Foolish or plausible?

[Phil2]

I've lined up more land (~25 acres of fair to decent pasture)to lease for next year and need to figure out what to put on it. Currently I have a ridiculous 'herd' consisting of 5 miniature herford cows, 2 angus cows (culling one this year), 1 charolais cross cow (culling this year), and an assortment of holstein and jersey stocker calves. I enjoy the novelty of the mini's and they will continue to work decently for direct market beef but I really don't think I want to fill my ground up with them. Purchasing 10 fullsized commercial cows and a bull to cover them (not sure if my current pull will be able to reliably manage...) may be cost prohibitive (or wife prohibited when she sees the cost rather). Stockers are always an option but the current price of everything does have me concerned, I'd hate to lose my lunch buying high in spring and having everything drop come fall.

With the above in mind, would it be irresponsible to buy this years spring heifers and breed them this fall to my current bull? They would be young, 7-8 months, but would be larger at calving than my mini cows. This years calves from mini bull / mini cow were around 40lbs at birth. Would I be putting the heifers well being at risk doing this?

thanks,

Phil

 

[Rafter S]

Maybe I missed it, but what kind of bull do you have? Also, I doubt if heifers that young will cycle so you can breed them.

 

[branguscowgirl]

Phil Size of the calf may not be an issue but yes, you could jeopardize the growth of your heifers by breeding them too young. It is not good for them. They are still growing themselves and to expect them to carry a calf and then feed it during that time is too much.

 

[Phil2]

Sorry Rafter, thought I had typed it but didnt. Bull is a mini herf as well. 1100lb range. For some reason I had it in my mind that most beef breeds started to hit puberty around 6 months. I know people typically shoot for 2 years old at calving but was unsure if the health concerns would follow over with the smaller bull.

I wouldn't want to do it if I was putting the heifers in undue risk, nor would I want to waste my time/money if they wouldn't reliable cycle at this age.

thanks again

 

[Taurus]

Personally I wouldn't breed them at that age. Its usually not good for both heifers and calves and will affecting their health, fertility and growth. Its hard to get them rebred after they calved and often they will become stunted.

 

[slick4591]

Save yourself some grief and wait until they're 15 months to breed.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

Yes, they will breed at 6 months, but don't do it. 14 months at the youngest.

 

[Nesikep]

I've never had a good cow that came from a heifer being bred before a year old... I have one that was a really fast growing late heifer, bred at 12 months and she seems to be fine.

If you *try* to breed them at 7 months, I don't think you'll have much except a terribly spread out calving season and cows that can't reach their real potential... Their calves will all match what you have.. Minis!.. And it's no use feeding a bigger animal to get that.

 

[Rafter S]

Sorry Rafter, thought I had typed it but didnt. Bull is a mini herf as well. 1100lb range. For some reason I had it in my mind that most beef breeds started to hit puberty around 6 months. I know people typically shoot for 2 years old at calving but was unsure if the health concerns would follow over with the smaller bull.

I wouldn't want to do it if I was putting the heifers in undue risk, nor would I want to waste my time/money if they wouldn't reliable cycle at this age.

thanks again

I don't know much (almost nothing) about miniature Herefords, but I assume he would be okay to use on heifers. With that being said, I agree with pretty much everyone else who's replied. Don't put the bull with them until they're about 15 months old, so they'll have their first calf when they're two-year-olds..

 

[Taurus]

Sorry Rafter, thought I had typed it but didnt. Bull is a mini herf as well. 1100lb range. For some reason I had it in my mind that most beef breeds started to hit puberty around 6 months. I know people typically shoot for 2 years old at calving but was unsure if the health concerns would follow over with the smaller bull.

I wouldn't want to do it if I was putting the heifers in undue risk, nor would I want to waste my time/money if they wouldn't reliable cycle at this age.

thanks again

I don't know much (almost nothing) about miniature Herefords, but I assume he would be okay to use on heifers. With that being said, I agree with pretty much everyone else who's replied. Don't put the bull with them until they're about 15 months old, so they'll have their first calf when they're two-year-olds..

It doesn't matter what breed of bull even if the bull are known for calving ease or if the calf is tiny 40lbs, the heifer still have to raising the calf and producing milk for the calf.

 

[msscamp]

With the above in mind, would it be irresponsible to buy this years spring heifers and breed them this fall to my current bull? They would be young, 7-8 months, but would be larger at calving than my mini cows. This years calves from mini bull / mini cow were around 40lbs at birth. Would I be putting the heifers well being at risk doing this?

thanks,

Phil

It's possible, but it's going to cost you a helluva lot of money in feed to keep them and their calves growing properly. We've had big, growthy heifers start cycling - and settle - at about 3 or 4 months of age, calve around a year old, and go on to raise good calves and still develop themselves. It wasn't planned, but it happened. It took a lot of feed for the heifers, and a lot of supplemental feeding of the calves to achieve that. Your best bet is to wait to breed your heifers until they are 14 to 15 months of age.

 

[Phil2]

Thanks for everyones advice. Now I won't have to prove to my neighbors that I'm a bigger idiot than they already thought. Ha

 

[tsmaxx47]

phil, I didn't understand which it is you are talking of breeding, but if it is the normal size female cow, I've always waited until they are 800 pounds. so far so good.....