LCBulls said:Josher said:Seems like we have to help a lot more small newborns especially when the weather is cold versus having to help a cow calve because it's too big. That's where my dislike for the big push for low BW calves comes from. A little extra flesh really helps with survivability. I'm not saying that we need 100lb + calves, I just think 75-90lb is perfect. What is your ideal calf weight?
First Calf Heifers 70-80
Cows 80-90 although cows shouldn't have a problem with 100 lb calf's
Time of year/weather can have a big difference in calf sizes from ranch to ranch.
We use the same weight parameters you do. I don't want any calves under 70 on heifers. IMO type is as important as the weight of a calf. This summer when looking for another bull I text a breeder who had over 10 big, growthy, heavy muscled bulls advertised. I asked him to send me info on all bulls with a BW 80 lbs or over. He sent a reply and said all BW's were in the 60-75 lb range. I told him thanks. I talked to a breeder who used CE bulls for several years. He said it got where a lot weren't passing the pelvic measurement requirement. So now has went to using higher BW bulls and now seeing an improvement. I have never understood the CE/low BW selection for bulls to be used on mature cows.