Heifer Calved at 16 Months of Age

Mighty Mouse

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Joined
Jan 17, 2023
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Location
south central Missouri
I found a surprise when checking the herd this evening. This little South Poll heifer will be 16 months old a week from tomorrow…and had her first calf today. Assuming 280 day gestation, she conceived at 6.5 months old😲. I was aware (based on preg check performed before purchase), that she was bred younger than I would prefer, but I didn't think she was bred that young. The calf is small, but (knock on wood) he and his young mama appear to be doing well.
IMG_5134.jpeg
 
Have a heifer we were going to sell, rather flighty disposition... BUT, when we got her in and were looking a bunch over, noticed she was awfully "round" and then noticed a little bag.. so... nope can't sell her.... she calved a nice calf, has been doing a good job, still a little flighty but calf is growing good. She was about 17 1/2 months when she calved....
Those "oops" ones are a blessing and a curse, but we have been lucky most times.

Glad yours is taking the calf and doing good so far.
 
happened to us this year,, 4 out of 40 kept heifer looked suspicious. pg checked pregnant, thought of selling,, thought better of it, got a backhoe, so i kept them, all 4,they calved live calves, about the size of a corn flakes box,,45-50 pounds at the most, moved them to the backyard, they get a whistle and scoop of pellets daily. the oldest was only 15.5 months old at calving, bred by their herdmates, never believed it would work out 4 for 4. might change my opinion a bout age size to breed heifers,
 
We usually wind up with at least one a year that gets bred at a ridiculously young age, out at pasture with their dam when the bull is in for breeding back the cows. Have a couple that have been in the same "family" ... so an early maturing "line" .... Have seen a few go through the sales lately that look bred... but prices being what they are, they are bringing too much to take home to take the chance. Used to be they would be discounted way down and it was worth the risk to buy a few...
One thing I have found is to hold them back so they get an extra 4-8 months... rather than calving again in 12 months, I like them to go 15-18 months between the calvings.. gives them time to grow a little more and get a longer break. We just try to get them bred back to calve with the next group of cows... sometimes it is only 15 months between 1st and 2nd calves. And they may always be a little smaller as mature cows because it "stunted" their growth a little as a heifer... but that's okay, the genetics are there for "normal" growth calves....
Got one now that calved at like 17 months... doing good with the calf... she just went back with the bull.... not much of an extra break... but I think she will be fine... High strung, and did not want to keep her back when she does much better in the herd group so she went out... She was on the list to sell when we noticed she seemed to have more than just a bit extra "baby fat"... so we kept her, next thing she was making an udder, and calved....
 
Are most of these early heifers being bred by bulls or unweaned bull calves, or is it a combination? Had an 8 mo old heifer in standing heat being mounted by a 4 month old bull calf…
 
Ours are all getting bred by the bulls... no bull calves go out to pasture with cows.... all are steered/banded before they go out. Have had only 1 that a band broke one time.... and put a couple of tiny bull calves out with cows at one place, but none of those few heifers were any that came up bred.
 

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