Know your heifer program

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we are trying something new this year, i have said many times that I believe in testing or evaluating cattle. The university of Florida is conducting a know your heifer program. After studying the program we felt it would be good to have an unbiased opinion on our heifers. Same mind set we have when sending our bulls to test, it gives us a better idea oh how our heifers perform vs other herds. It is impossible to judge what you don't measure so hopefully we will get enough information to allow us to improve our herd. Yesterday the team from UF came to the farm they palpated each heifer and got a measurement scored each a 1 - 5 with a one to immature to breed and a five ready to breed. We set 31 heifers up for AI utilizing the 7 day sync. We will breed on observed heats then 30 days after last heifer is AI'd we will ultrasound for pregnancy. You can find more information on the web page https://animal.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/beef/KYH/

9559BED7-5C49-40DB-8114-C5E0F44B414A.jpegwe took weights on each of the heifers. Three were in heat when we set them up, I know that isn't suppose to make a difference but past experience for us has been the ones that are cycling when cidr is put in have a lower conception rate.D185B13F-F009-42C3-A69D-783A3D9DA0EE.jpegthe Boss loaded the chute and gave shots.
C000B110-6910-488D-ACB6-54505DAF51E9.jpeg
Mike put in the Cidr's and manned the head gate
CE62DAFA-04F8-43FB-95FE-7D2A6B5D753D.jpeg
The team from the University were great to work with and very knowledgeable . We look forward to seeing the results of this study.
 
Looks like a good program, and a good setup.

So I gotta ask, what's the story with sparkel? Sticks out like a sore thumb on the paper, both with the name and the big weight.
lol your right Sparkel is a Jersey we had palpated her safe but somewhere along the line she slipped her calf. So we put her in with the open heifers to get her rebred. They ultrasounded her all is fine just one of those things so now we will breed her again. She was named by one of the twins so we have Sparkel, Sunny and as of a couple weeks ago Buttercup. Sunny was sold as an open heifer a month or so ago, it is difficult to sell the Jersey's not because they aren't good but because the twins have GG wrapped around their little fingers and they love the Jersey heifers! Which is why Sparkel is getting a second chance. I was amazed I didn't get a bunch of grief from them over selling Sunny, maybe they haven't realized it yet lol.
 
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Well we received the first report on the Know Your Heifer Program so far what I am seeing is we are on the right tract. Out of 31 heifers evaluated only three did not grade 5 and did not have a CL. I have attached the first report. We will AI this group then preg check mid January to see how many took to AI. I haven't ever attached a file like this so don't know if its going to work or not.
 

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  • First Report Gizmo Angus (Mrs. and Mr. Gilmore)[39841].pdf
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it gives us a better idea of how our heifers perform vs other herds.
I agree with your approach and agree in measuring and testing for improvement but I'll go on record as saying that it won't give you an accurate comparison to the "average" herd. The reason that I say this is because the people with the worst herds and most average herds don't measure anything and won't participate in a program like this. You're much more likely to be compared with other "top end" operations so don't be disappointed if you don't rank higher than you thought when they compare you to other herds. Remember that the "contemporary grouping" of the operations that participate in this study are going to be the more professional outfits.
 
The report worked, at first I thought it didn't. I will take a look.
Good for you for wanting to know more about your cattle.
 
I'm on my phone and the report didn't open but I was wondering if the ones that were in heat were on the list not having a CL?
Obviously they would not.
On your comment about them being in heat when you put a CIDR in and having poor conception rate.
I was told it was because they retain the egg that should have been released and it is "stale" when you breed.
Did you breed the ones in heat that day or CIDR them?
Sounds like a great program.
 
I'm on my phone and the report didn't open but I was wondering if the ones that were in heat were on the list not having a CL?
Obviously they would not.
On your comment about them being in heat when you put a CIDR in and having poor conception rate.
I was told it was because they retain the egg that should have been released and it is "stale" when you breed.
Did you breed the ones in heat that day or CIDR them?
Sounds like a great program.
No the ones in heat all graded well we did put the cidr in the doc said it would not be an issue but our experience has been that if in heat when cider goes in they tend to not breed. We wanted to note the ones that were in heat to have that data point in our on farm study.
 
Nice Group.. What does the LFD.. You had 2 heifers with a number the rest were -
I don't know that very question is on my list to ask. I also can't figure out why 2048 has no info but plan to call and discuss tomorrow. The lowest rated heifer 2050 was in a cow we purchased the heifer is a Musgrave 316 Exclusive and has a negative birthweight epd. she isn't the lightest weight heifer in the group she Has depth of body but lacks power she is narrow made. She may come on like gangbusters but at this point she is just a heifer. Heck the way our calving season has been going she will probably be the only one that sticks AI lol.
 
We had a rough "spring" calving. Lost 5 calves - that's a lot out of only 35 calving this year. 1 cow spit out dead. 4 died of "unknown" illness. Shot 1 so we could get autopsy from Cornell. Inconclusive. No fever, no diarrhea, no respiratory - had couple vets out from our clinic. Just weak and died. Hope you and me have a better "spring calving". Brought our first 5 due up close yesterday. Due 1-1 to 1-4
 
We had a rough "spring" calving. Lost 5 calves - that's a lot out of only 35 calving this year. 1 cow spit out dead. 4 died of "unknown" illness. Shot 1 so we could get autopsy from Cornell. Inconclusive. No fever, no diarrhea, no respiratory - had couple vets out from our clinic. Just weak and died. Hope you and me have a better "spring calving". Brought our first 5 due up close yesterday. Due 1-1 to 1-4
Sounds like we're having the same kind of luck lost one At two days, then another one that was a hard pull this was a cow not a heifer. Then found one dead at two months old. First set of twins one live one dead second set of twins both dead third set of twins bull and heifer she loves the heifer grafted the bull to the Jersey. This week had a 10 year old cow that has been a never miss female have a bull calf with his insides on the outside nasty. Lost one cow with calf still in her to a bowel blockage dont even get me started on how much I hate Mylar balloons if folks just knew how the dang things effect livestock and wildlife maybe they would ban the dam things. This week we found one of the twins cows dead no freaking idea she had been fine no sign whatsoever of illness excellent body condition two month old heifer calf at side (now on the Jersey) hopefully all the bad is over i Don't ever remember a worse year and hope I don't see another anytime soon.902DF4F6-7FBE-4A4D-A7C5-873A0CE8E419.jpeg
this just broke my heart
 
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Ouch. My fall calving was 7 live out of 6 cows. So, turned around so far.
We are re-lyme-ing the calf sheds, getting ready for January calving.
Here's hoping everything is better for both our herds.
BTW great weights on those heifers. Keep us posted on your results.
I assume you will rebreed any that come back into heat after the CIDR breeding?
Cornell has totally dropped the ball on any beef programs. They used to have a bull test, a steer discovery program, a heifer development program.
 
Ouch. My fall calving was 7 live out of 6 cows. So, turned around so far.
We are re-lyme-ing the calf sheds, getting ready for January calving.
Here's hoping everything is better for both our herds.
BTW great weights on those heifers. Keep us posted on your results.
I assume you will rebreed any that come back into heat after the CIDR breeding?
Cornell has totally dropped the ball on any beef programs. They used to have a bull test, a steer discovery program, a heifer development program.
We are one and done when we AI the bulls go in 1/1 with the exception of the recip pen we don't put eggs in until the 10th so the bull will go in on the 11th on that group.
 

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