heifer retention

[angus9259]

Just got my adjusted wean weights on this years commercial calves. Two simi angus heifers I retained expecting higher wean weights outperformed by 60 lbs some 6 year old limi angus cows. Two simi angus heifers I retained were essentially equal to the cows. All from the same bull.

Based on these numbers I will be culling three cows and two heifers (nothing wrong with them, just 60 lbs less wean weight) to make room for three more heifers out of other genetics.

That's why I retain heifers - herd improvement. It's risk reward. They are certainly always a risk, but if I can increase my average herd wean weight by 60 lbs, over 8 years that's a whole additional calf on the ground versus my cull.

These 5 cows I'll be selling will certainly make for some great, problem free commercial cows. Absolutely nothing wrong with going that route. In fact, someone will buy them and go that route and certainly run less risk than me. But their history would show they will produce 60 lbs less wean weight.

 

[EAT BEEF]

Continued selection of the highest ww may not leave you with the most problem free or economical cow herd.

 

[dun]

Continued selection of the highest ww may not leave you with the most problem free or economical cow herd.

Bigger is not always better. 60 lbs at weaning sound good, but what does that do to overall adult size.

 

[novatech]

I could see one retaining high birth weight heifers if your ultimate goal was to produce a a high weaning weight terminal bull.
I could also see this if the goal was to only get high weaning weight while maintaining mature frame score (which usually does not happen). But retention of heifers with high weaning weights usually leads to frame creep. Doing this for the next 20 or so years could give you some 1800 lb. cows. Just keep an eye open for mature frame score.
The better goal , my opinion, would be to try and find more cows equal to those that produced these higher gain calves. You might even consider some line breeding some half sibs if they are good enough.

 

[angus9259]

yup. shoulda clarified. the wean weight thing only works if all other things are as equal as can be considered on the farm.

1. I maintain frame size. I am not impressed with an 1800 lb cow that can increase wean weight by 60 lbs. In fact, that cow will cull. It's the 1200 lb cow that can do the same thing I'm looking at, then her heifer will be judged the same way. This last heifer I got from and F1 baldy and bcc bushwacker may not make the cut. She was my highest wean weight calf, but you can tell she's larger framed. I'll keep her to check, but I will certainly watch her.

2. A cow must calve unnassisted - (heifers get a pass on this criteria). Large birthweights translating to higher wean weights don't impress me either. All you have to do then is lose one calf or cow/calf and all the wean weight profitability is gone.

3. I'm not looking to wean off 800 lb calves. Bigger and bigger and bigger is not the goal. 600 lbs is my goal out of a 1300 lb cow with minimal grain or creep feed. There are plenty of 1300 lb cows that the best they can do is 500 lbs.

4. I very carefully manage bull frame size. That helps keep things in perspective as well.