Weighing

[Conagher]

For those of you who weigh your new-borns, weaning, and even cows, what technique do you use (i.e. bathroom scales <newborns>, load bar scales in corral/chute, weight at vet, etc.)?

If you have your own scales, what brand/model do you use?

Thanks!

 

[dun]

With calves we use a weigh tape around their foot. When we work them in the spring we weigh everything on a portable scale/cage that we borrow from the adult education center. We weight them all again the same way in the fall at weaning time.

dun

 

[flaboy]

I use a sling and a hand held scale with a hook onto the sling. When they get bigger they go on the chute scales.

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

Newborn calves weighed on a bathroom scale (with person on it holding calf). After that, we have a mechanical Fairbanks/Morse platform scale for weighing up to about yearling size (depending on their horn length and ability to get them into this scale). When the're too large for our scale, load one up on trailer, take to local certified scale to weigh.

 

[kaneranch]

WE use an old set of scales. We have two sets of pens and we have a set of scales at each. KaneRanch

 

[MikeC]

All baby calves go in the chute with weight recorded on Tru-Test load bar scales. Tagged and ear tattooed within 24 hrs. after birth.

At weaning, weight is recorded on calf and dam.

All cows commercial and registered are processed this way.

Registered bull calves are weighed every 30 days from weaning to yearling.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I weigh mine at the salebarn, check the invoce with the check attached.

 

[MikeC]

I weigh mine at the salebarn, check the invoce with the check attached.

I always weigh calves immediately before going to the auction barn with them. (Not very often if I can help it)

Anyway a bull calf that weigh 660 on my scales weighed only 530 when it went in the ring. I stood up and announced that "that calf weighed 660 just two hours ago!". They ran him back out, cleaned the manure out from under the scales and ran him back through the ring.

This time he weighed 640.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I weigh mine at the salebarn, check the invoce with the check attached.

I always weigh calves immediately before going to the auction barn with them. (Not very often if I can help it)

Anyway a bull calf that weigh 660 on my scales weighed only 530 when it went in the ring. I stood up and announced that "that calf weighed 660 just two hours ago!". They ran him back out, cleaned the manure out from under the scales and ran him back through the ring.

This time he weighed 640.

The way I see it I am saving 2000 bucks there are quite a few at the salebarn that weigh just like you to keep them honest.

 

[MikeC]

I weigh mine at the salebarn, check the invoce with the check attached.

I always weigh calves immediately before going to the auction barn with them. (Not very often if I can help it)

Anyway a bull calf that weigh 660 on my scales weighed only 530 when it went in the ring. I stood up and announced that "that calf weighed 660 just two hours ago!". They ran him back out, cleaned the manure out from under the scales and ran him back through the ring.

This time he weighed 640.

The way I see it I am saving 2000 bucks there are quite a few at the salebarn that weigh just like you to keep them honest.

The ones that sold calves preceding mine didn't see it that way.

 

[Daybreak]

Howdy,

Newborns are weighed via portable bathroom type scale. (standing holding calf on scale)
newborns are weighed, tagged, iodine cord, and moved with mama to clean fresh field.

Weaning, put thru powder river chute, with weigh scale cage before chute, tru-test load bars (HD1010) Tru-Test 700. Dams weighed also.

On-the-farm test bulls.. same thing but more weighing

Yearling, same as weaning , plus ultrasound data collected.

 

[flaboy]

I weigh mine at the salebarn, check the invoce with the check attached.

Thought you had gotten lost Caustic. I only weigh the registered prissy girl calves. The rest like you, get weighed at the sale barn.

 

[flaboy]

Anyway a bull calf that weigh 660 on my scales weighed only 530 when it went in the ring. I stood up and announced that "that calf weighed 660 just two hours ago!". They ran him back out, cleaned the manure out from under the scales and ran him back through the ring.

This time he weighed 640.

I had a similar problem Mike. Took a cull that was easily 800-900 pounds. Got the check and she weighed 630!!! I wish I had stuck around but had other things to get done. As I remember I think I got all most as much for her calf as her.

 

[MikeC]

Anyway a bull calf that weigh 660 on my scales weighed only 530 when it went in the ring. I stood up and announced that "that calf weighed 660 just two hours ago!". They ran him back out, cleaned the manure out from under the scales and ran him back through the ring.

This time he weighed 640.

I had a similar problem Mike. Took a cull that was easily 800-900 pounds. Got the check and she weighed 630!!! I wish I had stuck around but had other things to get done. As I remember I think I got all most as much for her calf as her.

Just want to make clear that I'm not running down the sale barns. It's just that when the State comes to calibrate the scales at any sale barn, everything will be clean and in proper working order. They have to be within 10% accuracy to be approved here and are checked once a year.

 

[dun]

Anyway a bull calf that weigh 660 on my scales weighed only 530 when it went in the ring. I stood up and announced that "that calf weighed 660 just two hours ago!". They ran him back out, cleaned the manure out from under the scales and ran him back through the ring.

This time he weighed 640.

I had a similar problem Mike. Took a cull that was easily 800-900 pounds. Got the check and she weighed 630!!! I wish I had stuck around but had other things to get done. As I remember I think I got all most as much for her calf as her.

Just want to make clear that I'm not running down the sale barns. It's just that when the State comes to calibrate the scales at any sale barn, everything will be clean and in proper working order. They have to be within 10% accuracy to be approved here and are checked once a year.

It sure wouldn;t be an intentional thing unless the salebarn was buying the cattle. The buyer gets a good deal but the barn loses money in the bargain.

dun

 

[jt]

i have weighed some of mine, my calves were about 10% lighter at the barn. of course they were at the barn about 10 hours before they sold, so i just figured that was probably pretty close.. no food for that time and lots of wetting and dumping..

jt