Found pairs- What to do next...

[rfranches]

Hi all,
I previously posted on what to look for when buying pairs. Well, we finally found 5 really good pairs and need everyones help in what to do next. We are picking them up on Sunday- all registered black angus. Two of the pairs are 1st calf heifers and the other three pairs are all second calvers (Great EPD's and calving ease). They will be AI'd prior to our purchase and are up to date on all vaccinations. The calves at side are 4 bull calves and 1 heifer calf- they calved out in February. We have 160 acres of grass and crested wheat. I need to know what else I need to provide them with (i.e. minerals/ supplements- and if there is a specific type/ brand you would recommend) and if I need to supplement them with hay. I have heard that AI only works 60% of the time- do I need to get a clean-up bull? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Frankie]

Hi all,
I previously posted on what to look for when buying pairs. Well, we finally found 5 really good pairs and need everyones help in what to do next. We are picking them up on Sunday- all registered black angus. Two of the pairs are 1st calf heifers and the other three pairs are all second calvers (Great EPD's and calving ease). They will be AI'd prior to our purchase and are up to date on all vaccinations. The calves at side are 4 bull calves and 1 heifer calf- they calved out in February. We have 160 acres of grass and crested wheat. I need to know what else I need to provide them with (i.e. minerals/ supplements- and if there is a specific type/ brand you would recommend) and if I need to supplement them with hay. I have heard that AI only works 60% of the time- do I need to get a clean-up bull? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Congratulations. Welcome to the cattle (and Angus) business. Talk to your local extension people about supplements. Or the feed store might be able to help you. We don't supplement anything this time of year, except mineral. If your soil is deficient in anything, a specific mineral might be recommended. Will the seller be guranteeing that they're bred when you pick them up, or just that they've been AI serviced? Our AI success rate is better than 60%, but if you're not going to be in a position to heat detect, a clean up bull might be a good idea.

 

[bandit80]

As long as they have green grass in front of them, be sure they have access to water that is not stale/stagnant, and some mineral and you should be good to go. Like Frankie said, check with the local extension to see if there is a special type of mineral they need becuase your soils are deficient in something. They probably won't need any additional supplement until the grass either goes dormant or is gone. With 5 pair on 160 acres, I would assume you will have plenty of grass. When the grass goes dormant, a protein supplement would be a good idea, and allow the cattle to graze the dormant grass. You will probably have to feed some hay in the winter, especially when there is snow cover.

As far as a clean up bull, I would echo what Frankie said. Hopefully the breeder can verify they are already bred. If not, find out when he AI'd them. That way you have a basis to go off of to watch them close and see if they come back in heat. Cows cycle approximately every 21 days. So, if AI'd May 1, cow will cycle around the 22nd of May if she is not bred. Odds are a couple of your cows probably did not settle. You might be able to have someone AI again, possibly the breeder you purchased them from if you could haul them back to him. If a cow is AI'd twice and doesn't get bred, I don't know that you want her around the place. Good cows should bread within a 2 cycle window. However, if you don't want to hassle with it, just go buy a bull and he'll clean them up.

EDIT: If the cows are not certified bred when you get them, and you decide to heat detect and AI again, you need to educate yourself a little bit. Start watching the cows around 17 days after their AI date. Most will cycle 21 days later, but some have shorter cycles. The timing of the AI is of the utmost importance. The cow needs AI"d about 12 hours after the first observation of standing heat. You will want to make arrangements ahead of time to have somebody on call to come AI your cow, or someone you can take the cow to, semen available, etc. Again, you should be able to heat detect this small of a number. A bull will do the job, but that may cost you more money than having someone AI the few cows that didn't settle the first time.

 

[SRBeef]

Unless you are in a semi arid area, If you put just 5 pairs free to roam on 160 acres they will eat just the best grass and eventually leave you with overgrown weeds. I would suggest you subdivide that into smaller paddocks using simple electric fence and move them from paddock to paddock maybe once a week. Access to water may require some lanes. Maybe you don't even need the whole 160 but have a neighbor custom bale 1/2 of it or so for winter hay and divide 80 into manageable paddocks with access to water and road.

These comments may be totally wrong for E OR depending on your local climate and grass.

Best of Luck.

 

[rfranches]

We are already buliding the fence to divide the pasture into 1/4 sections. Thanks for the help!

 

[bigbull338]

if you splitt it into 4 pastures do they have water in all pastures.id splitt them up into 10ac grazing paddocks if i had access to water.an rotate them when they grazed the grass down.