SRBeef
Well-known member
I was going through data on my calves tonight.
If I wean them at 205 days old and take their current weight + say about 78 days remaining to 205 X their current average daily weight gain (3.6 lb/day avg between last two weigh-ins) that will come out to weaning about the first week in November and most calves would project to weigh between 650 and 700 lb at 205 days. This would put a couple of the calves out of my smaller target 1200-1250 lb cows at about 54-55% of their dam's weight.
My question is: is there an advantage to the cow and not much harm to the calf if I wean them earlier, say 180 days?
Since there are no signs of any of the cows being in heat for quite awhile, I assume they are all pregnant. Is there an advantage to the growing calf, probably into its 2nd trimester by weaning time, to maybe wean the current calves a bit earlier than 205 days?
Watching them tonight, a 430 lb calf aggressively nursing on a 1200 lb cow just looks like a load on the cow which will only get worse as the calf passes 500 and 600 lb. Interestingly, The heavier cows' calves appear like they are growing and will wean at just about the same weight range that the lighter cows calves do. This would appear to put less stress on the heavier cows which will probably wean 42-45% of their weight compared to 50-54% for the smaller cows.
Will the rate of gain should stay about the same? It has increased as the calves have grown but I would think it would level off. The calves are grazing much more on their own than they did a couple weeks ago.
What do you think about weaning at 180 days rather than 205? Where did the 205 day target (used on EPD's) come from?
This is the first time I am doing this type projection. Is there something I'm missing or error in the assumptions? Last year I weaned at an average age of 205 days and some of the cows looked really pulled down in condition. They came back before the real cold weather hit but I don't want to do that anymore.
Thanks. Jim
If I wean them at 205 days old and take their current weight + say about 78 days remaining to 205 X their current average daily weight gain (3.6 lb/day avg between last two weigh-ins) that will come out to weaning about the first week in November and most calves would project to weigh between 650 and 700 lb at 205 days. This would put a couple of the calves out of my smaller target 1200-1250 lb cows at about 54-55% of their dam's weight.
My question is: is there an advantage to the cow and not much harm to the calf if I wean them earlier, say 180 days?
Since there are no signs of any of the cows being in heat for quite awhile, I assume they are all pregnant. Is there an advantage to the growing calf, probably into its 2nd trimester by weaning time, to maybe wean the current calves a bit earlier than 205 days?
Watching them tonight, a 430 lb calf aggressively nursing on a 1200 lb cow just looks like a load on the cow which will only get worse as the calf passes 500 and 600 lb. Interestingly, The heavier cows' calves appear like they are growing and will wean at just about the same weight range that the lighter cows calves do. This would appear to put less stress on the heavier cows which will probably wean 42-45% of their weight compared to 50-54% for the smaller cows.
Will the rate of gain should stay about the same? It has increased as the calves have grown but I would think it would level off. The calves are grazing much more on their own than they did a couple weeks ago.
What do you think about weaning at 180 days rather than 205? Where did the 205 day target (used on EPD's) come from?
This is the first time I am doing this type projection. Is there something I'm missing or error in the assumptions? Last year I weaned at an average age of 205 days and some of the cows looked really pulled down in condition. They came back before the real cold weather hit but I don't want to do that anymore.
Thanks. Jim