Weighing newborn calves and also cows

[Lawson Farms]

I was wondering what everyone used for weigthing their cattle. We have a chute, but no weigh bars on it yet. I'm going to have to buy some, mount them, and then set up areas in our different pastures to have a level place to set up the chute. This would be for weaning and yearling weights. I'm still not sure what I'm going to do for the calves. I'd like to hear what others have done.

BL

 

[I luv herfrds]

We have a scale that hangs from a bar with a sling under it for our newborn calves. Works pretty good and is easy to use.

 

[Nesikep]

I have a 300 lb bathroom scale with a big dial, I carry the calf and step on it, then subtract my weight.. close enough for our purposes

 

[CKC1586]

I use weigh tapes for both. The calf tape is two sided one for bulls and other for heifers. Wish I could afford a scale.....

 

[Bonsman]

I have a 300 lb bathroom scale with a big dial, I carry the calf and step on it, then subtract my weight.. close enough for our purposes

I do pretty much the same thing--put down a piece of plywood and then put some digital scales on the plywood. Pick up the calf and weigh, quickly. lol And then get back on the scales to get my weight and subtract from the total. I will usually put some cake on the ground and then put the pickup between the cow and the calf. Sometimes they can get rather pizzy when dealing with the babies. I would love to have one of the weight swings!

The "homeplace" is where we wean and weigh. We have load bars under the chute. Everything goes through the home place at least twice. We get the weaning weights as soon as they are unloaded at the homeplace for working and weaning--same thing with yearling weights--get them when we are working them to decide which ones to cull.

 

[Lawson Farms]

We'll probably limp thru one or more calving season's w/ a 300lb scale with holding the calf until we see what works best. For anyone with scales on the chute, do you move your chute around to more than one location?

 

[I luv herfrds]

We keep ours in a shed when not in use, but when we wean we bring it out in front of the chute we are using.
We have a JD 3020 with a loader and use that to move it.

 

[Nesikep]

I'm getting tempted to design my own scale as I'd like to get some more realistic numbers than weigh tapes, etc give.. there's no way a simmental with a 75 inch chest weighs the same as a jersey or longhorn with the equivalent chest girth... just one more project