bull/heifer ratio

[plbcattle]

last year out of 50 calves i had 44 heifers. so far this year I have 75 mommas to calve. so far out of 9 calves 8 have been heifers. I just thought I wanted to raise and sell bulls. Its kind of hard when you don't have many bull calves. I know the ratio is supposed to be close to 50/50. what is your ratio. thanks

 

[dun]

Over the years it's worked oput to almost exactly 50:50, proabably really about 50 1/2 bulls 49 1/2 heifers.
I sometimes wonder if in natural service slowing breeding, ie.e less agressive bulls tend to sire more heifers then bulls only because they're not as agressive at breeding early in the heat cycle.
But I've seen some bulls that seem to sire almost all heifers and others that sire almost all bulls.
Murphy's law is that as soon as you develop a market for your heifers you'll start getting mostly bulls.

dun

 

[plbcattle]

the bull I used is real laidback. that seems to make sense. half of my herd was bred to a new bull I have that is very aggresive and dominate. well see how his calves come out.

 

[TheBullLady]

The last bull I ran was 70 - 30 in favor of heifers. He was an older, more laid back bull than a younger one.

It seems like AI calves are 99% bulls.. but only because I want heifers.

 

[dun]

but only because I want heifers.

Murphys law at it's finest

dun

 

[Ryan]

We have a cow/calf operation, mostly for showing. i wish we could get some of those percentages of heifers. ours have seemed to be more 65-45 in favor of bulls. i dont know what we could have done with the same percentage as 44 out of 50 heifers.

 

[jgn]

Last year I ended up with 12 out of 14 calves being bulls, same cows plus a couple of more bred back to same bull and I've ended up with 9 heifers and 7 bulls.

 

[TLCfromARK]

I feel your pain. A few years ago when prices wasn't as fair as they are now I was avg. 75% bull calves, would have like to had a few more heifers to choose replacements from. This year out of 19 calves only 3 was bull calves, ~ 16%, and of course the prices are up now.

I did change bulls so maybe that does have something to do with it. I agree with Dun and the others that over time it will avg. out.

;-)

 

[txshowmom]

Form a Registered breeder standpoint if the calve are good then you've got yourself a heck of a bull. We get more money for bulls but we sell a heck of a lot more show heifers. I'd rather get 10 marketable heifers than 1 bull anyday. Now on the commercial side we want bulls because they bring more in the ring, and we sell some showsteers so of course we get a premium on them as well.

 

[SPRINGER FARMS MURRAY GRE]

This year, it was 50 - 50. I would have sworn that two of them were heifers when they were born,but turned out to be bulls. I think Murphy has been to my place again!! :lol: :cboy:

 

[polledbull]

I have heard that the timing of the breeding has something to do with being a bull or a heifer . any body else heard this

 

[dun]

I have heard that the timing of the breeding has something to do with being a bull or a heifer . any body else heard this

That's what I referred to in an earlier post. Male sperm swim faster then female. They reach the egg sooner so if the cow ovulates early in comparison to the deposition of semen you'll have bulls. If the male sperm have gotten there and have started to die and the female sperm have arrived when she ovulates there is better chance of heifers.

dun

 

[Caustic Burno]

last year out of 50 calves i had 44 heifers. so far this year I have 75 mommas to calve. so far out of 9 calves 8 have been heifers. I just thought I wanted to raise and sell bulls. Its kind of hard when you don't have many bull calves. I know the ratio is supposed to be close to 50/50. what is your ratio. thanks

Without going into all the techicnal garbage don't worry it will work out.
This year I got 75% heifers next year it will be bulls. They all sell at the barn. It will work out 50/50 over time.

 

[Campground Cattle]

last year out of 50 calves i had 44 heifers. so far this year I have 75 mommas to calve. so far out of 9 calves 8 have been heifers. I just thought I wanted to raise and sell bulls. Its kind of hard when you don't have many bull calves. I know the ratio is supposed to be close to 50/50. what is your ratio. thanks

Without going into all the techicnal garbage don't worry it will work out.
This year I got 75% heifers next year it will be bulls. They all sell at the barn. It will work out 50/50 over time.

I agree on it working out I sell bulls in a niche market, first time in years I have had to turn people away, sold out heifers hitting the ground like chiclets poured out. Got new bull calf yesterday. Usually have a lot full with several to sell.