badaxemoo
Well-known member
We just started our fourth calving season by pulling a calf from a heifer. It was the first time we have had to do it.
I talked to my neighbor who is a dairy farmer but also has about 40 head of Angus. He said that he has had to pull quite a few calves this spring and so has a large seedstock operation nearby. When this guy preg-checked my cows he mentioned that he thought this heifer had a big calf in her.
He said that when we have really cold winters, the cattle put away more feed and the blood flows more around the uterus and the calves end up bigger?
Is there anything to this - or did I just pick out the wrong bull?
It was a pretty large calf for a heifer - I hope I don't have to pull them all!
Also - is it likely to take her longer to clean? Any special care tips for the heifer or the calf?
I talked to my neighbor who is a dairy farmer but also has about 40 head of Angus. He said that he has had to pull quite a few calves this spring and so has a large seedstock operation nearby. When this guy preg-checked my cows he mentioned that he thought this heifer had a big calf in her.
He said that when we have really cold winters, the cattle put away more feed and the blood flows more around the uterus and the calves end up bigger?
Is there anything to this - or did I just pick out the wrong bull?
It was a pretty large calf for a heifer - I hope I don't have to pull them all!
Also - is it likely to take her longer to clean? Any special care tips for the heifer or the calf?