Red Angus Anyone?

[okiek]

Had the worst heifer calving year I could possibly imagine, but had a few that made it good.

 

[Warren Allison]

Had the worst heifer calving year I could possibly imagine, but had a few that made it good.

What went wrong with the heifers calving, Okiek? Good-looking bunch of cattle in your pics.

 

[kenny thomas]

Like the dark color. Look great

 

[gizmom]

Nice looking reds

 

[Dsth]

they are nice looking cattle in your pics and seem to have nice size for heifers. did a high % have bigger calves or other problems? some years it seems like i will have more than usual have calves come backward or other years with more twins. every year seems to be different that is for sure. hope all works out well for year in the end.

 

[okiek]

Thanks for the comments! I briefly explained the heifer probs in another post in February, but that darkest red (now) cow is my favorite cow on the place. Her calf died for completely unknown reasons 36 hours after birth (probably stepped on). Another heifer had a bag out. I walked away and gave her 45 minutes and went back to find a dead calf on the ground. A third heifer had a breech calf when I got home one night. Couldn't find a hock so I called a local vet I know. He came right out and we struggled for 30 minutes before we got one pulled out only to find a leg from a twin we had pulled off (He had a hock from 2 different calves). Both calves obviously dead. 2 days later that heifer (Now cow) died.

The bull these heifers were bred to averaged 58 lbs on heifer calves and 61 on bulls. Even though I'm straight commercial I tend to weigh calves from heifers as I'm nearly always close when they're born. He's been a very easy calving bull, it was just one of those rough years with heifers. But then again, if calving heifers was easy, everyone would do it!!

Apparently I'm not smart enough to buy young pairs because the last pic is part of a group of 15 heifers I bought this year to breed. Hopefully next year goes a little better though!!