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Breeding / Calving Issues
Gestation Length and CE and Vigor
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<blockquote data-quote="Randi" data-source="post: 1314819" data-attributes="member: 24883"><p>So, as some of you might have gathered from previous posts by me on the topic of Birth Weights, I really, really don't care for the little 60 lb calves...Even out of my heifers...</p><p></p><p>Last spring we purchased another bull for our heifers, <a href="http://abri.une.edu.au/online/cgi-bin/i4.dll?1=20213329&2=2420&3=56&5=2B3C2B3C3A&6=5A5D59585824202021&9=535C52" target="_blank">http://abri.une.edu.au/online/cgi-bin/i ... 1&9=535C52</a></p><p>His calving ease so far has been exceptional, but the calves are between a week and 16 days early, so I would hope that they would come out without any trouble! But the problem I am seeing is that these calves, especially the really early ones have a very hard time handling the cold weather. And, we have been having some exceptionally warm weather, so that says a lot. We even had one freeze it's ears, and it was born on a very nice, warm afternoon, but the next 2 days were a bit cooler (still right around freezing) so, not terribly cold. Birthweights here are an average of 64 lbs with a range of 60-68 lbs. All unassisted.</p><p></p><p>Our other Heifer bull <a href="http://abri.une.edu.au/online/cgi-bin/i4.dll?1=20213329&2=2420&3=56&5=2B3C2B3C3A&6=5A5D5A232624582120&9=535C5E" target="_blank">http://abri.une.edu.au/online/cgi-bin/i ... 0&9=535C5E</a></p><p>Has mostly given us calves between 2 and 8 days early and they are much nicer, more vigorous calves. BW here average 81 lbs, with a range of 75-93 lbs. All unassisted.</p><p></p><p>Last year we calved out a herd of heifers bred to 'Easy Calving' Angus and Red Angus bulls. There were more than one calf that I would say were even premature. The calves out of a lot of these heifers almost looked like fawns. Certainly they were calving ease, the Red Angus calves we never hardly had to touch, thankfully it was a fairly nice calving season weather wise.</p><p></p><p>So, I guess, what I am seeing is that this Calving Ease thing has gotten to the point where the calves are being born a bit too much on the premature side. Where calf vigour is being sacrificed for Calving Ease. Personally, I would rather have to help a heifer calve, rather than have to keep an eye on them for a few days because they can't handle cool weather.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Randi, post: 1314819, member: 24883"] So, as some of you might have gathered from previous posts by me on the topic of Birth Weights, I really, really don't care for the little 60 lb calves...Even out of my heifers... Last spring we purchased another bull for our heifers, [url=http://abri.une.edu.au/online/cgi-bin/i4.dll?1=20213329&2=2420&3=56&5=2B3C2B3C3A&6=5A5D59585824202021&9=535C52]http://abri.une.edu.au/online/cgi-bin/i ... 1&9=535C52[/url] His calving ease so far has been exceptional, but the calves are between a week and 16 days early, so I would hope that they would come out without any trouble! But the problem I am seeing is that these calves, especially the really early ones have a very hard time handling the cold weather. And, we have been having some exceptionally warm weather, so that says a lot. We even had one freeze it's ears, and it was born on a very nice, warm afternoon, but the next 2 days were a bit cooler (still right around freezing) so, not terribly cold. Birthweights here are an average of 64 lbs with a range of 60-68 lbs. All unassisted. Our other Heifer bull [url=http://abri.une.edu.au/online/cgi-bin/i4.dll?1=20213329&2=2420&3=56&5=2B3C2B3C3A&6=5A5D5A232624582120&9=535C5E]http://abri.une.edu.au/online/cgi-bin/i ... 0&9=535C5E[/url] Has mostly given us calves between 2 and 8 days early and they are much nicer, more vigorous calves. BW here average 81 lbs, with a range of 75-93 lbs. All unassisted. Last year we calved out a herd of heifers bred to 'Easy Calving' Angus and Red Angus bulls. There were more than one calf that I would say were even premature. The calves out of a lot of these heifers almost looked like fawns. Certainly they were calving ease, the Red Angus calves we never hardly had to touch, thankfully it was a fairly nice calving season weather wise. So, I guess, what I am seeing is that this Calving Ease thing has gotten to the point where the calves are being born a bit too much on the premature side. Where calf vigour is being sacrificed for Calving Ease. Personally, I would rather have to help a heifer calve, rather than have to keep an eye on them for a few days because they can't handle cool weather. [/QUOTE]
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