Heifer Yearling Weight?
- Thread starter Jovid
- Start date
Help Support CattleToday:
Jovid":29n5c061 said:
Kind of an open question? For what it's worth, the Angus heifers we're going to be breeding next month had adjusted yearling weights of 869 down to 787 when we had them scanned a couple of weeks ago. They're all in good flesh. The tallest heifer is not the heaviest heifer. The heaviest heifer did not have the biggest ribeye, but she did have the highest marbling score.
plumber_greg
Well-known member
Frankie, glad you said that. Does it seem to you that the biggest ribeyes have the worst marbling? My cutouts are always telling me this, and I don't really understand how to keep the carcass weights up without sacrificing marbling. I am just so stupid on trying to adjust for my cutouts. gs
plumber_greg":1ss24291 said:
Yes, both good ribeye and marbling are sometimes hard to find in one animal. In the first Angus Sire Summary I remember seeing that included carcass data, the only bull that stood out as offering both was Scotch Cap. We were on the road to our first production sale and bought a Scotch Cap son for our commercial cows. The performance of some of his steers in a feed-out program made me a believer in Angus and EPDs. There are a lot more bulls that combine those traits than back then. I think maybe the key is not necessarily the "biggest" anything, but "better" everything?
Jovid
Well-known member
Frankie":3m2l2d8p said:
Didn't mean it as an open question just curious what everyone thinks is a good yearling weight for a heifer.
Frankie,
You do bring up a very valid point. You don't know what's under the hide unless you do ultrasound or hang them on the rail.
novatech
Well-known member
I assuming you are speaking of a keeper. Cattle go through growth spurts. Some are faster maturing than others, but between 750 and 800 pounds should put you in the ball park if you are shooting for 1200 lb. mature weight.
fargus
Well-known member
Frankie":3qpf7z8d said:plumber_greg":3qpf7z8d said:
Yes, both good ribeye and marbling are sometimes hard to find in one animal. In the first Angus Sire Summary I remember seeing that included carcass data, the only bull that stood out as offering both was Scotch Cap. We were on the road to our first production sale and bought a Scotch Cap son for our commercial cows. The performance of some of his steers in a feed-out program made me a believer in Angus and EPDs. There are a lot more bulls that combine those traits than back then. I think maybe the key is not necessarily the "biggest" anything, but "better" everything?
Couldn't agree more. Nothing is free, you've got to give something up in order to gain something else.
Stocker Steve
Well-known member
If you want smaller cows you are talking 650 to 750# as a yearling, and on the lower side if you think they are going to pop when they hit grass.
I called it an open question because I would expect a good, well developed Char heifer to weigh more than a good, well developed Angus heifer as a yearling. Or a Jersey or Limousin. And that's not a bad thing. While individuals will vary, some breeds are just generally bigger than others. What kind of yearling weights are you looking for?
