Cattle measuring tape

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Oh, I should add that most of my cattle are always "well fed" when I measure them, as opposed to the recommended "hungry" readings
 
Here's what I have figured for my calves.. They are on momma cow and 13% feed for assistance at times. I haven't been off 20-30 pounds on the last 15 calves. If they are normal sized calves, grow decent, and aren't runts on good momma cows...

I count their birth weight as nothing. Multiply how many days old they are by 2.8571 and that puts me really close on my calves. So at 175 days old my calves are real close to the 500# mark. Some a little bit more and some just a hair less.
 
I think that's a fair average for calculating their weights just by age... regardless of what bull breeders say of the calves gaining 4 lbs/day! I do have one bull calf I kept intact and he's about 4 months old now (120 days) and by my tape, he's at a 55" chest girth... (522 lb by my method), what does it work out to on that tape?
 
well, it seems like the skinnier he is, the better he's doing... anyhow, I figure 480 lbs on your tape, 520 on mine.. I'll call him 500
 
I think thats a fair statement I think to be safe I would always figure 20lbs under and think it would be pretty safe bet ya know.
 
I just know that my weights are reasonably close for the heifers I keep when I compare them to the ones I sold at the auction... that's good enough for me... nothing replaces a real scale anyhow
 
I might make one... I should be able to make one accurate to within 5 lbs, and that's going to be a lot better than a tape already.. I have some ideas, but haven't felt the urge to start building it yet
 
What type scales you guys like? Plat form or the ones that go under the chute. The bar type? We have a small portable platform one but dang its heavy to move and they have to stand on it just right for a few seconds or it won't read ect. Any idea on how to make my setup better for getting them to stand just right but not leaning back against something?
 
machslammer":bwp7j261 said:
What type scales you guys like? Plat form or the ones that go under the chute. The bar type? We have a small portable platform one but dang its heavy to move and they have to stand on it just right for a few seconds or it won't read ect. Any idea on how to make my setup better for getting them to stand just right but not leaning back against something?

I do not have one yet so I can't answer that question.
 
machslammer":3nmwv1rg said:
What type scales you guys like? Plat form or the ones that go under the chute. The bar type? We have a small portable platform one but dang its heavy to move and they have to stand on it just right for a few seconds or it won't read ect. Any idea on how to make my setup better for getting them to stand just right but not leaning back against something?
I have used both, mine are under my chute and I like it better when working cows, one stop to worm and give shots. I help a neighbor that has his set up in a alley, we weighed 60 calves this morning that are selling Monday. We weigh them to get a accurate weight so he prices them to a buyer. If you are not working them it works ok, some wild ones are hard to get weights on. Once I get mine in the chute so problems getting weight, one or tow of his always leave you guessing.
 

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