I have 27 heifers that are going to start calving towards the end of February. I have heard several people talk about rebreeding heifers. The most common trick it sounds like is to take off the calves for 24 hours. Then the heifer will cycle. These heifers are all Red Brangus-Simmental cross heifers bred to an angus bull. They are in real good shape considering the drought conditions in central Texas. Are there any other helpful ideas to get heifers to cycle after having their first calf?
Rebreeding heifers
- Thread starter stelg
- Start date
Help Support CattleToday:
The heifers will come back into heat apprx 30 days after they calve whether you pull the calves or not. If you would like more information about pulling the calves, here is a thread that talks about doing that.
http://cattletoday.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=16308
http://cattletoday.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=16308
I think the best way to get a first calf heifer to rebreed is to sell her calf at about 2 months. That gives them a chance to finsh growing out and rebreed on time. If you keep the calves on them and their nutrition is not adequate you can expect a lot of them not to rebreed on schedule.
Yes I am for real. I am talking about first calf heifers, calfing in February in a drought area. Like I said, selling the first calf early will allow the cow to continue developing, rebreed and raise you a calf on schedule next year. I do feel like I can state my opinion on this board. I was wondering when someone would try to make me look like an idiot on this forum.I have been raising cattle over 40 years, Animal Science degree 1979.
lakading
Well-known member
msscamp":fzftp30e said:
30 days???
Hill Creek Farm
Well-known member
I would let them cycle once, then rebreed the second time. I wouldn't EVER try rebreeding 24 hours after they calved. I have never heard of doing that anway and if you have done it before, well don't sell me anything. Also, feed them and give them a good mineral mix. :cboy:
houstoncutter
Well-known member
Fred, I agree with you if these heifers are calving as two year olds, but on this board many breeders think all problems are solved with a feed sack. Profits, seem to be secondary to raising a 650 pound steer.
aplusmnt
Well-known member
la4angus":87lm9ove said:
Why did you not just say that in the first place :?:
cypressfarms
Well-known member
stelg":29jad5e5 said:
If your heifers are in good shape (BCS of 5 or higher), and you have a decent mineral program working, I agree with msscamp: you shouldn't have a problem. Some like to pull the calves for 24 hours, to each their own. Your heifers are crossbred, so they will likely be more fertile than the average straightbred. The real drain on moma starts to come about 45 days after calving. By that time you hopefully will:
1. already have moma bred back OR
2. received enough rain to get some grass going.
Seems to me that selling the calves off early would be a losing proposition, but that's your call. Eveyone's entitled to their opinion.
aplusmnt
Well-known member
Supplemental feed will benefit all the way around, heifers are still growing themselves. They need some extra groceries usually anyway, especially when they are wet. So even though it is an extra feed cost in the end you will have a better cow down the road, get her bred back on schedule and raise a healthier and bigger calf. And as others mentioned selling a calf so young would cost you money. If me I would just make sure she is in good shape before having the baby and keep her that way afterwards and it should work out good for you.
If your forage base is the cause of heifers losing enough conditions it's time to cut the herd size. Doesn;t matter if it's a drought or not, you're still over grazing the resource. If the heifers require supplement to feed a calf, keep growing and breed back your need to find or develop animals that work in your environement
dun
dun
Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
You say your heifers are in good BCS. Hopefully you understand what good condition really is and that you are not "barn blind" (loving your own cattle and not seeing their faults).
IF they are in good condition AND you keep them in good condition after calving, you should expect them to start cycling 30-45 days after calving (without pulling calves for 24 hours). IMO the 2nd cycle is the most fertile cyle, but I WILL breed on the first cycle if I'm needing to "up" her due date, otherwise, most of my heifers/cows are bred on the 2nd & 3rd heat to keep the same calving dates each year.
IF your heifers are not in good condition and you do not want to feed them/ can't feed them, then selling their offspring is an OPTION. Not one I would recommend, but it is an option if they are poorly and not cycling, and you do not have the resources to feed them properly.
Actually, in my herd, 2nd calf heifers are the hardest to get rebred. My 1st calf heifers have been raised properly (yes they get grain when weaned thru first winter) and are in great BCS (around 6.5 - 7) at calving. They generally cycle in 30-35 days & rebreed with no problem. And this is done on grass and hay after the point of being bred as virgin heifers.
My 2nd calf heifers, raised a calf and are usually the thinnest at weaning time, and if they don't gain on proper nutrition (hay) thru the winter they will be the thinnest at calving time, making them the hardest to rebreed.
For that reason, I keep my 1st & 2nd calf heifers seperated from the main cows, so that I can feed them the best hay.
IF they are in good condition AND you keep them in good condition after calving, you should expect them to start cycling 30-45 days after calving (without pulling calves for 24 hours). IMO the 2nd cycle is the most fertile cyle, but I WILL breed on the first cycle if I'm needing to "up" her due date, otherwise, most of my heifers/cows are bred on the 2nd & 3rd heat to keep the same calving dates each year.
IF your heifers are not in good condition and you do not want to feed them/ can't feed them, then selling their offspring is an OPTION. Not one I would recommend, but it is an option if they are poorly and not cycling, and you do not have the resources to feed them properly.
Actually, in my herd, 2nd calf heifers are the hardest to get rebred. My 1st calf heifers have been raised properly (yes they get grain when weaned thru first winter) and are in great BCS (around 6.5 - 7) at calving. They generally cycle in 30-35 days & rebreed with no problem. And this is done on grass and hay after the point of being bred as virgin heifers.
My 2nd calf heifers, raised a calf and are usually the thinnest at weaning time, and if they don't gain on proper nutrition (hay) thru the winter they will be the thinnest at calving time, making them the hardest to rebreed.
For that reason, I keep my 1st & 2nd calf heifers seperated from the main cows, so that I can feed them the best hay.
I appreciate all of the serious replies, and yes I did mean after the calf is about 2 months old. My heifers are in very good shape, because I do not believe in just getting by on feeding animals. I have them on the Right Now Minerals. They have been on this mineral program for a year and a half now. I also feed them cubes every other day. I really do appreciate the replies from the ones that gave a serious reply. I will take some pictures of them this weekend and post them so everybody can see their body condition.
aplusmnt
Well-known member
stelg":3i9kyqxb said:
Sounds like they should breed back just fine then! Good luck and look forward to the pictures.
