Cull Question

[MOFarmer2013]

I need some management advice on what the board would do in my situation. I bought 23 heifers last year. They all calved from March through August. The plan is get my whole herd on a 60 day spring calving window. I preg checked them in Dec and 10 were open. Most of the 10 that were open were the heifers that calved in July/August. I preg checked the 10 open cows again this week and 4 cows came back pregnant. I am going to ship off the 6 that are still open next week. My question is would you cull the 4 that are now pregnant. 2 of the 4 are some of the best looking out of the batch, but now they will calve in September.

Would you guys ship them off as well? Or with the calf prices so high, let them stay for at least a year longer? Thanks

 

[M5farm]

my experience some first calf heifers are slow to breed back. me personally I would not cull the 4 but I would preg them next year again and if the take more than 2 cycles they would be gone.

 

[bigbull338]

cull the open heifers and keep the 4 bred cows.if those cows come up open next year.then youll most likely cull them.

 

[dun]

I would ship that whole bunch. Tying to tighten up a calving window by moving cows ahead is a hard propsition. Paticularly so when they are calving in the summer and trying to breed back during the hottest time of the year.

 

[jedstivers]

I'd try to get everything bred and sell anything that's not in your window. Sell as heavy breds.

 

[bigbull338]

I would ship that whole bunch. Tying to tighten up a calving window by moving cows ahead is a hard propsition. Paticularly so when they are calving in the summer and trying to breed back during the hottest time of the year.

dun our bull runs with the cows year round.for the last 2yrs most all of our cows have calved in 60 days.right now we are at 26 calves the 1st 30 days of calving.now that is tight.but are we trying to tighten the calving season up no.we just want all cows to breed back timely and have a calf every year.

 

[dun]

I would ship that whole bunch. Tying to tighten up a calving window by moving cows ahead is a hard propsition. Paticularly so when they are calving in the summer and trying to breed back during the hottest time of the year.

dun our bull runs with the cows year round.for the last 2yrs most all of our cows have calved in 60 days.right now we are at 26 calves the 1st 30 days of calving.now that is tight.but are we trying to tighten the calving season up no.we just want all cows to breed back timely and have a calf every year.

We stick with a 45 day calving period, outside of that folks are still willing to buy them but I don;t want them.

 

[js1234]

if they didn't breed to calve to calve in your calving interval than they need to go down the road. being good-looking is a common reason to keep a poor breeder. there are fields all over littered with big beautiful money losers.

 

[bigbull338]

i want the cows to calve year round as i always have a market for heifers.

 

[dun]

i want the cows to calve year round as i always have a market for heifers.

And I only want to have to work them twice year. Whatever works for each producer.

 

[MOFarmer2013]

Thanks again guys!