall calvers) The lack of feed and hard pushing really shows up in the net profit picture - plus the heifer matures more - thus re-breeds as a 2nd calf much easier than those that are trying to rebreed, raise a calf, and grow all at the same time. Pure weight means little unless you know more about the breed, the growth program, etc.Jaydee":48wjv6d8 said:I have a heiffer that is 15 mos. but only about 625-650 lbs. even though she is of breeding age how big a factor will her size be? :?:
Jaydee":ig1m0p8y said:I have a heiffer that is 15 mos. but only about 625-650 lbs. even though she is of breeding age how big a factor will her size be? :?:
Where are you located.Jaydee":pltvyf65 said:Thanks for your replies, this particular heiffer is out of a cow that is a least 1/2 hereford and what else i dont know, but the bull was 1/2 hereford 1/2 brahman. She was about 15-20 lbs. smaller than all of the other claves by the same bull, I have no clue why..mother?? anyway my weight estimate cant be very far off?!?! shes on pasture right now and Im not going to turn a bull in till late Aug. hopefully that will give enough time to mature more.
JD
June calving is the PREFERRED Date for profitable calving if you are calving in sync with nature. Has been proven to be the most profitable time to calve by several studies. Massive benefits such as calves reach sexual maturity earlier if born near the longest day of the year, the cows are open during the hot part of the year, calves are weaned off in Jan - cheap to winter a dry cow and she flushes on cheap grass 30-45 days pre-calving. Also the weaned calf can be wintered cheap. Many on this board are hung up on their old ways - but you are on the right track. Cooler breeding time from late Aug - Sept Oct is beautiful weather in your country - so bulls are more active and breed better. I have used that season now for several years and will never go back to Jan/Feb calves unless I start to see deer "calving" in the cold snow of that season!Jaydee":20ssszbb said:Ohio, because I raise calves to buck...not for beef... we dont have many hard winters to worry about, and so its not like im on a time schedule to have them at the sale when prices are good.
Larry Sansom":14t90qos said:June calving is the PREFERRED Date for profitable calving if you are calving in sync with nature. Has been proven to be the most profitable time to calve by several studies. Massive benefits such as calves reach sexual maturity earlier if born near the longest day of the year, the cows are open during the hot part of the year, calves are weaned off in Jan - cheap to winter a dry cow and she flushes on cheap grass 30-45 days pre-calving. Also the weaned calf can be wintered cheap. Many on this board are hung up on their old ways - but you are on the right track. Cooler breeding time from late Aug - Sept Oct is beautiful weather in your country - so bulls are more active and breed better. I have used that season now for several years and will never go back to Jan/Feb calves unless I start to see deer "calving" in the cold snow of that season!Jaydee":14t90qos said:Ohio, because I raise calves to buck...not for beef... we dont have many hard winters to worry about, and so its not like im on a time schedule to have them at the sale when prices are good.
Actually the year round breeding does move toward summer and away from winter calving. Every area is a little different ( you have a problem with fire ants that most of do not have) . The actual research on Summer calving was done out west- more north than where you are. The IRM-SPA data from several universities will confirm the profit picture of summer vs winter calving.(I like it bold)txag":2gegynsw said:surprisingly those people who leaves bulls out year round have calves year round. if it was truly nature's intent that cows only calve in june, you'd think they'd all come around & cycle so they'd calve at nature's prime time. cattle are not deer, so don't compare the two.
you may not be familiar w/this extremely irritating little pest called the fire ant. fire ants are extremely active in the summer (& almost dormant in the winter) & will get on newborn calves' eyes & can cause blindness.......it's just one of the many reasons we don't have summer calves.
& Larry Sansom, please take the bold letters off your messages.....it appears you're yelling. we can read it just fine in regular print.
Larry Sansom":kom5471d said:Actually the year round breeding does move toward summer and away from winter calving. Every area is a little different ( you have a problem with fire ants that most of do not have) . The actual research on Summer calving was done out west- more north than where you are. The IRM-SPA data from several universities will confirm the profit picture of summer vs winter calving.(I like it bold)
That weather is just like KY - and why I do NOT breed now - Open cows during the hot part of July/Aug. My calving is about over, cows flush easy on grass with no feed buckets back 45 days ago. research is out there- but you have to read it and not spend all the time "ratchet jawing" and putting post on this site under old "CB type handles". I post my name & my web site - no hiding here! Would suggest you start with Keith Long's "Beef Cow Efficiency" report to the BIF Cow Efficiency Committee. He operates the Bell Ranch in NM - more in your area.txag":g4z7zvrw said:Larry Sansom":g4z7zvrw said:Actually the year round breeding does move toward summer and away from winter calving. Every area is a little different ( you have a problem with fire ants that most of do not have) . The actual research on Summer calving was done out west- more north than where you are. The IRM-SPA data from several universities will confirm the profit picture of summer vs winter calving.(I like it bold)
i still don't agree about the shift. i've seen herds w/year-round calving & cows have calves exactly that, "year round", especially in the moderate climates.
why don't you post some links to your research articles.
as for our area being different, that's exactly what dun said. not every circumstance is the same, so what works for you may not work for everyone else. you come off preaching high & mighty about nature's way, but until you come down & ranch in texas, don't tell us how to do it. the temps this week are in the 90s w/over 90% humidity. i sure as heck wouldn't want to be pregnant in this weather.
i suppose you must really enjoy reading your own posts because you're the only one typing in bold. it's kind of like typing in all caps....in the cyber world it's considered yelling & it's rude.
Larry Sansom":2xj4q2jz said:Can you name 10?
Larry Sansom":3a60c9zh said:I would suggest you both go to the Dick Diven School - Low Cost/Cow Calf program http://www.lowcostcowcalf.com You need more help than I can give you on this site- especially since the original post was about breeding a small weight calf - not about calving season and fighting Mother Nature.
I am thinking about having a seminar to teach people why I think epd's are no good. Then poeple will think that I am smart and recomend my books and sell my salad dressing in the grocery store and then the t shirt business and.............elect me mayor..............................my fellow americans..............wow that would be a good ideaLarry Sansom":22g3qkce said:I would suggest you both go to the Dick Diven School - Low Cost/Cow Calf program http://www.lowcostcowcalf.com You need more help than I can give you on this site- especially since the original post was about breeding a small weight calf - not about calving season and fighting Mother Nature.