Do 1st calf heifers get better with 2nd calf?

[brihop]

I have a first calf heifer (RAx) that just had a super nice heifer calf. Mothering instinct is fine, however she doesn't seem to be producing very much milk. Bag is barely there and calf is hungry all the time. Calf was really dragging her condition down so we started giving some feed to momma and some milk replacer to calf (in addition to momma's milk). My question is, should I give the cow a chance to improve? That is, do you think her milk production and ability to maintain condition will get better with 2nd calf? Or just sell momma now, once this dandy heifer is weaned?

Background: we're pretty low input, don't feed/hay, but have plenty of grass (even now). heifer probably got bred early (@12 mo) and is pretty small framed. bull is lbw reg angus.

 

[brihop]

p.s.- our inclination is to see how she does next year, but I definitely want to hear what you guys think.

 

[Anonymous]

Milk production is tied to nutrional intake. The heifer is still growing herself, and trying to make milk. Your stockpiled grass may not be enough in the winter to grow te heifer and produce milk. depending on what the grass is

 

[Putangitangi]

If she has the genetics for good milk production, she'll probably do far better next year. I've had a couple of heifers whose first calves were always suckling and there was little udder visible. Both turned out to be great cows in subsequent years and their daughters were better than they had been. I'd give her another year.

This year I've a second-calver who was just like yours last year. Great looking animal, but this year's calf looks just as hungry as last year's, so she'll be on a truck come weaning time.

 

[dun]

Milk production is tied to nutrional intake. The heifer is still growing herself, and trying to make milk. Your stockpiled grass may not be enough in the winter to grow te heifer and produce milk. depending on what the grass is

BINGO!

 

[Banjo]

I have a first calf heifer (RAx) that just had a super nice heifer calf. Mothering instinct is fine, however she doesn't seem to be producing very much milk. Bag is barely there and calf is hungry all the time. Calf was really dragging her condition down so we started giving some feed to momma and some milk replacer to calf (in addition to momma's milk). My question is, should I give the cow a chance to improve? That is, do you think her milk production and ability to maintain condition will get better with 2nd calf? Or just sell momma now, once this dandy heifer is weaned?

Background: we're pretty low input, don't feed/hay, but have plenty of grass (even now). heifer probably got bred early (@12 mo) and is pretty small framed. bull is lbw reg angus.

I raised 4 heifers that had their 1st calf last Mar/April. The nicest fleshiest one of the four had the least milk, barely a bag, raise an ok calf, but not like the others, that didn't have near the "look" that we all seem to want.
She is due to calve again soon so we will see about the 2nd time around. But I'm afraid I'll need to cull her. Culling is something most of us don't do enough of.

 

[Bigfoot]

Give her another chance. It doesn't sound promising that you are having to give milk replaced though. Florida might be ideal for stockpiled grass. I don't know. Almost sounds like you need a little supplement.

 

[Lucky_P]

In general, the answer is 'yes'.
First-calf heifers' calves may be, on average, as much as 60-70 lbs lighter at weaning than those of similar breeding from mature cows - hence 'adjusted weaning weights', as computed by breed associations to account for that inherent deficit.

Think about it - a 1st calf heifer, calving at 24-27 mos is still growing, and we're asking her to continue growing, breed back, and raise a calf. They'd better be getting enough quality feed, or they're gonna fall down on at least one of those points.

 

[Alan]

I posted the same question a few years back, a first time polled Hereford heifer, zero udder. Her heifer calf only gain about 250lbs between birth and weaning. 2nd bull calf did a little better and she had a little more udder, while the calf grew better but not near a well as the other calves. I had been culling very hard for a couple of years, I had room for the cow and could afford to give her another year, she's very easy fleshing. Her third calf, a bull; she had a nice looking small udder, the calf was one of the leaders in the calving group for weight gain until he got about 4 months than fell to the middle of the road, but still weaned a "good enough" calf. I should say I don't know that he fell off the weight gain or got passed up by late bloomers or bigger framed calves. I'm giving her one more year for what ever reasons, we'll see.

Hoped it helped, hook had the best input on a first timer. IMO.

Alan

 

[highgrit]

They will be better with their second calf. How much better is the real question. Hook nailed it.

 

[Isomade]

Yes, my wife didn't do worth a flip with our first child. She weighed 2.3 pounds and is still a very small child. I thought about culling my wife, but decided to give her one more chance. My second daughter is 3 years younger and bigger than my oldest. One is the biggest kid in her class the other the smallest. Hope this helps. Lol

 

[highgrit]

Probably not the wifes fault. Half the calf is the bull you know.

 

[skeeter swatter]

If she's pulling down she's trying to milk, might need more feed or a deworming.

 

[B&M Farms]

If she got bred at 12 months old it probably didn't help. I have had heifers that didn't milk real well with the 1st. calf that did good after that. You will usually see them get better for the first 2 or 3 calves. If you can seperate you calving heifers from older cows to supplement them a little on stockpiled grass it would probably help. A 3 or 4 year old cow can raise a calf on a lot less than a growing heifer. That said, if I was having to feed milk replacer she and her calf would already be gone and replaced.

 

[inyati13]

Yes, my wife didn't do worth a flip with our first child. She weighed 2.3 pounds and is still a very small child. I thought about culling my wife, but decided to give her one more chance. My second daughter is 3 years younger and bigger than my oldest. One is the biggest kid in her class the other the smallest. Hope this helps. Lol

You are killing me. Good to start a day laughing!!!

 

[brihop]

Thanks for the feedback everyone, I see the general concensus is to hold til round 2 and see. Special thanks to Iso for the laugh!

 

[JustSimmental]

Milk production takes maturity --1st calvers dont normally have that maturity - but by the time she is 4 or 5 you will definitely know for sure. AR cattle seem to be a bit low in the MM category as a rule -- we increase that MM with PBSM

JS

 

[Banjo]

Milk production takes maturity --1st calvers dont normally have that maturity - but by the time she is 4 or 5 you will definitely know for sure. AR cattle seem to be a bit low in the MM category as a rule -- we increase that MM with PBSM

JS

Sorry , but you will have to translate that for me.....

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

Milk production takes maturity --1st calvers dont normally have that maturity - but by the time she is 4 or 5 you will definitely know for sure. AR cattle seem to be a bit low in the MM category as a rule -- we increase that MM with PBSM

JS

Sorry , but you will have to translate that for me.....

AR =Red Angus
MM = maternal milk
PBSM = purebred simmental

 

[glacierridge]

Iso and highgrit kill me...
I was crying. LOL

brihop:
She more likely than not do better.
Same thing with dairy... their first lactation usually isn't very strong.
Some even take until the 3rd lactation to reach their peak, but most commonly it's the second.