heifer calves

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I hold my heifers away from the bull until they are fifteen (15) months old and then breed to a low birth weight bull.

how old do heifer calves need to
> be to breed them and is it better
> to breed to young bull that
> dosen't weight so much. thank you
> for your responce.

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We don't breed our Longhorn heifers before they're about 14 mos. old. Also, Longhorn bulls are good choice to help produce low birthweight calves which are ideal for 1st calf heifers. On the average, Longhorn calves weigh about 55 lbs. with a weight range of about 50 to 65 lbs max. [Know there are also some other breeds that produce low birthweight calves]. Another positive with Longhorns--University research reported they have aboaut 99.7% unassisted calving (compared with about 80% of some of the other popular breeds).

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Most people breed heifers at around 14 months of age so they will calve around 2 years of age. Some of the decision depends on the breed of cow and the size of the cow.

As for the bull, if a mature bull has good conformation and balance, along with low birthweight epd's, he can breed heifers without causing problems. Our oldest Murray Grey cow was a 60# baby out of a first calf Murray Grey heifer and a 10 year old Murray Grey bull. She matured to around 1200#.

If the bull has poor conformation and balance, he will put most of his body weight on the heifer and can do some physical harm. If the bull is young, and not near his mature weight, but has high birthweight epd's, you're probably in trouble.

> how old do heifer calves need to
> be to breed them and is it better
> to breed to young bull that
> dosen't weight so much. thank you
> for your responce.
 
if you don't want to lose in on the growth of the heifer, target calving at between 24 and 26 months. any later is too expensive, any earlier will not allow her to grow out to her full potential, which makes calving in the future (bigger czlves) difficult to nearly impossible.

the age of the bull has nothing to do with the size of the calves. it's all in the genes. as long as it's a bull that will give small calves, age doesn't matter. in the same sense, a year-old bull who's father gave big calves and who was born big himself will most likely give you hell with your heifers.

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that the question about the younger bull had more to do with the weight the heifer would have to support then the weight of the calves. I could be wrong! If it is the weight support issue, a younger bull might not have the skills required to breed a number of heifers, although he will catch on. An older experienced bull as long as it isn't huge in comparison to the heifers should work out ok. But all the comments on calving ease are particularly appropriate for heifers.

dun

> if you don't want to lose in on
> the growth of the heifer, target
> calving at between 24 and 26
> months. any later is too
> expensive, any earlier will not
> allow her to grow out to her full
> potential, which makes calving in
> the future (bigger czlves)
> difficult to nearly impossible.

> the age of the bull has nothing to
> do with the size of the calves.
> it's all in the genes. as long as
> it's a bull that will give small
> calves, age doesn't matter. in the
> same sense, a year-old bull who's
> father gave big calves and who was
> born big himself will most likely
> give you hell with your heifers.
 
> that the question about the
> younger bull had more to do with
> the weight the heifer would have
> to support then the weight of the
> calves. I could be wrong! If it is
> the weight support issue, a
> younger bull might not have the
> skills required to breed a number
> of heifers, although he will catch
> on. An older experienced bull as
> long as it isn't huge in
> comparison to the heifers should
> work out ok. But all the comments
> on calving ease are particularly
> appropriate for heifers.

> dun

we turned a 2 year old limo bull in with 30 heifers 14 & 15 months old

Im sure he turned and looked at me with a grin! Art

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We only AI also, but I saw the neighbors monster Charolais bull mounting and collapsing a little Shorthorn heifer.

dun

> i only AI, so i didn't think of
> the weight aspect. good point
> there.
 

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