Fat heifer

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greenwillowherefords

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One of my heifers is extremely easy-fleshing. She is one of those that we placed with the bull at 12-13 months, and on my worst pasture, she is sleek and fleshy. She was bred about the first of June, I believe. It is a well-known fact that a cow will calve easier if she is on the moderate side of fleshy. How do I moderate the condition of this heifer before she calves when she is fat on sorry pasture that needs a weed-killing program? (which I have started.) She is tame as your pet dog, and one of the thickest I have ever produced. I'm excited about what her calf will be like, but I don't want to pull it.
 
I wouldn't worry about her having a heavier than normal calf.. unless she's on a feed. I have a few easy fleshing cows that don't have trouble calving, just are "good doers". I bet the calf will be nice!
 
Our cows and heifers got fat last winter on just pasture. Had a couple of big calves out of the heifers but they had some very high BW back a couple of generations. Too fat heifers can have problems, there isn't a whole lot you can do about it unless you have her on supplements. You can't starve a small calf out of a cow or heifer.

dun
 
You should consider yourself lucky to have such an easy keeper. I wish all mine had that problem. As long as she is not on any feed supplement she should be okay, just keep an eye on her. I hope she raises a geed calf. A lot of times the cow that looks the best raises the worst calf. Its usually the skinny cows that's giving everything she's got to her calf that raises the better calf, but not always. Good Luck!
 
I experienced the same thing last fall when I weaned a couple of heifers Beefmaster/Charolais crosses 706 lbs. right off momma @ 8 mos. old no creep feed. I hope to see there calves this Jan.-Mar. Looked at them yesterday still very fleshy on poor quality bahiagrass and it has been very dry here. Anyone else try the Beefmaster/Charolais X ? If so what type of mommas do they make? I have high expectations from them!
 
BeefmasterXCharolais Cows


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i took some good, nonwinter pictures of some beefmasterxcharolais the other day. will post them when i get them scanned. to answer your question, BxC has made some of our best momma cows.
 
Hello,

as long as your female is on moderate feed/grass during her last trimester you should not have too much trouble, however, there are also genetic variants which can come into play, Your calf may arive in February, hopefully she wond be grazing lush winter farage until afte her calf is born

Depending on the bull and his BW EPD, and accuracy, and the genetics of the female, we have seen in a very low instance where two easy calvers suddenly produce a huge calf, it is just the way the genes worked out, nothing is a guaranteed certainty

For first calf heifers, watch them, look for swelling of the vulva, and mucus discharge and swelling of the udder, this will help you be better prepared to assist if there is any trouble
 
I am buying some registered stock to up the gene pool in my herd so they will come out looking like the one you are worried about. :lol: I would love to have every cow to have that genetic trait. I have seen so many cows that look half starved because the farmers think they will calve easier. Then I see a field of well conditioned cattle, not overweight, but in good condition, and most of the cows have calves at their side. The calves are more full than the others. From what I am reading, if the cow is in below average condition, the calf will suffer from it also. Then when it is weaning time, it still has not caught up to those that were fed to keep them in condition. Then the cow can be hard to breed back. I would be keeping the heifers out of that calf to replace some of the other cows that aren't easy keepers.
 
Beefy":dr6wnsqo said:
BeefmasterXCharolais Cows


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Dare I presume there is a Hereford bull around somewhere?(Looking at the calf!)

What I was specifically talking about is that cows that have too much fat actually are fat inside, cramping the birth canal. The heifer is looking great by the way! There used to be a yearling picture of her on the site before photobucket poured out.
 
Nope, no hereford bull around. that calf is 1/4 charolais and 3/4 beefmaster. just some hereford showing up from his beefmaster blood. beefmasters are 1/4 hereford, 1/4 shorthorn, and 1/2 brahman.

i wouldnt be AS concerned with calving difficulty in a fat heifer as i would be udder fat accumulation affecting milking ability. but thats just me.
 

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