First calf heifers- when to keep and sell.

[Rosielou]

The question is a little green but I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask opinions. When is it appropriate to put your foot down and just sell a first time calver? Would you wait until the second calf to give her a second chance? Or sell(appropriate money wise) after she's weaned her first calf? I had a few first time Mommas this year, and most of them did great. I was a little put off by a couple of their udders, but they weaned pretty good calves. There was one in particular that I don't like. She had the only heifer of the first time Mommas. She didn't even really look like she had a bag until a day or so after she calved. Even after she really bagged up she still had a small udder. Her calf did not grow off well and is being sold when we can get her up. She isn't the best to look at, but she's not the worst either. I would say she's mediocre at best.
This is a bad quality picture from a bad angle, but you can see her udder to get the gist of what I'm saying. She's mostly Angus with a little simmi, which is where the white comes from. She's bred back to Angus. I don't have a picture of the calf, she's pretty pitiful lol.

 

[3waycross]

Rosie you need to do what your gut tells you. If you don't like her, dump her. The market is good now and she will bring a good price bred.

 

[Putangitangi]

I always give my heifers a second chance, unless there's something really dreadful about them - and I haven't had anything bad enough to fit that category yet. Those who rear a really great calf first time are in the minority to date, but I've been glad I've given many of them a second chance.

 

[Taurus]

Sometimes the heifer calves out of first timers looks pitiful but the first timers will become better next time with their second calf but that's just me and I'm glad that I gave them a second chance. I don't think her udder is that bad.

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

At my place, she would likely get an embryo her second time. She had enough milk to raise a decent calf, but you do not like her udder so give her another chance. Almost always my 2nd calf heifers do a way better job the next time around. If you do not like her udder, do not keep any offspring from her.

 

[bigbull338]

i say go ahead an cull her when you get her calf up.

 

[double v]

Need to ask yourself if you keep her and the calf is not good can i afford the year and a half time investment (breed, delivered, weaned). If you cull her are you going to replace her at what cost, bred, open heifer or pair. If you let her go find one you don't loose any time on, it keeps your calving cycle intact.

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

Need to ask yourself if you keep her and the calf is not good can i afford the year and a half time investment (breed, delivered, weaned). If you cull her are you going to replace her at what cost, bred, open heifer or pair. If you let her go find one you don't loose any time on, it keeps your calving cycle intact.

Very good advice here!

 

[Stocker Steve]

If you need numbers, or are short on $ - - then keep her.
If you don't need numbers, or are improving your herd - - then sell her.

(I have kept some like that in the past. Usually they bred back well but they become a low to average productivity cow that I can not keep replacements from. In hindsight - - I should have sold them after the first calf.)

 

[Limomike]

I agree with Stocker Steve.. If u need the numbers then keep her. If not, sell her.
But, I usually give them a 2nd time around to see what the next one will produce. I am always of the thinking that if she had a good healthy calf, with not many problems.. why not keep her?

 

[glacierridge]

I'm with the group, most get a second chance here too, if she bothers you a lot, let her go, if she came from a decent cow family, I don't think it would be a waste of time to see if she was just a lame noob.

Save for the lack of groceries she puts out, she looks okay.
Many times the next lactation will be much improved.

 

[WarEagle73]

I always give my heifers a second chance, unless there's something really dreadful about them - and I haven't had anything bad enough to fit that category yet. Those who rear a really great calf first time are in the minority to date, but I've been glad I've given many of them a second chance.

This is pretty similar to my experience as well. What we have noticed with the ones that do raise an exceptional calf the first time is that they tend to have a harder time getting bred back. Had one this year that raised a steer that was one of the biggest 2 or 3 in the whole herd, but she didn't get bred back so she went to the first sale after we weaned her calf.

I don't expect to raise a record breaking calf out of a first calver, I just want her to bring something marketable to the weaning pen. I do expect her to progressively raise better calves every year until she matures, though.

 

[Rosielou]

Thank you everyone for your replies and advice. I appreciate it. I think I'll see how she does with her next calf and if she fails I'll be selling her. I think I did okay with my other first calf heifers, though. Most weaned over 500 lbs, so I'm hoping they fill my expectations this year. One weaned an almost 600 lb bull calf in August and calved last week. She has a fantastic udder! I'll see if I can get a picture and post it. She goes back to the foundation of my Grandfather's herd.

 

[Taurus]

Did I read right? A heifer just weaned off a 9 months old calf last Aug and calved last week?

 

[Rosielou]

No, the bull calf was 6 months. She weaned in August and calved last week.

 

[Taurus]

No, the bull calf was 6 months. She weaned in August and calved last week.

How is that possible?

 

[Rosielou]

Sorry I've been gone, got busy and didn't have time. This is a picture of the pair a week or so ago. Sorry for cutting off her rump and the bad quality, I'm not sure why it turned out badly.

She is mostly angus with a little bit of Shorthorn and Holstein lineage a few generations to the start of my grandfather's herd.

 

[Chris H]

I'll look at a 2 yr old, evaluate her condition & her calf's condition. If she is fat & calf is runty, unless there are extenuating circumstances, I'd pull the calf early and hope to get her marketed as a fat cow under 30 months. I'd take an udder like you pictured over a pendulous udder or bottle teats on a 2 year old.

 

[bird dog]

Sometimes the udder just doesn't develop very well until they get the first calf under their belt. I had a nice brangus heifer who calved out on time but the back half of her udder did not develop at all and I thought she had two bad quarters. Of course she was a cull but I paid a fair amount for her and didn't want to take a $400 hit selling her, plus I needed animals so she stayed around. She raised a fairly good calf on the front half so that made the decision easier. The next year the back half filled up some but was still only about half of the front. She raised another good calf. By her fourth year and third calf, the back matches the front and I consider her one of my better animals but I don't keep replacements from her. So yes I would give her another chance but if some reason you have to cull, she would be on that list.

 

[jltrent]

Has that front tit just been nursed or is she weak in it? In the past I have had a few three tited cows, but you have to watch the new born calf as that is all they will suck and starve to death. Good looking animal.