Weaning two heifers

[BobbyLummus1]

I have taking all calves to auction in the past . I've put some money into my commercial herd in the past several years and have decided to hold back my best two heifers . I board horses at a separate location and have moved the heifers there. They have a corral , cover , free choice good hay , clean water . Is there anything I'm missing and how long should they be off their momma's before I move them back to farm?

 

[M5farm]

I'm assuming they are 7 or 8mths old?? When do you plan to breed them 12mth ,14mths, 16mths? If they are fine where their at I would put them in the herd when they are ready to breed.

 

[BobbyLummus1]

Yes they are around 7 months . I would really hate to leave them where they are for that long , they may be going to auction if that's the case . I run the bull year around . I planned on keeping the heifers off the cows 4-6 weeks and then dropping them back off at farm . Will this not work ? I think I see see where this is going ..

 

[M.Magis]

One way or another, you need to keep those heifers away from the bull until they're old/large enough to breed.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Yes they are around 7 months . I would really hate to leave them where they are for that long , they may be going to auction if that's the case . I run the bull year around . I planned on keeping the heifers off the cows 4-6 weeks and then dropping them back off at farm . Will this not work ? I think I see see where this is going ..

Don't do it Bobby. You don't need 'em bred that early.

 

[BobbyLummus1]

Thanks for responses , should have looked into this more

 

[dun]

The 4-5 weeks is long enough, we do about 45 days then turn them out with the cows. My concern is like the others, keeping them away from the bull till they're old/big enough to be bred.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

Seems like it's always different, I weaned some calves about 100 days ago and then yesterday I had a calf get in with the cows and it went strait to it's mother and was trying to suck, not all will do that though.

Also like others are saying, you don't want them bred till there at the very least a year old, and that's to early, 15 to 18 months is ideal. O we the years I have had sevarel heifers calve at 15 or 16 months and I've never had one have any trouble calving, but they often don't turn out to be good cows after that.

 

[Rafter S]

In addition to the other good advice you've gotten, I'd recommend giving them some good sack feed along with the hay and water while you're weaning them. Start them slow and build up to about five pounds per head per day.