Our future HIPPO in the making....

[CattleMan1920]

She's tattooed. They all are.

I presume at birth when you're weighing. Logical to tag as well. Is there a reason you don't tag newborns?

I have found the mamas can actually locate their calf without the tags. I had a bull tear his out on day 2, no more taggin for me unless I find it necessary.

You are ABSOLUTELY right!

Our Mommas are very protective of their babes, if I get near the calf, I usually see a Momma come running. It's not hard to know who belongs to who.

 

[Silver]

You didn't mention the birthweight of that calf, or did I miss it?

 

[CattleMan1920]

You didn't mention the birthweight of that calf, or did I miss it?

She was 96 pounds

 

[NEFarmwife]

I have learned not to just go on phenotype. :shock: Until there is genetic testing, necessary hoopla and a lot of discussion, EPDs, more discussion, pictures showing daily differences, I just don't know.

Of early calves: do any think that day old pictures or prior to weaning can tell you the future value of the calf? I have semen in the tank from a bull purchased like that years ago. The attraction was two fold for the buyer: dam, including her record and other calves and results plus the calf's individual to near weaning.

Sort of like heifers, I'll get interested in them when they are 4 or 5 years old and have had 3 or 4 calves! Results oriented, I guess?

That is why we wait till weaning to even register a calf. I have the info in the calving book (which allows me to still register at the $7 rate)... If it is junk, why am I spending money on it for certs and registrations? We cull purebred stock if it doesn't meet our expectations.

The American Simmental Association has a program called THE. Total Herd Enrollment. You have 2 opportunities per year to join. I fall calve, so I enter all my fall calvers in June. You pay a one time fee at the time of enrollment. When the calves are born, you update your herd enrollment by entering the birth date, weight, sex, etc. So all my calves are registered at birth. The savings is considerable compared to the registration fee charged on an individual basis.

That's not apples to apples. You can't do that with the angus association.