How old to tell?

[vbd]

Thanks everyone for the answers...

It was really more of a question that I wanted to know the answer too as opposed to a specific calf that I was curious about. We have 7 heifers that range in age from 2 to 10 months. They are all sale barn beef calves. As for teats, all seem to be well equipped with the exception of one that has kicked my butt once already when I tried to catch her to look... I did get her vacinated, but paid a real price as I took the cowboy approach rather than put her in the chute...but I am learning, often the hard way... :shock: When I get her in the chute, I will be able to tell better how that one looks.

Thanks again,

Van

 

[Chris H]

Why would you even consider using a freemartin as a replacement? Thats begging for trouble, IMHO

Why? I have a set of twin heifers with the bull right now. Ya, the chance of getting twins increases because they are twins but not enough for me to send them down the road when they are out of my best commercial cow.

A freemartin does not have the right equipment to settle and be safe in calf. We have had heifers that are twins with a bull settle and calve and turn into productive cows. If they turn up open as heifers they end up in my freezer. Not much different than feeding out a steer for a year for the freezer.

Freemartin is a freemartin is a freemartin. Just cause they are twins with a bull doesn't mean they are freemartin.

OK, but even if you get a calf, your chances of getting another one are only slighty improved in that you know at least at one point she was capable of it. If she didnt develop right you have a higher percentage of problems each time even if she takes. Would you buy a replacement cow on those odds.

I understand you might get lucky and she isnt a freemartin, but you might also win the lottery.

But what you say about trying them sort of makes since, maybe, if you use a bull. I think I got wrapped up in the word replacement.

I still dont think I would invest anything in breeding a twin.

If she breeds and carries the calf to term, she's not a freemartin even if she was a twin to a bull. If she carries a calf to term she will not have a higher percent of problems on subsequent pregnancies. In our case we took a chance because we were feeding her to butcher. At a year she looked like a real nice replacement heifer, all external organs in good shape. Had our vet palpate her, all internal organs felt right, even began cycling at that age. We started to feed her like a replacement. When she didn't catch when exposed to the bull, then she went back on feed and became a butcher animal again. What did we have invested? 4 months to see if she would get bred. Considering her breeding potential, it was worth the cost. Yes, a blood test would have saved us several months, but I'm thinking the cost was quoted at more than $35.
I have no problem keeping twin heifers as replacements, most of the time we've come out ahead with our twins.

 

[dun]

Yes, a blood test would have saved us several months, but I'm thinking the cost was quoted at more than $35.

I just checked and it's 50 bucks now. I guess inflation has hit that stuff hard too. The one we did was 5-6 years ago.

dun