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Breeding / Calving Issues
Replacements out of first calve heifers?
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<blockquote data-quote="RanchManager" data-source="post: 616888" data-attributes="member: 8827"><p>Often, people use a "heifer bull" on their first time heifers. A bull that statistically throws smaller weight calves and often has lighter weaning weights (but not always the case). It has been shown that consistently using this process selects for females with smaller pelvic areas. Genetically, over time, by using "heifer bulls" and retaining the heifers for replacements, you are inadvertantly selecting for females with a smaller pelvic area. A smaller pelvis means more potential for calving problems. I can't remember the research off the top of my head, but google it and you should find some papers. </p><p></p><p>This is probably the reason why you hear it often said not to hang onto your heifer's heifer calves. I am not talking about bulls, in general, that throw smaller calves, but bulls that have been breed for the purpose of being a "heifer bull".</p><p></p><p>We absolutly keep the best of our heifer's calves because they represent the latest and best of our breeding, but do not used bulls specifically bred to be heifer bulls, we just watch the history of the birth weights of our breeding stock.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="RanchManager, post: 616888, member: 8827"] Often, people use a "heifer bull" on their first time heifers. A bull that statistically throws smaller weight calves and often has lighter weaning weights (but not always the case). It has been shown that consistently using this process selects for females with smaller pelvic areas. Genetically, over time, by using "heifer bulls" and retaining the heifers for replacements, you are inadvertantly selecting for females with a smaller pelvic area. A smaller pelvis means more potential for calving problems. I can't remember the research off the top of my head, but google it and you should find some papers. This is probably the reason why you hear it often said not to hang onto your heifer's heifer calves. I am not talking about bulls, in general, that throw smaller calves, but bulls that have been breed for the purpose of being a "heifer bull". We absolutly keep the best of our heifer's calves because they represent the latest and best of our breeding, but do not used bulls specifically bred to be heifer bulls, we just watch the history of the birth weights of our breeding stock. [/QUOTE]
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Breeding / Calving Issues
Replacements out of first calve heifers?
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