Heifers and calving problems

[Pharmer]

What percentage of your heifers do you estimate you have to pull their first calf? Just wanting to get an idea of how everyones heifers do.

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

Zero percent. Have Longhorns. No calving problems. All up, nursing, running around within 3 hours.

 

[SPRINGER FARMS MURRAY GRE]

Have not had any,I have Murray Greys. Calving problems with this breed ar ;-) :cboy: e the exception rather than the rule.

 

[Beefy]

Oh no! i'm not falling for that one! i'll let you know at the END when all calves are on the ground.

 

[TheBullLady]

I figure maybe one heifer out of a small group.(20). although, with the price of calves right now, I've only retained two heifers. Making sure the heifers are bred to an easy calving bull will reduce the odd substantially. Of course there is always the odd heifer that decides to have a leg back or a breach birth.

 

[Alan]

I've posted before about my easy calving Bull, because my first year calving was such a nightmare for us. But, out of our current Bull, of 16 calves in two years I did pull one out of a small first time heifer this year. The first bull I rented, 3 yrs ago, threw huge calves, pulled one, lost one( born during the night, blame myself for not checking cows before I went to bed), and dropped a 28lbs heifer (?), Polled Herefords. So 20 calves, pulled 2, lost one. Easy calving bulls make all the difference, I agree 100% with The BullLady 1 in 20 sounds right.

Alan

 

[franseen]

We haven't pulled a calf out of a first calf hiefer since we sold our holstiens. Look for an easy calving bull. When you breed try to breed on size not age. We also take pelvic measurements now. We cull heifers with a small one. Taking care when choosing the bull you use should greatly reduce the number of calves you pull.

 

[TLCfromARK]

What percentage of your heifers do you estimate you have to pull their first calf? Just wanting to get an idea of how everyones heifers do.

Just off the top of my head I can remember having to pull just one in the last 8 years or so, thats out of maybe 30 - 35 heifers. I keep 3 to 5 replacements a year. But there have been another 3 or 4 that we've had to help get started nursing for one reason or the other. All cross bred cows, some were out of a Brahma bull, a Braford bull and now a Angus.

;-)

 

[Campground Cattle]

I cull for any calving problems. Took this stance years ago due to calfing problems. Haven't pulled a calf in 8 years (one of mine) lost the first calf in 7 this year back in Feb. Cow is no longer with me.

 

[frenchie]

We pull less than 1%. We use m-3 beefbooster or galloway bulls for heifers

 

[msscamp]

Last year we pulled 2 yearling heifers that matured very early. This year we have pulled 5 out of 21 two year olds, but in their defense all of those calves were big...90-100 lb range.

 

[jcarkie]

i helped two, i bought already bred, one had a leg turned back. 50% 2 out of 4, three i bought bred

 

[endebt]

for the last nine years we have used angus bulls . before that for two years we had beefmasters what a nightmare. we breed about 20 to 30 hiefers a year every year, with no problems. also we raise our own bulls. we A.I. all of our hiefers to black angus bulls.

 

[Farmgirl]

When you breed try to breed on size not age. We also take pelvic measurements now. We cull heifers with a small one. Taking care when choosing the bull you use should greatly reduce the number of calves you pull.

Franseen,

Do you use the 65% rule for size? What do you consider a minimum pelvic measurement? Measured in square centimeters, right?

Thanks,

 

[Medic24]

Just finished calving for the spring season as of yesterday.

I have had to pull zero percent calves out of mostly angus stock, and half were heifers this spring. One was a huge surprise, as she is a thin hump back (yes I bought her this way a few months back) cow, that until a week ago, I assumed and hoped was open, until I could get some more weight on her. But she delivered a fine calf, albeit a bit on the smaller size, and in this case, it was a good thing.

I suspect that several of them had help , perhaps the coyotes around here helped to pull several, being anxious for a meal and all.

 

[greenwillowherefords]

We are working on our fifth year in business, and no calves pulled, lost one two day old preemie to underdeveloped lungs, preemie situation was my fault not hers.