Spoke too soon

[Isomade]

The bred heifers started out great as far as calf size. Had 14 in a row that were 55-65lb. Just when I thought it was gonna be a breeze had 3 hard pulls in a row in 2 days. Calves were 90-105lb. I've had 2 smaller now so hopefully it was just a case of the wrong bull in the pasture. Day before yesterday went home to find one of the cows that had to be sowed up had busted loose from the corrals, 2 heifers with calving trouble, and water lines busted and water every where all at the same time. I need sleep. Only 26 more heifers to go.

 

[J&D Cattle]

And people think farmers have it easy, ha ha. Hope things turn around for you, good luck with the rest of the heifers.

 

[Limomike]

ISO. thats quite a difference from a 55-65lb calf to a 100lb one.

 

[highgrit]

That's why you make the big money. Hope it gets better, a man needs his sleep.

 

[snake67]

The bred heifers started out great as far as calf size. Had 14 in a row that were 55-65lb. Just when I thought it was gonna be a breeze had 3 hard pulls in a row in 2 days. Calves were 90-105lb. I've had 2 smaller now so hopefully it was just a case of the wrong bull in the pasture. Day before yesterday went home to find one of the cows that had to be sowed up had busted loose from the corrals, 2 heifers with calving trouble, and water lines busted and water every where all at the same time. I need sleep. Only 26 more heifers to go.

I am quite interested in your breed of cow and their breeding - our calves routinely run in the 80 - 90 pound range for heifers with the occaisonal 100 pounder - the cows all routinely hit 100 plus pounds with their calves - all are quite capable of delivering with no problem. In fact - hope I do not jinx myself - we have not had a pull in years.

Are you actually weighing the calves or are you guesstimating with your eye or a hoof tape?

Do you need to boost their breeding weight? Or perhaps you need to develop a cow with a wider frame?

All of our calves are born on snow and do quite well when delivered in freezing weather (as long as it is not too freezing LOL)

If we had to pull a 90 pound normal presentation from a heifer we would be wondering what happened.

We never breed a heifer that is under 850 pounds and we never keep her if she does not hit breeding weight within 14 months of age. All heifers will have their first calf by 24 months or they hit the road. And we scale them to be sure on the weight and "eye" them to be sure they have what we consider to be a suitable "shape" before we breed them.

One additional thought for you to consider - weight of calf at birth is not always the deciding factor when it comes to birth - the SHAPE of that calf very often IS.

Sometimes breeding for small calves produces problems down the road in the cow - breeding for calf shape is also important and often ignored. Additional body mass at birth very often will provide a better start for the calf - especially if it is born in the cold, wet or other adverse conditions.

So my immediate thought is bred heifer is too small or it might be the bull you are using.

Hope the rest come out with no probs for you.


Cheers

Bez

 

[chippie]

Yikes!
Hope that everything is smooth sailing from now on.

 

[Isomade]

The bred heifers started out great as far as calf size. Had 14 in a row that were 55-65lb. Just when I thought it was gonna be a breeze had 3 hard pulls in a row in 2 days. Calves were 90-105lb. I've had 2 smaller now so hopefully it was just a case of the wrong bull in the pasture. Day before yesterday went home to find one of the cows that had to be sowed up had busted loose from the corrals, 2 heifers with calving trouble, and water lines busted and water every where all at the same time. I need sleep. Only 26 more heifers to go.

I am quite interested in your breed of cow and their breeding - our calves routinely run in the 80 - 90 pound range for heifers with the occaisonal 100 pounder - the cows all routinely hit 100 plus pounds with their calves - all are quite capable of delivering with no problem. In fact - hope I do not jinx myself - we have not had a pull in years.

Are you actually weighing the calves or are you guesstimating with your eye or a hoof tape?

Do you need to boost their breeding weight? Or perhaps you need to develop a cow with a wider frame?

All of our calves are born on snow and do quite well when delivered in freezing weather (as long as it is not too freezing LOL)

If we had to pull a 90 pound normal presentation from a heifer we would be wondering what happened.

We never breed a heifer that is under 850 pounds and we never keep her if she does not hit breeding weight within 14 months of age. All heifers will have their first calf by 24 months or they hit the road. And we scale them to be sure on the weight and "eye" them to be sure they have what we consider to be a suitable "shape" before we breed them.

One additional thought for you to consider - weight of calf at birth is not always the deciding factor when it comes to birth - the SHAPE of that calf very often IS.

Sometimes breeding for small calves produces problems down the road in the cow - breeding for calf shape is also important and often ignored. Additional body mass at birth very often will provide a better start for the calf - especially if it is born in the cold, wet or other adverse conditions.

So my immediate thought is bred heifer is too small or it might be the bull you are using.

Hope the rest come out with no probs for you.


Cheers

Bez

These are bought heifers. So I have no way of knowing what might have got in the pasture. I have seen the bulls they were supposed to be bred to, and their EPDs as well as the calves they have thrown last year. These are pretty big girls at already 1100#. Birthweights and what a cow/heifer can handle vary by geographic region. In your area of the north, high BW are the norm due to colder temps. Yes I have weighed several of them, the pulls of course were weighed and a few others for comparison. A 90# calf is big here, my mature cows have 85-90 with no problem. I'm guessing they were bred to something they shouldn't have and possibly going over due date.

 

[Isomade]

The bred heifers started out great as far as calf size. Had 14 in a row that were 55-65lb. Just when I thought it was gonna be a breeze had 3 hard pulls in a row in 2 days. Calves were 90-105lb. I've had 2 smaller now so hopefully it was just a case of the wrong bull in the pasture. Day before yesterday went home to find one of the cows that had to be sowed up had busted loose from the corrals, 2 heifers with calving trouble, and water lines busted and water every where all at the same time. I need sleep. Only 26 more heifers to go.

I am quite interested in your breed of cow and their breeding - our calves routinely run in the 80 - 90 pound range for heifers with the occaisonal 100 pounder - the cows all routinely hit 100 plus pounds with their calves - all are quite capable of delivering with no problem. In fact - hope I do not jinx myself - we have not had a pull in years.

Are you actually weighing the calves or are you guesstimating with your eye or a hoof tape?

Do you need to boost their breeding weight? Or perhaps you need to develop a cow with a wider frame?

All of our calves are born on snow and do quite well when delivered in freezing weather (as long as it is not too freezing LOL)

If we had to pull a 90 pound normal presentation from a heifer we would be wondering what happened.

We never breed a heifer that is under 850 pounds and we never keep her if she does not hit breeding weight within 14 months of age. All heifers will have their first calf by 24 months or they hit the road. And we scale them to be sure on the weight and "eye" them to be sure they have what we consider to be a suitable "shape" before we breed them.

One additional thought for you to consider - weight of calf at birth is not always the deciding factor when it comes to birth - the SHAPE of that calf very often IS.

Sometimes breeding for small calves produces problems down the road in the cow - breeding for calf shape is also important and often ignored. Additional body mass at birth very often will provide a better start for the calf - especially if it is born in the cold, wet or other adverse conditions.

So my immediate thought is bred heifer is too small or it might be the bull you are using.

Hope the rest come out with no probs for you.


Cheers

Bez

These are bought heifers. So I have no way of knowing what might have got in the pasture. I have seen the bulls they were supposed to be bred to, and their EPDs as well as the calves they have thrown last year. These are pretty big girls at already 1100#. Birthweights and what a cow/heifer can handle vary by geographic region. In your area of the north, high BW are the norm due to colder temps. Yes I have weighed several of them, the pulls of course were weighed and a few others for comparison. A 90# calf is big here, my mature cows have 85-90 with no problem. I'm guessing they were bred to something they shouldn't have and possibly going over due date.

 

[Isomade]

The bred heifers started out great as far as calf size. Had 14 in a row that were 55-65lb. Just when I thought it was gonna be a breeze had 3 hard pulls in a row in 2 days. Calves were 90-105lb. I've had 2 smaller now so hopefully it was just a case of the wrong bull in the pasture. Day before yesterday went home to find one of the cows that had to be sowed up had busted loose from the corrals, 2 heifers with calving trouble, and water lines busted and water every where all at the same time. I need sleep. Only 26 more heifers to go.

Hmmm, maybe Jed could loan me AC for a month.

 

[cow pollinater]

That is the upside of the current market, you can buy a bunch of bred heifers and assume that they're bred angus. :lol:
I calved out ten salebarn heifers this year. The calves averaged about fifty pounds... only four lived. :frowns:

 

[inyati13]

The bred heifers started out great as far as calf size. Had 14 in a row that were 55-65lb. Just when I thought it was gonna be a breeze had 3 hard pulls in a row in 2 days. Calves were 90-105lb. I've had 2 smaller now so hopefully it was just a case of the wrong bull in the pasture. Day before yesterday went home to find one of the cows that had to be sowed up had busted loose from the corrals, 2 heifers with calving trouble, and water lines busted and water every where all at the same time. I need sleep. Only 26 more heifers to go.

Things got to get better from here. Get some sleep!

 

[inyati13]

That is the upside of the current market, you can buy a bunch of bred heifers and assume that they're bred angus. :lol:
I calved out ten salebarn heifers this year. The calves averaged about fifty pounds... only four lived. :frowns:

I know the farmers too well in this area. I don't buy anything at the stockyards (salebarn). The feeder calves are safe to buy but not cows or heifers. Always something wrong unless you know someone is liquidating their herd.