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<blockquote data-quote="Rustler9" data-source="post: 196991" data-attributes="member: 440"><p>I'm not knocking your Simmental bull but breeding a heifer to this type of bull is mighty risky-I've seen it too many times. I don't think it matters how big your heifers are, they're still heifers. If these were my animals I'd definitely breed for the first time to a low birth weight bull. </p><p></p><p>Here's an true example-I owned a nice Charolais bull a few years ago. Used him on mature cows, had excellent calves around 80 lb.s each. My dad decided to use this bull on his herd for one breeding season, used him on Beefmaster cows and some big heifers. Pulled seven calves, saved three of the seven, lost three of the big heifers as well. Our vet explained it this way-maybe he's right, maybe he's wrong. He told us that a first calf heifer that is in good shape and that has been on good feed will grow a larger fetus than an older cow, the cow has previously weaned a calf and has had to bounce back from that as well as maintain her own body condition. A heifer that's never calved will put alot of what her body takes in into growing that calf inside of her. He said that heifers will usually have a larger calf from the same bull if they are in good condition. Plus they aren't as mature and as wide as a cow. I personally don't want to put that kind of stress on my heifers. Breed them to something that you're going to get a live, smaller calf for the first time, then go to your Simmental bull.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Rustler9, post: 196991, member: 440"] I'm not knocking your Simmental bull but breeding a heifer to this type of bull is mighty risky-I've seen it too many times. I don't think it matters how big your heifers are, they're still heifers. If these were my animals I'd definitely breed for the first time to a low birth weight bull. Here's an true example-I owned a nice Charolais bull a few years ago. Used him on mature cows, had excellent calves around 80 lb.s each. My dad decided to use this bull on his herd for one breeding season, used him on Beefmaster cows and some big heifers. Pulled seven calves, saved three of the seven, lost three of the big heifers as well. Our vet explained it this way-maybe he's right, maybe he's wrong. He told us that a first calf heifer that is in good shape and that has been on good feed will grow a larger fetus than an older cow, the cow has previously weaned a calf and has had to bounce back from that as well as maintain her own body condition. A heifer that's never calved will put alot of what her body takes in into growing that calf inside of her. He said that heifers will usually have a larger calf from the same bull if they are in good condition. Plus they aren't as mature and as wide as a cow. I personally don't want to put that kind of stress on my heifers. Breed them to something that you're going to get a live, smaller calf for the first time, then go to your Simmental bull. [/QUOTE]
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