Heifers/Bull question

[stocky]

I have a question from a neighbor who temporarily cant get logged in. I will forward the answers to her until she can get logged back in.

The question I was wanting to ask was how old should your calf heifers be when you begin to worry about them being bred by bull calves and bulls. And can a 1500 lb to 2000 lb bull breed a 600 - 700 lb heifer calf. Do they need to be seperated out of the bulls?. The bull calves are being cut the 13th of Sept.But we have 3 bulls, two of the are 1800 to 2000 lb and then a younger one at 1300 to 1500 lb. What do you think?

 

[dj]

The youngest I've had a heifer breed was 8-9 mos and about 650 lbs.She only weighs about 850-900 now I think it stunted her growth. But she's had a calf every year since and will go through a fence to get with a bull. Since then I keep them well seperated.

 

[msscamp]

I have a question from a neighbor who temporarily cant get logged in. I will forward the answers to her until she can get logged back in.

The question I was wanting to ask was how old should your calf heifers be when you begin to worry about them being bred by bull calves and bulls. And can a 1500 lb to 2000 lb bull breed a 600 - 700 lb heifer calf. Do they need to be seperated out of the bulls?. The bull calves are being cut the 13th of Sept.But we have 3 bulls, two of the are 1800 to 2000 lb and then a younger one at 1300 to 1500 lb. What do you think?

I don't think it's age as much as it is growth and weight. Bigger heifer calves mature earlier, thus start cycling sooner than their smaller, later developing herdmates. Last spring we had 2 yearling heifers calve that had been bred by our herd bull (5-6 years old and over 2000 lbs according to the scales at the salebarn) at somewhere between 5-6 months old. We had a total of about 20 heifer calves that year. Normally the bull would not have been left with the herd that long, but that year things got mucked up due to extenuating circumstances. We start calving the middle of March through April, the bull is turned in with the herd the first part of May, they go out to pasture the last of May/first of June and he is pulled 30-60 days later.

 

[Susie David]

Our bull thinks that a six month old heifer is starting to smell pretty good....through the fence thank God he can't get his head through the bars.
We bought a young "open" heifer last year that had a 2004 ear tag and all her baby teeth....dropped a bull calf in April...still hasn't lost a tooth.

 

[susiq]

Thank you for your input. I am back on line.

 

[bigbull338]

yes a big herd bull can breed a 650lb heifer.when a heifer gets bred that young means she matured fast.an if you know shes bred.you have to really watch her when shes ready to calve.scott

 

[certherfbeef]

yes a big herd bull can breed a 650lb heifer.when a heifer gets bred that young means she matured fast.an if you know shes bred.you have to really watch her when shes ready to calve.scott

Scott, I took the question to be asking if the bull was too heavy to breed a 650 lb heifer. I could have read it wrong though.

My thoughts are that if the bull is athletic enough he should be able to breed that heifer w/o knocking her down. But if he is out of shape, clumbsey or other wise a dope and he has to paw and climb his way up there, he will probably hurt her.

 

[ollie]

Most bulls can breed them anytime. "Most" heifers won't cycle till 8 mos or later. On my place one or two a year cycle before weaning. You need to pull the bulls if you can. If you can't then check them every day and abort them at weaning.

 

[bigbull338]

miss certs a ton bull dont have to mount a 650lb heifer to bred her.all he hast todo is walk up on her an staddle her.an then hump up a little to breed her.scott

 

[susiq]

:) I just want everyone to know what a great guy Stocky is. Thank you Stocky for your help. My stepson helped me get back on line. The problem was with my password.

 

[kaneranch]

Currect me if I am wrong here, but every breed has different maturing rates. I think I remember hearing that alot of longhorns don't go through there first cycle tell they are two years old. I think that angus are about six to eight months. THanks Kaneranch

 

[bigbull338]

you are right.but alot of breedshave heifers an bulls mature above the ave for their breed.where you here 2yrs is this alot of ppl wont try to breed them till they 2.they say brimmer bulls dont know they a bull till they are 3.scott

 

[Beefy]

"they" say a lot of stuff about brahmans.

 

[Scotty]

I have seen Angus bulls that would hurt a heifer that size just becasue they are rough, not all that big. Also the opposit. Big bulls that were good "lovers" and knwo how to take care of their ladies.



Scotty