greenwillowhereford II
Well-known member
This month's Hereford World had some interesting articles about calving management etc. One of the topics that particularly was of interest to me was about what affects BW. It seems that some research has shown that regarding spring calving, the colder the winter, the heavier the calf. This is believed to be tied to blood flow patterns. There is less variation in fall calf weights, and they tend to be lighter than spring calves.
Also, their research disputes the notion that feeding less significantly reduces calf BW. Seems the adverse effects of an undernourished heifer and calf far outweigh the 1-3 pound difference in BW. Heifers that have inadequate BCS will typically have lower value colostrum, tend to be in poorer health, and the calf survivability suffers. There is a downside to a heifer being too fat, as it may lessen milk production due to fatty deposits in the udder, and internal fat may cause calving problems.
I've tried to condense several pages into a couple of paragraphs so forgive me for shortcomings.
Also, their research disputes the notion that feeding less significantly reduces calf BW. Seems the adverse effects of an undernourished heifer and calf far outweigh the 1-3 pound difference in BW. Heifers that have inadequate BCS will typically have lower value colostrum, tend to be in poorer health, and the calf survivability suffers. There is a downside to a heifer being too fat, as it may lessen milk production due to fatty deposits in the udder, and internal fat may cause calving problems.
I've tried to condense several pages into a couple of paragraphs so forgive me for shortcomings.