Weight tapes

[susie]

How accurate are the tapes thatgo around the girth of a cow? Is the formula that takes length into account much more accurate?
I bought my Hereford heifer Nov 24 at 490 lbs. According to the tape she's 1049 lbs now. Does that seem about right for just being on pasture? I just saw pictures of her when we got her, she looked like a calf still, now she's big
BTW, my Hereford/Holstein cross taped at 91 inches, which was over 1900 lbs--- :shock:
Thanks!
susie

 

[greenwillowherefords]

We checked one once, and it was within 5 pounds of digital scales at the FFA show.

 

[MikeC]

I think I'll get one and see how accurate they are when I de-worm in a couple of months.

I know some guys who use the foot tapes for baby calves and they are fairly accurate.

 

[certherfbeef]

Ypu have to take into consiteration the BCS of the animal you are tapeing. I taped 20 feeders before they were delivered, was 200 lbs off the total load.

Best way is to tape a calf or cow then her put across a set of scales somewhere. Then you know where you stand as far as accuracy on the tape.

 

[msscamp]

We've never used the girth tapes, but have found the tape that measure's the calf's foot to be pretty accurate.

 

[Farmgirl]

We had two heifers on a university forage program last spring. When we picked them up I had them weigh the heifers and we taped them also. One heifer was less than 10 pounds different than the measurement. The other heifer measured one pound less than she weighed.

The tape we have came from Jeffers. It has 3 or 4 different body condition measurements, so there is an element of judgement still. I was glad we were able to weigh and measure at the same time to get a baseline.

Farmgirl

 

[msscamp]

Wow, that's pretty darn accurate!

 

[Utah]

So, where do you get one of these tapes online? Also, how do you use one if you dont have a chute? Thanks!

 

[Farmgirl]

So, where do you get one of these tapes online? Also, how do you use one if you dont have a chute? Thanks!

Jeffers Vet Supply has them. We use the tape on the heifers in the chute but sometimes we put it on them while they are eating. Get them distracted eating and slip it around their bellies right behind the front legs, then pull it snug.

Farmgirl

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

So, where do you get one of these tapes online? Also, how do you use one if you dont have a chute? Thanks!

Jeffers Vet Supply has them. We use the tape on the heifers in the chute but sometimes we put it on them while they are eating. Get them distracted eating and slip it around their bellies right behind the front legs, then pull it snug.

Farmgirl

We also have them...

 

[susie]

We used a piece of twine to go around them, marked the distance and used a tape to determine the girth., then found a chart online that tells the weight for the inches of girth. Just do a google search, the charts are different between dairy and beef, I believe.

Susie

 

[madbeancounter1]

Here's a link to one of the charts available online. There is also table for hogs, and a conversion chart for chickens although I have no clue as how to measure a bird.

http://farmca.com/weight.html

I don't know how accurate it is though. I measured one of the calves just to get a rough picture of the weight and then used the jeffers tape and depending on your estimation of body type/condition you could be as much as 50# different.

IE... according to the chart 46 1/2" heart girth = 317# with the Jeffers tape depending on how you classify what you are weighing the same 46 1/2" = 267#