Weaning Weights this year

[plbcattle]

I said in my previous post that most huge calves generally have a pretty good sized mother. Also the BCS of most registered herds and recips is generally better than a range cow. I know this will start some crap but that is why the registered breeder uses data. There is a element of predictability to the registered cows. I have bulls that have over 5000 progeny on record. If this bull is high in WW and YW. You match him up to the right cow, these high weights are not real uncommon. That is not to say that it will happen this way every time but dang it feels good when you mate a bull/cow up right. That's why cows/bulls sell for so much sometimes. We all want LBW, huge growth, lots of milk with structural soundness. Well as you know most bulls/cows excel in one or the other. the closer they get to having it all the more they cost. with donors that have hundreds of calves on record, you generally know what you can expect. I think this is why so many people are having such a rough time will hill creek. If you are buying replacement females or herd bulls, you want to trust who you are buying from. The decision to add cattle to your herd is not a game as he thinks it is. You have to stand behind your plan and program. As hot as it has been the cows have spent less time grazing and therefore milk production is down or the calves aren't eating as much. Boy this drought needs to break. My pasture and ponds need help. I feel for all the people who rely on ponds for water. I have several customers in texas and Oklahoma that are almost out of water. that is worse than being out of grass. you can feed hay, some people don't have access to water.

 

[Texan]

Most of the bulls look to be in the 675-750 range and heifers in the 525-600 range.

That sounds like a pretty big difference to me. Do you really have 150 pounds difference in your heifers and bulls? For me, 40-50 pounds difference is pretty rare. If I don't keep replacements, my heifers are usually around 30 pounds lighter. I consider that pretty normal for a commercial operation. What's so different for you purebred guys?

 

[Angus Guy]

I just weaned my March and April calves. Average age was 130 days and average birth wt was 72#. They weighed in at 435# average. Not to bad with no creep and short grass. Not to mention the heat in July. And oh yea these straight bred ANGUS.

 

[bward]

The heaviest weaning weight I ever had was a calf sired by a Gert out of high percentage Simmental cow. She was a big broody cow and her calf had an actual 205 weight of 940 pounds. If I remember right, she was 6 years old and not in too bad a shape in the fall but came up open.

I am not going to brag about the lightest weaning weight I ever had.... ;-) I think there have been some.........But gee I forget.......

 

[redfornow]

The heaviest weaning weight I ever had was a calf sired by a Gert out of high percentage Simmental cow. She was a big broody cow and her calf had an actual 205 weight of 940 pounds. If I remember right, she was 6 years old and not in too bad a shape in the fall but came up open.

I am not going to brag about the lightest weaning weight I ever had.... ;-) I think there have been some.........But gee I forget.......

now thats the kind of honesty the cattle business needs.
Had a hereford cross wean at 395 lbs at 205,
He looked fine just never did get that bounce to get over the hump everyone else that year did great so go figure.
Momma is at a hardees right now so supper size her. :roll:

MD

 

[Caustic Burno]

The heaviest weaning weight I ever had was a calf sired by a Gert out of high percentage Simmental cow. She was a big broody cow and her calf had an actual 205 weight of 940 pounds. If I remember right, she was 6 years old and not in too bad a shape in the fall but came up open.

I am not going to brag about the lightest weaning weight I ever had.... ;-) I think there have been some.........But gee I forget.......

now thats the kind of honesty the cattle business needs.
Had a hereford cross wean at 395 lbs at 205,
He looked fine just never did get that bounce to get over the hump everyone else that year did great so go figure.
Momma is at a hardees right now so supper size her. :roll:

MD

That aint no joke a lot of weaning weights reported on this board need toilet paper to go with them.

 

[redfornow]

The heaviest weaning weight I ever had was a calf sired by a Gert out of high percentage Simmental cow. She was a big broody cow and her calf had an actual 205 weight of 940 pounds. If I remember right, she was 6 years old and not in too bad a shape in the fall but came up open.

I am not going to brag about the lightest weaning weight I ever had.... ;-) I think there have been some.........But gee I forget.......

now thats the kind of honesty the cattle business needs.
Had a hereford cross wean at 395 lbs at 205,
He looked fine just never did get that bounce to get over the hump everyone else that year did great so go figure.
Momma is at a hardees right now so supper size her. :roll:

MD

That aint no joke a lot of weaning weights reported on this board need toilet paper to go with them.

Yep or ALOT of grain, I just dont see it. But heck I am just running small mommas that are out working.
Go figure, But like I said we sell pounds so if any can help with ideas to get those numbers up without packing the feed to em.
I am all ears...

MD

 

[alabama]

I just got back weaning weight reports and Averaged 654 pounds at 205 days. I was thinking that was OK for angus in alabama in a dry year. But Lots of y'all way over that.

 

[Susie David]

Sure would like to throw our weights into this mix...but, haven't weighed the calves...don't wean until early October.
Heifers look to be 400-450, steer calf(red angus sire) out of o'l boss cow(big baldy) is a big boy should be right at 550 now.
Just mighn't run them across a scale and let y'all know how our's stack up.
DMc