percent calf crop

[Nesikep]

Around here it's only first timers that have 80 lb BW calves, seems like after that it's 90-100, and for the big cows it's 100-130.
Had one heifer with a 110 lb calf, it took my dad and I all we had to get him out, but both survived the ordeal,.. darned close call though.

85% is a miserable number over any stretch of time, though there may be a year here or there that could end up that way.

 

[Son of Butch]

Don't be afraid of 80 pound calves. Up North we are used to much bigger calves. I believe it is due to the cold temperatures during late gestation.

TRUE
The colder the average winter temperature the bigger the calf in spring.
Also true, summer/fall calf birth weights are lighter than spring calves.
Cows regulate body temp with blood circulation. In warm weather cows blood moves closer to the skin to aid cooling.
In winter, blood circulation is kept closer to internal organs to conserve body heat.
Somehow by keeping blood circulation closer to internal organs in cold weather it also increases calf birth weights.
[2 separate studies - U of Nebraska and OSU reached same conclusion]

 

[highgrit]

I'm good with a small live calf. But I sure thought changing bulls and with cross breeding, our calves would of been larger. But as long as they come alive I'm happy. I would hope to have less than 5% loss under our present management style. But once you leave your cows to watch the farm, I'd think anything better than 85% is icing on the cake.

 

[backhoeboogie]

I believe that 7% of cow weight is considered about right. My cows average about 1300 pounds and 5 frame score, so my 90 pound BW is about right for them. I assume that those of you that want 70 pound calves have smaller cows that are closer to 1000 pounds?

No. My cows are considerably larger than that. Most are brangus.

 

[Angus Cowman]

Somebody once opined that if you're getting >95% calf crop...you're probably spending too much on feed.

But, he might be the same fella that said, "If you never pull a calf, you'll never have to."

Well in my situation My cows never got any feed other than hay, mineral and grass
So don't know how I could raise them on less feed
I think alot if it just goes back to selection, culling and management
Other than hfrs I pulled 3 calves out if over 700 calves 2 were breach and 1 had a leg back
On the hfrs I pulled less than 10%

 

[Son of Butch]

Well in my situation My cows never got any feed other than hay, mineral and grass
So don't know how I could raise them on less feed

Putting more cows in the pasture would reduce the amount of feed available for all.
Not saying that you should, I'm just pointing out an obvious answer.

 

[Angus Cowman]

Well in my situation My cows never got any feed other than hay, mineral and grass
So don't know how I could raise them on less feed

Putting more cows in the pasture would reduce the amount of feed available for all.
Not saying that you should, I'm just pointing out an obvious answer.

Yes but then i would be overstocked. I was stocking more than most any other around at the time
I was running a cow to 1.4 acres from april thru Nov. then they got turned in on another 200 acre of hayfields from Nov til End of march Started feeding hay around christmas and fed til April so was running a pair to an acre then
Standard where I was on avg ground was pair to 5 good ground was pair to 3
If I would of had 3 acres pr pair I could of ran another 100 head
Previously the farm had only supported 150 hd and they used another 250 acres that I never ran cows on I just hayed it

 

[WalnutCrest]

how many ranches or farms average 85 percent calf crop? THEY TELL ME THAT IS PRODUCTION EXPENSE BREAK EVEN.

<snip>
Pounds Weaned Per Cow Exposed is the meaningful standard measurement, not % weaned per cow exposed.

<snip>

Is this a better measurement than, say, pounds weaned per acre under management?

I, for one, prefer the latter to the former as I believe it gives me a more direct correlation for how I'm doing as a steward of the land AND as a steward of the cattle.

 

[Big Cheese]

During the winter time when there isn't much picking and the cows aren't getting as much protein like they do during the summer we keep those 37% protein blocks out to supplement all of our cows. Since we started doing this we haven't had a dead calf or had to pull a calf (knock on wood). It also has a lot to do with your mineral supplement as well. We keep keep mineral that has salt already mixed in out year round and we add a little iodine and selenium to it as well. This keeps our cows in great shape and ready to calve when it is their time.