When should I breed

[lancemart]

When is the best time to Breed my Hosteins when they are 12 or 14 months old. Some tell me 12, the vet tells me `14 months old, If I breed them when they are 13 months old they will calf in May.

 

[milkmaid]

Weight is more important than age. I usually breed at 12-13 months, but have bred as early as 11 months if they're ready. 9 months isn't too young either if they're big enough. If I'm breeding in the fall/winter I like them a bit heavier (~900lbs) since they don't gain well in -20'F temps. If I'm breeding in the spring I don't mind them being 750-800lbs, since they'll have the whole summer to put on weight.

Pick when you want them to calve, and then feed them to get them ready to breed 9 months prior to that desired calving date.

 

[TexLonghornRanch]

(We have a rancher in the area that lets his heifers (Brangus) get to 24 months before breeding.)

Wow that's expensive!

I already have a case of red-@ss over having to wait 24months to get a calf on the ground. Waiting 33 months! No way!

 

[Susie David]

Alot depemds on when you want the gals to have the calf. The age of the animal determines when she is ready to breed...when she gets bred will let you have your "season" when you want a calf or two or three.
We breed to have the heifers calve as two year olds in the spring. I don't want to be pulling a calf in mid winter when the temp inside the barn is hovering near zero. Dmc

 

[bigbull338]

holstein heifers are bred based on 2 things.their weight an age.you want a holstein heifers that weighs 750 to 850lbs an be atlest 12 to 14 months of age.if it was me id breed the heifer to a jersy bull.so she will have a small calf.the hifer should weigh 1000 to 1100 at calving.

 

[backhoeboogie]

If I breed them when they are 13 months old they will calf in May.

LM you lost me on the May thing. If you breed now, aint now way.

What others are telling you about weight is on the money. Dairy are a bit different than beef. I'll cheat a bit with a holstein and breed her a couple of months younger than I do beef cattle. Other folks don't.

 

[JR Cattle Co.]

I feel that in determining when to breed your heifer, several variables must be considered. The main thing I focus on out of the long list of requirements has to do with skeletal maturity. In order to be successful, you must have a structurally sound group of cattle. In many cases, people try to breed their heifers too soon and cause tremendous damage to the animal. Allow your heifer ample time to grow structurally, then decide when to breed her. As a general rule, I like to breed when the animal is physically ready, and avoid the stereotypical time frames outlined by age and parturition.

 

[dyates]

(We have a rancher in the area that lets his heifers (Brangus) get to 24 months before breeding.)

Wow that's expensive!

I already have a case of red-@ss over having to wait 24months to get a calf on the ground. Waiting 33 months! No way!

You have to look at the other end also. I bet this guy is able to keep his cows on the payroll an extra year on the tail end. It's usually not a cow's age that does her in, but how many calves she has raised.

 

[Darhawk]

I have just expanded into registered Brangus, working with a well established Rancher in East Texas. Just bought five 12-14 month old heifers from him and will hold them to 22 to 24 months before breeding. In March will be getting five bred registered two year olds from him, and later on a bull. Presently phasing out my commercial stock, with exception of two heifers and a young bull that I'll maintain and breed for personal meat.

When I was in the family dairy business, we bred our registered Holsteins in the 9-12 month range. Different though in that it was easy to keep an eye on them at freshening time, versus range cattle which can hide in any gully, thicket, etc. to freshen and make it hard to keep an eye out for problems