Whopper calf

[MF135]

I agree. Keep the heifer. There are apparently heifers out there that can't even have a 90 lb calf without problems. Those are the ones that need to go. One of my friends used to calve 130-160 lb calves regularly out of Simmental cows.

wow 160lbs calves. I can't imagine a calf that size. I don't think its unreasonable for a heifer to need assistance with a 90lb calf. There are a lot of grown 1200lb cows that will have problems with a calf that size. how big are these simmental cows?

I've never heard that before, do you think 90 lb. is big? Most of my angus cross cows are in the 12-1400lb. range. I want them to have 80-90 lb. calves. My heifers will usually have them no problem, in fact out of the 10 I keep every year, it's been 3-4 years since I helped one, maybe more. My "heifer" bull is a plus 5 on BW. In my opinion, I don't like small BW bulls, calving ease doesn't always mean they gotta' have runts. I thought you had a bunch of brangus, with a Blonde bull. Surley you see 90lb. calves. gs

Yes I do think 90lb is a big calf. I would think that that 90lbs is over all breed averages and even 10-15lbs over some. None of my brangus x blonde calves were 90lbs. Think the biggest was 84lbs. I didn't have the EPDs on the bull but actual bw was 81lbs. I'll give up a lot of lbs to not have to check cows in the middle of the night. 70lbs and alive sure beats a 120lb calf and a dead cow.

 

[Northern Rancher]

Birth weight isn't everything but the coyotes get to eat more big ones than average ones around here.

 

[novaman]

I'll give up a lot of lbs to not have to check cows in the middle of the night.

So you believe a light BW calf = no calving problems = no requirement for checking at night?

 

[Northern Rancher]

We haven't checked cows at night for years-I'd run over more calves in the grass than I'd save. Our death loss on probably 500 heifers calved out there is under one percent and on the cows under .5. The last time we pen calved heifers was when BSE hit was 200 and we lost about 5% and worked damn hard at it. There is no reason in the world a cow or heifer in good health can't lay down in the pasture and calve on their own-we've had heifers with a leg back calve unassissted for crying out loud. If I get ambitious I'll take some BW's out there-life can be alot less complicated with BW's in that 70-90 pound range. If you breed for bigger calves and one goes long geststation or has a malpresentation your usually in a mess.

 

[novaman]

We haven't checked cows at night for years-I'd run over more calves in the grass than I'd save. Our death loss on probably 500 heifers calved out there is under one percent and on the cows under .5. The last time we pen calved heifers was when BSE hit was 200 and we lost about 5% and worked be nice hard at it. There is no reason in the world a cow or heifer in good health can't lay down in the pasture and calve on their own-we've had heifers with a leg back calve unassissted for crying out loud. If I get ambitious I'll take some BW's out there-life can be alot less complicated with BW's in that 70-90 pound range. If you breed for bigger calves and one goes long geststation or has a malpresentation your usually in a mess.

Hey if it works for you, great! With the numbers you are giving you are doing quite well. I've just never been one to let my cards fall as they may. Even if I get fewer hours of sleep, I do sleep better during those hours knowing that things are going smoothly. I guess money (profit) is more valuable to me than sleep is.

 

[Northern Rancher]

You can still make money and sleep too-alot of outfits cost themselves because they won't let cows do what they do best-graze grass and be a cow.

 

[novaman]

You can still make money and sleep too-alot of outfits cost themselves because they won't let cows do what they do best-graze grass and be a cow.

No arguement here. Most of the time I have no need to interfere. I just prefer to monitor.

 

[MF135]

I'll give up a lot of lbs to not have to check cows in the middle of the night.

So you believe a light BW calf = no calving problems = no requirement for checking at night?

No, I believe a light BW calf = considerably less calving problems. I'll put it this way. I've never pulled a 60lb calf and I can't begin to tell you how many 100lb hereford x charolais cross calves I pulled growing up. I have a career, I can't be getting up 2 and 3 times a night to check cows. What I can do, is get a reasonable BW bull so that I don't have to constantly 'monitor' cows.

 

[alftn]

Frist of all , I am a Novice, do not make my living off of cattle...Only have 20 head...

I keep nearly all of my heifers, cull some at 2 years and breed the rest..In the last 15 years I have never check my cows on a daily basis, or at night..

I have never pulled a calf , lost 3 or 4 calves over the years, usually some other thing involved (snow or old cows involved)

If cattle were my only source of income, and I had a lot of head, and I was raising Really high quality REG. stock I might feel different, OTHER WISE IT IS THE SURVIVEL OF THE FITTEST..

CATTLE ARE NOT MY PETS...THEY ARE MY FOOD...I TAKE GOOD CARE OF THEM, AND LOVE THEM.. but I sure like a good stake on my plate.....

With all that said, I usually use a Angus bulls, this year my Bull is a hereford(polled) and this make me a little worried about him on my heifers...

 

[JHH]

Frist of all , I am a Novice, do not make my living off of cattle...Only have 20 head...

I keep nearly all of my heifers, cull some at 2 years and breed the rest..In the last 15 years I have never check my cows on a daily basis, or at night..

I have never pulled a calf , lost 3 or 4 calves over the years, usually some other thing involved (snow or old cows involved)

If cattle were my only source of income, and I had a lot of head, and I was raising Really high quality REG. stock I might feel different, OTHER WISE IT IS THE SURVIVEL OF THE FITTEST..

CATTLE ARE NOT MY PETS...THEY ARE MY FOOD...I TAKE GOOD CARE OF THEM, AND LOVE THEM.. but I sure like a good stake on my plate.....

With all that said, I usually use a Angus bulls, this year my Bull is a hereford(polled) and this make me a little worried about him on my heifers...

I wouldnt worry to much. Genetics ,mother-nature, and they way they are raised plays a big role in things.
What is the bulls pedigree if I may ask?

 

[Oldtimer]

I'm kind of like Northern Rancher- and don't like losing my beauty sleep...I've checked heifers/cows at night when weather was nasty- or using a new bull on heifers I wasn't sure of calving ease-- but in most cases they are on their own- getting checked in the morning when I feed- and again in the afternnoon/evening when I see if there are any new ones to tag/weigh....
With the right bulls there is little work to be done....

I'm on the second heat cycle- (had 73% breedup on first cycle) so calves have slowed down- but went out at 4PM and rode thru on the Quad...One cow (06 model) off about 1/4 mile that was wringing her tail- and when I went by I could see a little string of mucous hanging out- so figured she'd calve later in the afternoon or night...Rode back to the yard- turned off a water tank- looked back out and she had a calf on the ground... Less than 5 minutes from when I left her- 10 minutes later I looked out thru the spotting scope and it was up and sucking..... Waited til a few minutes ago to go back out (hate handling wet slimey calves when I don't have to)- and weighed and tagged a 71 lb bull calf....
Ironically when I logged it in my redbook- she calved the exact same date last year- with the same weight bull calf.... Both years she's been bred to the same bull- Whitney Creek Legacy 726T Reg: AAA 15800327 ....
Just gotta love those calves sired by easy calving angus bulls