Menu
Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
New posts
New media
New media comments
New profile posts
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Members
Current visitors
New profile posts
Search profile posts
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles and first posts only
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Forums
Cattle Boards
Breeding / Calving Issues
Jersey heifer - Bull selection advice
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Help Support CattleToday:
Message
<blockquote data-quote="farmerjan" data-source="post: 1542828" data-attributes="member: 25884"><p>Ims0229; I think you might have achieved your goal of jersey influence in your herd quicker, and in a more uniform way, if you had used jersey semen and AI'd the cows that you were hoping to get improved heifers out of. You could have used sexed semen so that you would get mostly all 1/2 jersey heifer calves then used an easy calving angus on those heifers and gotten to the 1/4 jersey you said you were hoping to reach. I am afraid that, if the jersey heifers you have now to breed, are out of decent milking stock, you are going to find that they will produce much too much milk and will have to have at least one more calf grafted on them. A mediocre milking jersey will produce in the neighborhood of at least 20-30 lbs per day and will be way too much for a single calf; a good one will produce 30-50 lbs per day. Even if you do not grain them. </p><p>Never having run cattle in Texas, I cannot judge the effects of the heat and different grasses, but you will find they normally will not keep condition if just put out on grass like a beef animal. They are simply not designed for it genetically. They have been bred for too many years for increased production, and for that they have become genetically inclined to need the concentrates. I grain mine because I want them to produce more milk so they can raise more calves per lactation. With the cost of keeping an animal for a year, I have to get at least 3 calves off my jerseys to justify the added grain costs, in part due to the fact that the calves will bring less at the sales. Even private, the dairy cross calves do not bring near what a beef breed calf brings. </p><p></p><p>One other thing, a dairy animal will literally "milk the fat off it's back"; in other words, they go into a negative ketotic balance and it does take off any extra fat on their bodies. Therefore, if they are making the milk, they also will be less likely to come into heat near as soon, if they are not being supplemented. That will be a longer calving interval. The genetics will cause them to produce milk even if you are not feeding for it, so they will lose weight in the beginning. </p><p>Another thing you need to be aware of, jerseys are very prone to "milk fever" and the older they get the more likely they will come down with it; both before and right at calving.</p><p></p><p>What other breed of cattle do you have that you say are "large breed". We have commercial angus, charolais, herefords, and limousin and a few simmental crosses, as well as some registered red polls. Have had some chianina's and they are big and tall. Have used some belgian blue AI in the past, so I have some experience with larger beef breeds. Also have had every common breed of dairy cattle in the past.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="farmerjan, post: 1542828, member: 25884"] Ims0229; I think you might have achieved your goal of jersey influence in your herd quicker, and in a more uniform way, if you had used jersey semen and AI'd the cows that you were hoping to get improved heifers out of. You could have used sexed semen so that you would get mostly all 1/2 jersey heifer calves then used an easy calving angus on those heifers and gotten to the 1/4 jersey you said you were hoping to reach. I am afraid that, if the jersey heifers you have now to breed, are out of decent milking stock, you are going to find that they will produce much too much milk and will have to have at least one more calf grafted on them. A mediocre milking jersey will produce in the neighborhood of at least 20-30 lbs per day and will be way too much for a single calf; a good one will produce 30-50 lbs per day. Even if you do not grain them. Never having run cattle in Texas, I cannot judge the effects of the heat and different grasses, but you will find they normally will not keep condition if just put out on grass like a beef animal. They are simply not designed for it genetically. They have been bred for too many years for increased production, and for that they have become genetically inclined to need the concentrates. I grain mine because I want them to produce more milk so they can raise more calves per lactation. With the cost of keeping an animal for a year, I have to get at least 3 calves off my jerseys to justify the added grain costs, in part due to the fact that the calves will bring less at the sales. Even private, the dairy cross calves do not bring near what a beef breed calf brings. One other thing, a dairy animal will literally "milk the fat off it's back"; in other words, they go into a negative ketotic balance and it does take off any extra fat on their bodies. Therefore, if they are making the milk, they also will be less likely to come into heat near as soon, if they are not being supplemented. That will be a longer calving interval. The genetics will cause them to produce milk even if you are not feeding for it, so they will lose weight in the beginning. Another thing you need to be aware of, jerseys are very prone to "milk fever" and the older they get the more likely they will come down with it; both before and right at calving. What other breed of cattle do you have that you say are "large breed". We have commercial angus, charolais, herefords, and limousin and a few simmental crosses, as well as some registered red polls. Have had some chianina's and they are big and tall. Have used some belgian blue AI in the past, so I have some experience with larger beef breeds. Also have had every common breed of dairy cattle in the past. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Forums
Cattle Boards
Breeding / Calving Issues
Jersey heifer - Bull selection advice
Top