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Late May - June Calving and Grass Fed Operation
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<blockquote data-quote="farmerjan" data-source="post: 1670131" data-attributes="member: 25884"><p>Just to add that we also do not implant. I know of only 1 person that implants their calves while they are still on the cow. He only does the males, when we work them and castrate, because of possibly messing up the heifers for future replacements. I see no great improvement in his steer weights over not implanting. There is a some implanting done in some places when they are weaned and put on feed... but still it is not near as common as you seem to think. </p><p>We have done the castrating at birth, at a 4-8 week age when we are getting them caught up to go out on summer pasture with their momma's, and some later at weaning..... Using the callicrate bander we have had next to no problems with the older animals. Most are in the 550 to 700 lb range. IF YOU DO IT RIGHT .... and you HAVE to use Tetanus Toxoid at banding.... we have not had any issues. They lay around for a couple hours then go right back to eating. We always check them in 48 +/- hours to make sure the sack is cold to the touch... that means no blood flow. Then they get turned out to where ever we are putting them. We have seen maybe a 10-25 lb increase in weights on some but not across the board. You start getting up to the 800lb plus size, it is just hard on them and hard on the people doing it. Don't want to do them that big... and we have done a few over the years. </p><p></p><p>We sold to an all natural market and there was no real difference in price. This year feeders marketed as all natural did bring about $.10 lb more but that was a pot load (big tractor trailer). But we no longer target that market as we do some minimal vaccinations and we will treat one with an antibiotic if they get sick or get something like pinkeye. Bad eyes will discount a calf faster than you can make it up in an all natural sale. </p><p></p><p>I think that you might be taking on a bit much with all the different facets at the same time. Again, it may be the only way for you to have control over the supply chain from start to finish or to have available the animals you want or need at certain times. </p><p>I am all for reduced inputs. We have fed silage the last 2 years and I am not sure it has paid off except for the older cows with fall calves keeping better condition and making more milk for the calves through the cold. We have gone to more rotational type grazing and the cows have done better. We cut our numbers a little bit and they had some grazing this year through the middle of January at one place. </p><p></p><p>I think that castrating the bulls and weaning all the calves together would be a better strategy than leaving the heifers with the cows. The older we wean the calves, the more they seem to try sucking each other or other animals/cows. Even if the calves do "self wean, and the cows dry up, there is too much temptation for them to try sucking a cow with a new calf or another cow. If they suck each other as heifers, they can ruin an undeveloped udder and you can wind up with mastitis or blind quarters when a heifer does come fresh.</p><p></p><p>Personally, our heifers do not get back with the adult cows until after they have weaned their calf and are confirmed preg for their 2nd calf. Much like [USER=14161]@gcreekrch[/USER] I think. This allows them to get the best chance at continuing to grow while they are nursing their first calf. They are only competing with animals their own age and size. They have had a chance to proven themselves as a "momma" too. By the time they have their 2nd calf, they are ready and able to compete with the older cows. </p><p></p><p>Everyone is trying to give you advice from what they do/have done/or seen others do. No one wants to see you fail. But no one wants to see your enthusiasm get beat down from mistakes or difficulties that you could have possibly avoided....</p><p>And I have little experience with the kind of cold and snow you have so the members from the very northern US states and Canada are the best for that sort of advice.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="farmerjan, post: 1670131, member: 25884"] Just to add that we also do not implant. I know of only 1 person that implants their calves while they are still on the cow. He only does the males, when we work them and castrate, because of possibly messing up the heifers for future replacements. I see no great improvement in his steer weights over not implanting. There is a some implanting done in some places when they are weaned and put on feed... but still it is not near as common as you seem to think. We have done the castrating at birth, at a 4-8 week age when we are getting them caught up to go out on summer pasture with their momma's, and some later at weaning..... Using the callicrate bander we have had next to no problems with the older animals. Most are in the 550 to 700 lb range. IF YOU DO IT RIGHT .... and you HAVE to use Tetanus Toxoid at banding.... we have not had any issues. They lay around for a couple hours then go right back to eating. We always check them in 48 +/- hours to make sure the sack is cold to the touch... that means no blood flow. Then they get turned out to where ever we are putting them. We have seen maybe a 10-25 lb increase in weights on some but not across the board. You start getting up to the 800lb plus size, it is just hard on them and hard on the people doing it. Don't want to do them that big... and we have done a few over the years. We sold to an all natural market and there was no real difference in price. This year feeders marketed as all natural did bring about $.10 lb more but that was a pot load (big tractor trailer). But we no longer target that market as we do some minimal vaccinations and we will treat one with an antibiotic if they get sick or get something like pinkeye. Bad eyes will discount a calf faster than you can make it up in an all natural sale. I think that you might be taking on a bit much with all the different facets at the same time. Again, it may be the only way for you to have control over the supply chain from start to finish or to have available the animals you want or need at certain times. I am all for reduced inputs. We have fed silage the last 2 years and I am not sure it has paid off except for the older cows with fall calves keeping better condition and making more milk for the calves through the cold. We have gone to more rotational type grazing and the cows have done better. We cut our numbers a little bit and they had some grazing this year through the middle of January at one place. I think that castrating the bulls and weaning all the calves together would be a better strategy than leaving the heifers with the cows. The older we wean the calves, the more they seem to try sucking each other or other animals/cows. Even if the calves do "self wean, and the cows dry up, there is too much temptation for them to try sucking a cow with a new calf or another cow. If they suck each other as heifers, they can ruin an undeveloped udder and you can wind up with mastitis or blind quarters when a heifer does come fresh. Personally, our heifers do not get back with the adult cows until after they have weaned their calf and are confirmed preg for their 2nd calf. Much like [USER=14161]@gcreekrch[/USER] I think. This allows them to get the best chance at continuing to grow while they are nursing their first calf. They are only competing with animals their own age and size. They have had a chance to proven themselves as a "momma" too. By the time they have their 2nd calf, they are ready and able to compete with the older cows. Everyone is trying to give you advice from what they do/have done/or seen others do. No one wants to see you fail. But no one wants to see your enthusiasm get beat down from mistakes or difficulties that you could have possibly avoided.... And I have little experience with the kind of cold and snow you have so the members from the very northern US states and Canada are the best for that sort of advice. [/QUOTE]
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