Milking Question

[BrandName1]

Hello to y'all. I'm new, We have young angus females we are going to breed next spring. All come from dams and sires around +22 for milk. I have been looking @ potenial A.I. sires.
^I have noticed many preformance cattle are higher in milk and low or in $EN. How does high milk effect the herd?
^Does higher milk simply mean bigger calfs? Or just higher a matienance herd?
^I heard that higher milking cows/heifers have a harder time breeding back,is this true? What can be done to make it easier?

I understand EPDs are just a measure for what we MIGHT get from the calves.I would really like some advice on these questions. Thank You, any help is apprieciated.
From the looks of this board it looks like I found the perfect place.

 

[ag_business04]

Hello to y'all. I'm new, We have young angus females we are going to breed next spring. All come from dams and sires around +22 for milk. I have been looking @ potenial A.I. sires.
^I have noticed many preformance cattle are higher in milk and low or in $EN. How does high milk effect the herd?
^Does higher milk simply mean bigger calfs? Or just higher a matienance herd?
^I heard that higher milking cows/heifers have a harder time breeding back,is this true? What can be done to make it easier?

I understand EPDs are just a measure for what we MIGHT get from the calves.I would really like some advice on these questions. Thank You, any help is apprieciated.
From the looks of this board it looks like I found the perfect place.

If you are breeding for beef calves, although milking ability is important, birth weight, carcass, and other EPD's are usually higher priority. If you are breeding for dairy, milking is higher on the list.....If you notice dairy cows don't make good meat.....they put their nutrients into the milk. In birth weight, you don't nesasarily want the lowest but lower to mid, for calving ease. You would probably want something with a higher average daily weight gain EPD. I am sure you will get more advise on this than mine........good luck

 

[BrandName1]

Thanks ag_biz
Yes, we are breeding for(beef) seedstock.The breed average is +18 but of the bulls I like the lowest is +25 highest +35. Guess I was wondering for our own purposes and our potiential customers how this affects the herd.

Can anyone else add anything? much apprieciated.

 

[eatbeef]

Milk is essential to raising calves of course, but feeding can adjust the milk production of a lactating cow. Too much milk can cause problems also...scours etc. Some cows don't produce enough of course but with the angus breed, milk usually isn't a problem

 

[dun]

The only affect it would have on the herd is as an individual animal and only if heifers are retained. Gradually over time feed requirements could increase. While more milk will generally produce a heavier calf at weaning, the genetics to take advantage of the extra milk must also be present. If the requirements for the milk isn't present in the calf, the heifer/cows milk will diminsh during the lactation and will allow them to maintain a better body condition. The concept is to use balanced EPDs, calving ease and weaning weight are particvularly important for a heifers calf. The affect of the higher milk EPD won;t be evident for several years, if then. You're looking at around 3 years before a particular bulls daughters are in production from when he is first used.
Kind of rambling but hope it makes some sense

dun

 

[Aero]

BrandName1:

you are correct in the correlation of high milk and low $EN

higher milk should indicate a larger calf and higher maintenance requirements

the reason higher milking cows have problems breeding back is because their milk production draws their body condition down where they are not in good condition in time for breeding. the real problem is in a lack of supplementation for increased maintenance/lactation requirements not fertility problems from high milk.

 

[BrandName1]

Thanks for the help,

Dun, what would a bull w/ a high weaning weight do to a first calf heifer? Assuming the bull's epds for CED and BW are acceptable and he is a good balanced bull across the board.

 

[dun]

Thanks for the help,

Dun, what would a bull w/ a high weaning weight do to a first calf heifer? Assuming the bull's epds for CED and BW are acceptable and he is a good balanced bull across the board.

If the heifer is capable of producing a lot of milk, that high WW calf will take all she has and has a strong probability of drawing her down to the point she doesn't breed back to keep a 12 omnth calving interval. She may require supplement or more supplement to maintain her condition. If she's a genetically heavy milker, more more supplement you pour in the more she's goingto milk. Kind of a vicious circle. Calves with the genetic abilitys to really grow,when fed an inadequate amount of milk will still grow. But they'll have a rangy look that will really take a hit come sale time. All that is predicated on no creep.
All I can address is from our perspective but forage and genetics have to be balanced or you support the feed companys (sorry crowder) rather then the cows supporting you.

dun

 

[BrandName1]

Thanks everyone, that helped.