Weaning weights?

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Fall ,crosses to a RA sire last year avg 651for the steers and 586 for the heifers after 45 days weaned on stockpiled grass. With the drought conditions , and absolutely nothing but hay from sept, I was pretty happy . I hope to do a little better this year , with facilities up to snuff and some great fall grass.

How old when weaned and weighed?

 

[SimAngHerf]

So if I assume an average BW of 85lbs, it seems 2.3 to 2.4ADG is the norm from yalls data so far. Not every year is lush so I understand that is a factor as well. I am working on improving all of our pastures and adding legumes but really focusing on a 35acre weaning paddock of hybrid Bermuda, anyone had any success creep grazing? All of my pastures touch this one so I think I could function.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Hard to find byproducts here. And if you do... just as soon as whoever is selling it finds out there's a little demand they jack up the price to where it's cost prohibitive.

We are in a low cost feed area becausue medium sized dairies keep selling out their cows, and then try to sell corn and hay for a while...
If you really wanted to background in a high feed cost area - - you could graze annauls. Lots of management, but potentially more profitable than low priced purchased feed.

 

[Putangitangi]

Spring or fall calving?
Weaning age?
Breed?
Implanted or creep feed?
Location?

Spring - later than most. Norm around here is August, I wait until October when warmer and maybe drier.
6.5 months avg. This year kept my replacement heifers on until 9 months. An experiment in lifelong effect.
Angus, some bred up from dairy crosses a couple of decades ago.
No implants, no creep, grass/milk only. Grass is sub-tropical Kikuyu - high fibre, supposedly poor feed, seems to do them well.
North NZ.

Adjusted 200 days (adjusted calf age only, no dam age adjustment)
Steer 602#
Heifers 558#

 

[Nesikep]

I'm trying to get more uniform weights.. less dinks. This year seems pretty good, all the first timers raised fantastic calves, at expense of their own condition.. 2 of them got weaned off about 2 weeks ago and have regained condition already.
Since milking cows eat SO much, and fall pasture is always very valuable to me, I wean a little earlier than most, Calf in March, wean late september, heifers are about 550, steers are around 600. One cow is raising twins and they're in the high 500's, but I don't think she bred back.

I also leave my replacement heifers with mommas for an extra couple months when I can, wean in December or so

 

[JMJ Farms]

Hard to find byproducts here. And if you do... just as soon as whoever is selling it finds out there's a little demand they jack up the price to where it's cost prohibitive.

We are in a low cost feed area becausue medium sized dairies keep selling out their cows, and then try to sell corn and hay for a while...
If you really wanted to background in a high feed cost area - - you could graze annauls. Lots of management, but potentially more profitable than low priced purchased feed.

I like grazing Steve. I think if there's a way to let the cow or calf harvest their own food that's the cheapest way to feed them usually. I promise I'm not trying to be negative or keep coming up with reasons something won't work but the problem here with grazing annuals is that almost every fall during the normal planting time it gets dry as a popcorn fart and is usually still hot until Mid October. Then we get a little moisture, get it planted, and bam, it turns cold. Then it doesn't hardly do squat till early spring.

I want to go to a grazing only operation and use hay only as a backup during hard times. About concluded that the only way to accomplish this in Georgia with any consistency is gonna be with center pivots. It'll work for sure then but it's a long term investment. Probably gonna put one on one pasture in about 3 years. Got some more stuff to pay for first.

 

[snoopdog]

Fall ,crosses to a RA sire last year avg 651for the steers and 586 for the heifers after 45 days weaned on stockpiled grass. With the drought conditions , and absolutely nothing but hay from sept, I was pretty happy . I hope to do a little better this year , with facilities up to snuff and some great fall grass.

How old when weaned and weighed?

We had a spread out season last year Jeanne , we bought this herd, and , without looking at the records I'm going to say that they averaged about 220days at weaning , more on a few, but some were hogs, therefore the avg. I've bought a lot of calves , and I just don't see the weights that some claim, off the trailer .