CyberSnooze
Member
I have just weaned 7 heifers. I may keep all of them as future breeding stock. How long do I have to keep them separated from their dams before turning them back in with the main herd?
CyberSnooze":1wb0s9ox said:I have just weaned 7 heifers. I may keep all of them as future breeding stock. How long do I have to keep them separated from their dams before turning them back in with the main herd?
msscamp":2ulj9oxu said:CyberSnooze":2ulj9oxu said:I have just weaned 7 heifers. I may keep all of them as future breeding stock. How long do I have to keep them separated from their dams before turning them back in with the main herd?
I wouldn't put weanling heifers back in with the main herd for the simple reason that, A) weanling heifers need a higher protein/energy type of diet than mature cows to reach their full potential, B) they cannot compete with mature cows for any type of diet with the possible exception of grazing - and that depends on your individual set-up, and C) there is too much potential for the weanling heifers to re-establish the bond with their mother's, and go back to sucking. We kept our weanling replacement heifers seperate from the main herd until they were ready to calve as 2 year olds. Even then, we had a the occasional calf who went back to sucking, and the occasional mother who allowed it.
novatech":3g2w52ii said:The bigger question would be , should you keep all seven?
Only if they will improve the quality of your herd.
On length of time. In the pen for a week, In another pasture for a year. Not just across the fence but far away.
dun":mrgl6pvo said:I still don;t comprehend the feeding of heifers a different diet then the mature cows recieve.