Heifers

[lithuanian farmer]

Took some quick photos of Angusx calves before the sunset. All are growing well. Like the heifer alot. The plan is to keep her as replacement later. Tomorrow will try to get better photos with better light if there will be some time.

Heifer. Tomorrow will be one month old.

4 days younger bull calf.

16 days difference between these two bull calves. The one on the right is Limox, elder calf, on the left- Angusx, younger calf.

Other three heifers are getting close too.

Due on the 6th of November with the Red Angusx calf by the same sire as the dark heifer. Should calve at the end of October judging by all signs.

Due on the 15th of November with Limox calf.

Due on the 16th of November wih limox calf too.

 

[Nesikep]

I like that heifer too... same look over the back as I'm going for with mine!.. lots of meat up there

 

[lithuanian farmer]

I like that heifer too... same look over the back as I'm going for with mine!.. lots of meat up there

Yes, she's a lovely calf and has good growth, despite that her mom is a small cow. Bull calves have less meat, but they should get rounder shaped with age. At least there is some growth. We were able to use abit better shaped another breed bull on heifers, but I decided that it would be nice to get 1-2 Angusx heifers. Going to use Charolais bull for the dams', of the bull calves, for their 2nd calf.

Some photos taken this morning.

 

[lithuanian farmer]

The newest arrival from the last night. This time a bull calf, sired by Limousine bull from AI. The sire of the calf has medium calving, 99lbs BW and not recommended to use on heifers. I took a gamble and used him on two heifers. We've been using herd bulls, which I would hardly call heifer safe, so it's not that much of a difference.
Gestation length 283days, the calf is 79.7% Limo. Have assisted her abit, but nothing major. The charolais side from her probably gave abit more size for the calf too. The calf should be abit over 100lbs.

Another heifer incalf by the same bull is on 285th day. She seemed closer than the white one, but you can be mistaken sometimes. Pic taken 4 days ago. She should calve anytime now too. Will have plenty of milk!

A couple photos of Angusx calves. 1.5month old already. Seem to grow well (pics taken 4days ago).

 

[lithuanian farmer]

Better photos of the newest calf.

Fingers crossed that the second heifer will have a heifer... But she is carrying her calf abit longer than this one...

 

[76 Bar]

Always enjoy your pics and especially so coming from a European cattleman. Curious regarding what RA sires you admire and are using.

 

[lithuanian farmer]

Always enjoy your pics and especially so coming from a European cattleman. Curious regarding what RA sires you admire and are using.

Thank you. Where are you from?
We use what our vet has at that moment, but first checking if I like bull's info. At the moment used three red angus bulls from Czech Republic.

http://www.db.cschms.cz/english/index.php?page=resdet&pk=268000717945031 Have two bull calves from this one. He is medium calving actually, but compared to limousines he is pretty easy calved.

http://www.db.cschms.cz/english/index.php?page=resdet&pk=268000937962031 Have two heifers from this one. He's easy calved and I can say that's 100% true, because both heifers calved without any problems, while one is a pretty small heifer and second has a serious shape on her.

http://www.db.cschms.cz/english/index.php?page=resdet&pk=035000789116031 Used this one on one heifer so far. She is due next year in April. He should be heifer safe. Have used on quite extreme heifer, so he better be safe. Maybe will use him on one more heifer.

At the moment most of AI stations have red angus bulls, so using them now. In the past there were only black angus available.
Neighbour has two heifers from the first bull. Very nice looking, growthy, round heifers. Our vet also said that cows sired by red angus bulls grow into big cows.
At the moment I like what I see in the RA calves. All are growing well, easy calved and lively after birth. Won't use many angus, but for some heifers it's a good choice.

 

[lithuanian farmer]

Another heifer seems abit suspicious since the morning. Her ligaments feel abit more loose this evening. She's on 287th day. Going to check here before going to sleep to see if I'll need to wake up early tomorrow.

Some photos of the latest born heifer. She sure going to be a very nice looking one. Just 8 days old.

 

[Redgully]

That is a nice chunky heifer. Any idea of weight?

 

[lithuanian farmer]

That is a nice chunky heifer. Any idea of weight?

The little one should be around 100lbs now, probably. Might be abit more.
She reminds me of her dam when she was small. Was born small, slim, but started getting rounder from the day one.

 

[lithuanian farmer]

The red heifer has calved around 4am. Has a bull calf, unfortunately. No more calves from the AI bull. Calved herself. The bull calf should weight +-110lbs. A very serious calf and similar to the white one. No wonder why the sire has medium calving ease.
Going to weigh him later today. No photos yet, as it's dark here at the moment.

 

[lithuanian farmer]

The calf is 15/16 Limousine.

[youtube]https://youtu.be/Tgre_3jL2xw[/youtube]

 

[lithuanian farmer]

Have weighed both new calves. The newborn weighs 111lbs, the white calf at three days age weighs 119lbs. Decent calves for heifers!
Going to ask our vet if he has any straws left from the sire, or if he could get some. If not, I'm very serious about using one of these bull calves in the future on some cows. I'm very impressed with the quality of the white calf at the moment. Can't remember a calf filling up so quickly. I'll be away from home until next weekend, so I'm sure he'll be an impressive calf already.

 

[lithuanian farmer]

Very impressed with the new Limox calves. Vet said that he should still have three straws left of the sire, so going to use those hoping for a heifer!
Good calves for only two weeks age, especially the white.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

White calf is exceptionally good !!
Are you dry or frozen? Looks frozen. Lucky you.

 

[lithuanian farmer]

White calf is exceptionally good !!
Are you dry or frozen? Looks frozen. Lucky you.

Frozen. It's already winter here! Got abit more snow last night.

Yes, the white calf is impressive for his age, but I was expecting something like this judging from his sire's genetics. I can't await to see him grow. The red one will be a very nice calf too. The white got abit more bone like charolais and the mix seems to be adding some more shape. The red only has limousine.

Tried to get a better shot of the red calf. He wasn't cooperating today either...

Plan about using the same bull for the white heifer. Will use a different breed for the red.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

LOL - I have winter too. Have had two big snow storms - 14" and about 12" - with complete MUD underneath. Now, almost all snow is melted. About the worse it's been here with the mud. In the high 40's today.

 

[lithuanian farmer]

LOL - I have winter too. Have had two big snow storms - 14" and about 12" - with complete MUD underneath. Now, almost all snow is melted. About the worse it's been here with the mud. In the high 40's today.

This whole year was pretty dry here, so not that much mud. No heavy snow too. Had around 20-30F here for the last two weeks. Temperature should get a bit higher next week, but it still will get lower after two days of warmer weather. Really happy that first the ground has frozen and only later we got some snow. Two years ago it was the same situation like yours and it was a disaster...

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Yup - no matter how cold it gets with thick layer of snow - mud never freezes except where it is exposed.

 

[lithuanian farmer]

Another Red Angusx calf was born today. Bull calf. 280days gestation. The sire is the same as the red calf's. Used that bull only on two heifers and both calves are bulls. Quite a pity... But well, our heifers usually have bulls for their first calf.
The next heifer is due on the 6th of November, so now will have a little break.

[youtube]https://youtu.be/zc_MTW2hspY[/youtube]

This girl was already AI'ed for the second calf on the 1st of November. Have passed her second heat term quietly. Used a Charolais bull, so hopefully we can wait for a yellow white headed calf!
The black polled was AI'ed with Simmental. But I have some doubts about her. Will wait for another term.
The big roan one got Blonde this weekend. Probably the easiest AI we've ever done. Put a halter on, haven't even blinked. Then gave a bucket with some meal and tied her rope to the wall. Vet arrived and done everything, while she hasn't even pulled her head out of the bucket. I wish all were as calm as she is...