What do you weigh your calves with?

[Baldie Maker]

Looking to get some birth weight data on next years calf crop and was wondering what everyone who is weighing their calves is using?

thinking of this one..http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html ... b0d0204ae5

 

[Arkansas]

I would say whatever works

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

We use, "Pick up and eye-ball." Very complicated formula.

 

[dun]

Some we use a weight tape, the registerable ones we use the scale.

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

Some we use a weight tape, the registerable ones we use the scale.

That's the better answer! ;-)

 

[expensive hobby]

I use the "no calving problem = good birth weight" method. Works well for me. I do not run registered stock so birth weight is not a major concern to me. Maybe to some of the others. I'm not minimizing the importance of BW, I just have not really concerned myself with it too much. I trust the breeders to do the science. There probably is a lot for me to learn here but I'm happy as long as my calves are alive and healthy, and growing well.

 

[dun]

I use the "no calving problem = good birth weight" method. Works well for me. I do not run registered stock so birth weight is not a major concern to me. Maybe to some of the others. I'm not minimizing the importance of BW, I just have not really concerned myself with it too much. I trust the breeders to do the science. There probably is a lot for me to learn here but I'm happy as long as my calves are alive and healthy, and growing well.

The reason we weigh all the calves is pretty simple. I subscribe to the "you can;t manage what you don;t measure" school of thought. If a cow calves easily with a 100 pound calf and at weaning it weighs the same as the calf that weighs 60 pounds at birth it seems that one of those cows isn;t doing a very good job.

 

[expensive hobby]

I use the "no calving problem = good birth weight" method. Works well for me. I do not run registered stock so birth weight is not a major concern to me. Maybe to some of the others. I'm not minimizing the importance of BW, I just have not really concerned myself with it too much. I trust the breeders to do the science. There probably is a lot for me to learn here but I'm happy as long as my calves are alive and healthy, and growing well.

The reason we weigh all the calves is pretty simple. I subscribe to the "you can;t manage what you don;t measure" school of thought. If a cow calves easily with a 100 pound calf and at weaning it weighs the same as the calf that weighs 60 pounds at birth it seems that one of those cows isn;t doing a very good job.

You have a very valid point Dun.

 

[hillsdown]

I use the "no calving problem = good birth weight" method. Works well for me. I do not run registered stock so birth weight is not a major concern to me. Maybe to some of the others. I'm not minimizing the importance of BW, I just have not really concerned myself with it too much. I trust the breeders to do the science. There probably is a lot for me to learn here but I'm happy as long as my calves are alive and healthy, and growing well.

The reason we weigh all the calves is pretty simple. I subscribe to the "you can;t manage what you don;t measure" school of thought. If a cow calves easily with a 100 pound calf and at weaning it weighs the same as the calf that weighs 60 pounds at birth it seems that one of those cows isn;t doing a very good job.

Or that the calf isn't doing it's job ,so you can look back at the sire as well .

I use a scale , but calf tape is quite accurate if read properly .

 

[kenny thomas]

Scale is great, tape is fine but if nothing else, in non registered cattle, develop an eye for the calves weight. I use a system that is very inaccurate at best but works for me. I judge the calf to weigh from 55lb to 80lb with above and below being the extremes. I can track the average size of the calves from each bull and also tell from weaning weights whether the cow is producing. I may be off 10 lbs but it gives me something to go on.
I catch most bull calves and band at birth so my bad for not at least using a tape on them. But sometimes the cow just dont allow lots of time to get things done and I do it all by myself.
But scale or tape is the prefered method.

 

[CKC1586]

I use:
http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html ... ght%20tape
to weigh. I checked it a while back against the scale at my brothers place on four calves and the tape was within 3 to 5 pounds on each one. There is one you can get for newborns that has a reading for both bull and heifer calves. That newborn tape is pretty darn accurate too. Use what you can afford.

 

[greatgerts]

Looking to get some birth weight data on next years calf crop and was wondering what everyone who is weighing their calves is using?

thinking of this one..http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html ... b0d0204ae5

This is the one that we use. We actually rigged up a piece on the roll cage on our Polaris Ranger to where we can slide the rod out and hang the scale on the side of it. Makes it real simple to set the calf on and read the scale.

 

[randiliana]

We use a scale. I subscribe to the same idea as Dun. I used the tape one year and weighed the calves too. It averaged 7 lbs out, if I remember, but on about a hundred calves it was out up to 22 lbs on some... All it measures is bone size, doesn't really take into consideration the length of the calf, and length adds weight.

 

[Gale Seddon]

I use a bathroom scale placed on a small piece of plywood to level it. I weigh myself, give mom a bucket of grain, then I pick up the calf and weigh both of us together. Sadly, I have no way to get weights later on.

 

[angus9259]

I use:
http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html ... ght%20tape
to weigh. I checked it a while back against the scale at my brothers place on four calves and the tape was within 3 to 5 pounds on each one. There is one you can get for newborns that has a reading for both bull and heifer calves. That newborn tape is pretty darn accurate too. Use what you can afford.

I use this same tape now. I used to use the bathroom scale too - but that became a joke. You shoulda seen me out there with a wrestling calf, plywood plank, muddy bathroom scale - bawling momma trying to come through the hayring at me - all while trying to peer over the calf between my boots at a number I'm too old to read from 6 feet away . . . . can't imagine I ever got a real weight that way. I might look at the valley vet sling though - that's reasonably priced. If they calve in my barn (rare) I put them on my chute scales.

 

[Galloways1]

We use the scale and sling. My wife comes along to help (be the DECOY), so I can weigh and tag the calves. Don't worry, I let her have a sorting stick, and she can run faster than me. She has bent our calf catcher a couple of times. Doesn't telescope very well anymore.

 

[ANAZAZI]

I use a bathroom scale placed on a small piece of plywood to level it. I weigh myself, give mom a bucket of grain, then I pick up the calf and weigh both of us together. Sadly, I have no way to get weights later on.

I can not use this method as me plus calf makes the bathroom scale hit the roof! :banana:
I use the tape; it may be a little wrong, but all calves are measured with the same tape, so it is relevant anyway comparing them to each other.

 

[Nesikep]

If weighing newborns, I use a BIG dial bathroom scale, I get on it and weigh myself, pick the calf up and take the difference... I find it much easier than trying to get the calf to stand on something, or hang it from something

For when they get older, measure heart girth and use Lbs = .02 * (girth^2.6) is pretty close, though I'm having a hard time remembering the formula of the top of my head... Girth is in inches

 

[Nesikep]

I can not use this method as me plus calf makes the bathroom scale hit the roof! :banana:
I use the tape; it may be a little wrong, but all calves are measured with the same tape, so it is relevant anyway comparing them to each other.

You must have some nice big calves

 

[ANAZAZI]

I can not use this method as me plus calf makes the bathroom scale hit the roof! :banana:
I use the tape; it may be a little wrong, but all calves are measured with the same tape, so it is relevant anyway comparing them to each other.

You must have some nice big calves

Sometimes I do; however most of it is my own humble but bulky self! :banana: