vs_cattle
Well-known member
When Do You Breed?
Age / Weight
Age / Weight
MikeC":2nvg9jx4 said:If they ain't big enough......it's your fault.
DO you D.H.I. and classifiy your heifers or are they just grade heifers?milkmaid":1lh2o7gd said:Since I don't have a set time of year to calve heifers out (just running dairy heifers over here), I breed as soon as I have them reaching 800-850lbs. I try to get a 1.8+ ADG throughout gestation, bringing them to 1300lb+ springers. Most of the time they'll average 12 months at the time of breeding and have had one cycle; lately I've been breeding 2nd and sometimes 3rd cycle with the exception of a couple early maturers. I've got a group (born last February) that gets preg checked probably end of next week, (they'll be 35-40 days), and they're about 850-900lbs, some maybe a touch over.
hillsdown":nu30g98g said:DO you D.H.I. and classifiy your heifers or are they just grade heifers?milkmaid":nu30g98g said:Since I don't have a set time of year to calve heifers out (just running dairy heifers over here), I breed as soon as I have them reaching 800-850lbs. I try to get a 1.8+ ADG throughout gestation, bringing them to 1300lb+ springers. Most of the time they'll average 12 months at the time of breeding and have had one cycle; lately I've been breeding 2nd and sometimes 3rd cycle with the exception of a couple early maturers. I've got a group (born last February) that gets preg checked probably end of next week, (they'll be 35-40 days), and they're about 850-900lbs, some maybe a touch over.
Billdevaul":2qu6j5mi said:My lil heffer is 13 months and about 880 pounds.....
vet said at 750 and up is fine ... is age a issue at all or just weight???
Age is an issue ;if a calf has her first heat at six months do you breed it?NO.The rule of thumb is that they should calve right around that 24 month age as their frame and body are still growing and once they get in calf all that extra nutrition they need will be put into the calf and the cow will stop growing in frame.The reason I asked about the Holsteins is that the younger they calve (before their second birthday )the higher the BCA's are when DHI herds are scored.So at 13 months if she is cycling regularily and has been health checked by your Vet to make sure her reproduction system is normal and functioning I would breed next heat.Billdevaul":ghylbldd said:My lil heffer is 13 months and about 880 pounds.....
vet said at 750 and up is fine ... is age a issue at all or just weight???