What do you weigh your new born calves on? Economically, I wondered if I weighed myself first on an accurate digital scale and then picked the calf up and weighed again if that would do OK.
sidney411":1hawbdpu said:Wouldn't it be different for each breed (like the heart girth)? I know that a jerseys' hoof is very tiny opposed to let's say a char calf.
Chuckie":3cehrsqa said:What do you weigh your new born calves on? Economically, I wondered if I weighed myself first on an accurate digital scale and then picked the calf up and weighed again if that would do OK.
klasqh":1repoco8 said:We have the digital electronic scales that attach to the hitch on the back of a truck - BUT - we had a hitch receiver welded onto a platform built across the back of our truck bed at the front of the bed - to put the scales - if you use it like they demonstrate, it puts your back to the cow while you put the calf in the cradle for weighing - not a good place to be - speaking from experience. Had a cow nail my husband - hence the new location - this way we just lift the calf up into the bed of the truck and weigh it - mama can hang her head over the side to sniff her calf, but not get either of us. We do use it occasionally on the back of the truck when the cow is in a pen and we can grab the calf and weigh it outside of the pen away from the cow. But the scales work really well - run on batteries.
Running Arrow Bill":3plrv9ek said:With our frequent "weighing" of our animals (every time they are worked), we get a reasonably good estimate of their actual weight.
Running Arrow Bill":266xn7dh said:We use the "bathroom" scale system to weigh newborn calves (weigh ourself, pick up calf, weigh both of us). Not too difficult since our calves range between 45 and 75# at birth.
We've been using Weight Tapes for a couple of years and found them to be accurate enough for de-worming activities and getting within 5% or so of actual weight. Heck of a lot easier than hauling animal to public scale. Also, lot cheaper than buying a $1750 to $2500 scale.
If anything, the weight tapes possibly underestimate the weight of a bull or very muscular animal, since muscle weighs more than fat.
With our frequent "weighing" of our animals (every time they are worked), we get a reasonably good estimate of their actual weight. And, since we aren't worried about selling animals by the pound, it works for us. P.S.: we also sell weight tapes, bull nose rings. Email me if interested.
Bill
Running Arrow Bill":13em672k said:we also sell weight tapes, bull nose rings.
Bill