A
Anonymous
I have heard that a lot of people sell all first calve heifers calves. is there any reason for this. do you guys sell your heifers first calves. why or why not. Thanks
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Anonymous
I was told that the calves from heifers will not wean as high, or be as healthy as calves from old cows due to lower milk production, and lower quality of colostrum.
Whie frequently a heifers calf will wean somewhat lighter then an equivilent cows, by the time that calf turns two and calves herself she will more then likely have reached her genetic potential. Compensitory gains will usually make up for that which is lacking in a heifers milk production. Of course that presuposses that she has the milk to raise a calf at all and not be starving it. If a heifer milks that poorly, she'll probably not milk worth a hoot as a cow either. Her calf could possibly be a keeper, but the heifer isn't and shouldn't have been kept in the first place. By the time a calf is a couple of months old, anything that was lacking in the colostrum has been OBE with the calf developing it's own immunities and those passed in the colostorum have quit having any affect.
Unless one uses an oddball tiny little bull just to get a heifer to calf, the calves from heifers should be the best genetics in the herd. Why wait another year to start taking advantage of those genetics.
If you study the bull stud catalogs you will see that frequently the bulls being marketed are from heifers.
dun
Unless one uses an oddball tiny little bull just to get a heifer to calf, the calves from heifers should be the best genetics in the herd. Why wait another year to start taking advantage of those genetics.
If you study the bull stud catalogs you will see that frequently the bulls being marketed are from heifers.
dun
plb cattle":sbyzydxk said:
thats another one of those absurd rules like never buy cattle from salebarns. i dont know where some of these people come up with this crap. your heifers should be your best genetics in the herd, and their calves should be even better. what sense does it make to throw away perfectly good heifers? none. as far as your salebarn question goes, most older cattle are at the salebarn for a reason. But there are TONS of good and sometimes great young commercial heifers and 1st calf heifers that go through simply b/c a cattleman doenst need any replacements that year or didnt manage them properly. and you'd be surprised at the quality of some dispersals that go thru just b/c some rancher passed away and his wife didnt want to mess with them.
I think that the sale barn situation needs to be clarified.
What type of sale is it ?
#1 Regular weekly sale. Everything that everyone brings in
odd cows, worn out bulls culls, sick stuff, junk,
#2 Special consignment sales
#3 Graded feeder calf sales
#4 Special Dispersion sale along with the weekly sale
#5 Special Dispersion
#6 Assn. Sale
#7 Breeders Production Sale
Big difference between #1 and #'s 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7
What type of sale is it ?
#1 Regular weekly sale. Everything that everyone brings in
odd cows, worn out bulls culls, sick stuff, junk,
#2 Special consignment sales
#3 Graded feeder calf sales
#4 Special Dispersion sale along with the weekly sale
#5 Special Dispersion
#6 Assn. Sale
#7 Breeders Production Sale
Big difference between #1 and #'s 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7
Jake
Well-known member
My uncle does that and it is completely stupid in my mind. If you retain your own heifers you are keeping your own genetics in the herd. If you go buy older cows you are really in a crap shoot for genetics wondering what kind of input they really have. If you buy a $1000 cow/ calf pair during the winter or to put right on grass it will take you 3 years to get all you money back out of her and make a few bucks. Keep your best heifers, breed to a lbw bull or A.I. to the best in the country, and keep your genetics alive. Also with the lighter calves issue, usually the second calf will have no problems in weight comparison. The size and experience of the heifer along with her not going to produce at full milking potential will cause a smaller calf the first time around.
Sorry so long winded,
Jake
Sorry so long winded,
Jake
Randyman
Member
Jake":tiruosy6 said:
Jake are the cattle prices still low in Kanasas. If you bought a $1000 pair in late winter. and then sold the same pair in the fall after weaning you would probably make a few hundred dollars. right off. However, if you sell the calf and keep the cow the calf will bring at least $500 and if the cow is rebred your breakeven money is in the womb. As far as keeping heifers out of heifers. It works!!!! I have had some of my best calves out of strong genetic heifers and now those calves are good mothers.
PATB
Well-known member
I pray for heifers out of heifers. If the heifer was good enough to keep for a replacement then her daughter should be better if a good bull was used. We try to AI all the heifers to the best bull available with reasonable birthweights. Why throw away a year or more of genetic improvements? The way my luck runs it would be the only heifer the cow ever had if I sold her first heifer.
pat
pat
Jake
Well-known member
Randyman":3vsa5q5m said:
Well $1000 was low it's more like $1200-1500. If you get $450-500 a year out of calves for that cow not counting feed and mineral and medicine you break even in 3 years counting feed and pasture rent it takes almost four.
yeah i pray for heifers out of heifers too. not only should they be excellent quality but heifer calves are generally smaller and come easier. i think i've only ever pulled one heifer calf and it was breech. out of 25 heifers last year we had 25 bulls though.
