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<blockquote data-quote="cow pollinater" data-source="post: 1342032" data-attributes="member: 14661"><p>I would recommend avoiding both. Right now you can buy older proven cows for about what a heifer is worth and avoid a lot of problems until you get more experience. Older cows will likely do their job without as much help from you and you get to watch and learn.</p><p></p><p>Your vet would be a good place to start that discussion as some problems are more of a factor in certain parts of the country. A killed virus clostridial and a viral is a good starting place. Wormer may or may not be needed depending on where you are. castration and de-horning should be done for sure. Implants at least on the steers are something you might want to consider.</p><p></p><p>The best time to wean is when it's time to wean. ;-) If your feed is running low you'll want to get the calves off the cow so she can recover for the next calf. There is a price slide where heavier calves bring less per pound so there is not much advantage to holding a calf beyond the high growth stage. I have one set that will get weaned shortly if it doesn't rain here real quick but another set that can stay all summer as the feed is still good where they are. There are a lot of factors to weaning a calf. The only real end limit is forty five days before she's due to calve again.</p><p></p><p>Whatever you can do that gets them on feed right away is good. If they're coming off of green grass then green grass is a good start as they're used to it. When I was in CA I used oat hay with molasses over the top as the calves came off of dry native pasture. Full bellies solve lots of problems. Be careful to not spend to much chasing pounds though. Over-conditioned calves won't bring what a weaned calf will and in the market we're in it is entirely possible to lose money using grain to add weight. </p><p>Your goal is to sell a 30 plus day weaned calf with vaccination that is healthy and in condition to pack on pounds for someone else.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="cow pollinater, post: 1342032, member: 14661"] I would recommend avoiding both. Right now you can buy older proven cows for about what a heifer is worth and avoid a lot of problems until you get more experience. Older cows will likely do their job without as much help from you and you get to watch and learn. Your vet would be a good place to start that discussion as some problems are more of a factor in certain parts of the country. A killed virus clostridial and a viral is a good starting place. Wormer may or may not be needed depending on where you are. castration and de-horning should be done for sure. Implants at least on the steers are something you might want to consider. The best time to wean is when it's time to wean. ;-) If your feed is running low you'll want to get the calves off the cow so she can recover for the next calf. There is a price slide where heavier calves bring less per pound so there is not much advantage to holding a calf beyond the high growth stage. I have one set that will get weaned shortly if it doesn't rain here real quick but another set that can stay all summer as the feed is still good where they are. There are a lot of factors to weaning a calf. The only real end limit is forty five days before she's due to calve again. Whatever you can do that gets them on feed right away is good. If they're coming off of green grass then green grass is a good start as they're used to it. When I was in CA I used oat hay with molasses over the top as the calves came off of dry native pasture. Full bellies solve lots of problems. Be careful to not spend to much chasing pounds though. Over-conditioned calves won't bring what a weaned calf will and in the market we're in it is entirely possible to lose money using grain to add weight. Your goal is to sell a 30 plus day weaned calf with vaccination that is healthy and in condition to pack on pounds for someone else. [/QUOTE]
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