Think she will make milk?

[MurraysMutts]

You did a good job finishing him out.

Neighbor owned this one. He fed him since he bought those 3 from me.

My heifer will go the 8th. Totally unrelated to this matter tho. I gotta find the other thread I said I was gonna post her in... shes been on some kind of feed since I got her at 400lbs or so

 

[MurraysMutts]

My dear sweet Bessie gurl....
Caught Bessie's boy on Eleanor as well. Share and share alike I reckon. Love it!
Calves are eating hay and feed pretty good as well.

 

[MurraysMutts]

Good ol Bessie. Helping the cause!
I catch em all sharing. One time Eleanor will have 4 of em. Then Bessie forgets she only has one.
Love these 2 cows!
Only hope Opal is as good...

 

[MurraysMutts]

So I moved Big Sexy today.
Naturally, I had to bring Val (Bessie's 2nd daughter, and By Richard I may add) and 180 @TCRanch home!
They average 485lbs each with no real special treatment over there. Grass and cubes occasionally.
I'd certainly like em to be bigger. But they were both weaned a touch early. Have not decided if I wanna breed em this June, or wait til next December.

 

[Lee VanRoss]

So I moved Big Sexy today.
Naturally, I had to bring Val (Bessie's 2nd daughter, and By Richard I may add) and 180 @TCRanch home!
They average 485lbs each with no real special treatment over there. Grass and cubes occasionally.
I'd certainly like em to be bigger. But they were both weaned a touch early. Have not decided if I wanna breed em this June, or wait til next December.
View attachment 24155

Keep the bull away until they are at least 15 months.

 

[MurraysMutts]

Keep the bull away until they are at least 15 months.

Val will be 15 months mid June.
180 is close. More like 14 and 1/2 months.

What weight do ya shoot for when putting a bull with em? 750lbs plus?

I like the idea of getting them bred in June so I can keep em here at home. (That's my schedule)
As opposed to the lease pasture. They get the bull in December.

 

[Lee VanRoss]

In as much as I only retain heifers for breeding born in April (1st cycle) I can put the heifers with the bull in July of the following year.
This makes them 15 months and the calf will (should) come the following year or 24 months of age. Any that calve after the 1st cycle
their calf will never be considered for retention in the herd. Contrary to what I read on these pages I purposely select bulls for low
milk EPD's. Milk is not a growth EPD in my opinion and ultimately results in a greater maintenance expense. Since the calves start
coming in April there is usually grass aplenty by May 1 (drought excepted) In as much as I do not want to market calves at weaning
I try to select for bulls with a light wean weight and a Plus EPD year weight and rate of gain. By using low milk EPD coupled with low
weaning weight coupled with rotational grazing I can usually keep the cows off baled hay to up in late Nov early Dec.
I wean or try to in October. Year weight for the better steers is usually in the low 9's with heifers in the low to mid 8's.
To me selling a calf at weaning or soon after is tantamount to paying someone a years wages that only works 6 or 7 months.
Bottom line, You can't put another man's hat on for him and make it feel right. Do what works for you.

 

[MurraysMutts]

In as much as I only retain heifers for breeding born in April (1st cycle) I can put the heifers with the bull in July of the following year.
This makes them 15 months and the calf will (should) come the following year or 24 months of age. Any that calve after the 1st cycle
their calf will never be considered for retention in the herd. Contrary to what I read on these pages I purposely select bulls for low
milk EPD's. Milk is not a growth EPD in my opinion and ultimately results in a greater maintenance expense. Since the calves start
coming in April there is usually grass aplenty by May 1 (drought excepted) In as much as I do not want to market calves at weaning
I try to select for bulls with a light wean weight and a Plus EPD year weight and rate of gain. By using low milk EPD coupled with low
weaning weight coupled with rotational grazing I can usually keep the cows off baled hay to up in late Nov early Dec.
I wean or try to in October. Year weight for the better steers is usually in the low 9's with heifers in the low to mid 8's.
To me selling a calf at weaning or soon after is tantamount to paying someone a years wages that only works 6 or 7 months.
Bottom line, You can't put another man's hat on for him and make it feel right. Do what works for you.

I like that!

Last year I got everyone at the lease lined up to fall calving. The first year, they almost all calve within 45 days. The one that was late moved up this year right with the group. But had another fall way back. Well, still within 90 days but I don't know why she did it. There was no apparent reason.

Held the bull off here this year to get calving started in March. So I'm not as refined as your group here at home. But hope to get these gals within 60 days as well.

180 was purchased as a bottle calf so she's completely unknown.

And we all know why I wanna keep Bessie's heifer!

I'll see what they look like in June and make a better decision then. I've got enough heifers, I may just purchase a nice lil black calving ease bull for this coming season. I've also de-stocked a little due to drought and don't really plan on stocking at the rate I was!

 

[TCRanch]

I gauge by pelvic measurements instead of weight. But my retained heifers average probably 900 lbs by the time they're 15 months and I turn them out with a bull.

 

[MurraysMutts]

I gauge by pelvic measurements instead of weight. But my retained heifers average probably 900 lbs by the time they're 15 months and I turn them out with a bull.

I don't think these girls will make 900 by June...
I'd like em to be bred for home calving season as I really want them here instead of the lease place. We will see how it goes. They are getting no special treatment from me. Hay and cubes with the cows. I suppose I could push the feed to em but I don't like that.

Getting my vet to pelvic measure would be like asking the ice cream man to sell me a hamburger

Something else I'm looking at is the fact that I'll be feeding cubes and hay while the heifers are in 3rd trimester. Not ideal for making small babies and first time calvers I think.

 

[Lee VanRoss]

I don't think these girls will make 900 by June...
I'd like em to be bred for home calving season as I really want them here instead of the lease place. We will see how it goes. They are getting no special treatment from me. Hay and cubes with the cows. I suppose I could push the feed to em but I don't like that.

Getting my vet to pelvic measure would be like asking the ice cream man to sell me a hamburger

Something else I'm looking at is the fact that I'll be feeding cubes and hay while the heifers are in 3rd trimester. Not ideal for making small babies and first time calvers I think.

A lot of the calf weight is put on in the last 60 days. You might realize more weight on the heifers by moving any increased protein intake
up and going to more of a maintenance diet until they calve then increase again if you think it applicable. In as much as I try to stay (in house)
as far as breeding stock I do not pelvic measure or preg check. Anything open or calving late gets their ticket punched. The preg and
pelvic test money stays in my pocket.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I have never pelvic checked a heifer. Not saying it's a bad practice, just never saw a need for it. I would have to have a freek of nature for any of my offspring to have small pelvic measurements.

 

[Travlr]

I don't think these girls will make 900 by June...
I'd like em to be bred for home calving season as I really want them here instead of the lease place. We will see how it goes. They are getting no special treatment from me. Hay and cubes with the cows. I suppose I could push the feed to em but I don't like that.

Getting my vet to pelvic measure would be like asking the ice cream man to sell me a hamburger

Something else I'm looking at is the fact that I'll be feeding cubes and hay while the heifers are in 3rd trimester. Not ideal for making small babies and first time calvers I think.

Why are you feeding cubes? Are they cubed hay? Or more than hay?

Keeping a cow/heifer on a maintenance diet rather than a weight gain diet before calving is easy enough as long as you have a realistic perception of condition. Some people don't and they'd force feed an overweight cow because they think food is love, and better a cow that waddles than one you can feel a rib. But cows are better not fat to birth a calf.

 

[MurraysMutts]

Why are you feeding cubes? Are they cubed hay? Or more than hay?

Keeping a cow/heifer on a maintenance diet rather than a weight gain diet before calving is easy enough as long as you have a realistic perception of condition. Some people don't and they'd force feed an overweight cow because they think food is love, and better a cow that waddles than one you can feel a rib. But cows are better not fat to birth a calf.

20% protein range cubes or cake. As some people call them.

Most hay I feed needs supplemental protein. Who knows what I'll end up with for hay next year tho. I've never been able to get good enough hay to feed hay only.

They don't get cubes during summer. Except as an occasional treat or to gather them for doctoring/moving/ etc..

 

[MurraysMutts]

Bessie went out with the herd today. Her working days are done til she calves. She's sure been a big help with Eleanor! There was 5 calves on those 2 cows and they both share calves no problem. I got one of Bessies steers caught and moved him to the weaning pen for weaning and feed a while. He eats very well. Been eating right along with the nurse cows for quite some time. I still gotta get the other bigger steer caught and weaned. The 2 steers are about 250-300lbs. I'll get em weaned and decide if I wanna just sell em or kick em out on grass this spring. We shall see....

 

[TCRanch]

I'll get em weaned and decide if I wanna just sell em or kick em out on grass this spring. We shall see....

Exactly! Assuming we get rain and actually have grass this spring.

 

[MurraysMutts]

And a picture of Bessie post calf raising season!

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

She's looking a little rough. Guess you are right. She's due some time off.

 

[MurraysMutts]

She's looking a little rough. Guess you are right. She's due some time off.

I agree. Probly should've done it a week or two ago. Hindsight and all that. Whatever happened with her mouth may have had an effect as well. Lord knows they were all eating good!

I'm still learning I guess...
But I'm pretty positive those 5 calves on 2 cows was drawing them both. Eleanor and Bessie. The calves are all really big enough to wean aside from the lil heifer. The 2 big steers are the ones that were really guzzling milk I'm sure. This'll be better for both Gurls!

Edited to add. I may leave only the one lil heifer calf on Eleanor. We will see how it goes when I gather this weekend

 

[MurraysMutts]

Bessies at the vet.
Hope I don't get yelled at for dropping her off.

Her frog pouch is back with a vengeance!
I have faith the real vet will get her fixed this time. But I've still been worried all weekend.