Would you keep her?

[southernultrablack]

This heifer is 9 mo old and is out of a very moderate framed cow. Her dam is maybe 1-1100 pound cow. I'n concerned that she's a bit small and I'm not sure if it's just because she's going to be smaller framed? I doubt she'll weigh 600 at this point. What would y'all do?







This is her on the right, next to an 11 mo old heifer

 

[Bullitt]

This heifer is 9 mo old and is out of a very moderate framed cow. Her dam is maybe 1-1100 pound cow. I'n concerned that she's a bit small and I'm not sure if it's just because she's going to be smaller framed? I doubt she'll weigh 600 at this point. What would y'all do?

What breed of bull do you plan to put on this heifer if you keep her?

I have seen some small heifers raise some big calves, and the small cow does not eat as much as a large one.

 

[southernultrablack]

This heifer is 9 mo old and is out of a very moderate framed cow. Her dam is maybe 1-1100 pound cow. I'n concerned that she's a bit small and I'm not sure if it's just because she's going to be smaller framed? I doubt she'll weigh 600 at this point. What would y'all do?

What breed of bull do you plan to put on this heifer if you keep her?

I have seen some small heifers raise some big calves, and the small cow does not eat as much as a large one.

If I keep her, she may be AI'd to an Angus bull
I like her depth top to bottom, and her phenotype in general. I don't like her top width.

 

[A.J.]

If you like her mama and think she might have some potential for you I'd be inclined to keep her a few more months and see how she looks as a yearling.

 

[Coosh71]

We have several 6-7 yr olds that are shorter/smaller than the rest and most years raise some of our best looking calves. Do t know how many you keep/run, but I'm with AJ if you like the momma cow give her a try. You could always sell her as a pair later. Good luck.

 

[lithuanian farmer]

If you like the way she looks, not mentioning her size, and she's from good mother and sire, try to keep her. You'll always be able to cull later, if she won't work for you.
Have one 3rd calver which always was behind her half sisters. Her first two heifers are lacking growth. Thought about culling her soon, but now she calved with a big bull calf easily, so will look and maybe she'll stay for abit longer..

 

[Supa Dexta]

Was one at the first of your calving season and the other at the end? If so I wouldn't keep the one at the end. I try and only keep heifers in about the first half of my calving.

 

[1982vett]

If you like the way she looks, not mentioning her size, and she's from good mother and sire, try to keep her. You'll always be able to cull later, if she won't work for you.
Have one 3rd calver which always was behind her half sisters. Her first two heifers are lacking growth. Thought about culling her soon, but now she calved with a big bull calf easily, so will look and maybe she'll stay for abit longer..

Yep you can always cull her later....but she's not going to bring more later than she will now if she doesn't "work" for you. My opinion is at 9 months and not at 600 lbs shows she has growth issues, genetics or whatever, given the amount of feed in that trough......she would not be a keeper here.

 

[Son of Butch]

You could sell her and use the money to buy a heifer you like better and eats more.
But I'd keep her and give it a go, you can always fall back to the above option at a later date if you change your mind.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Many cattle tend to grow apart, or change looks, as they age.
So you may want to plan on culling heifers at several points - -
after weaning
before breeding
after breeding
after calving

 

[farmerjan]

I am with Stocker Steve on the culling thoughts. We cull at weaning, then make another culling when it's time to bangs vaccinate; usually 2-4 months later. Then look them over real good when they go to summer pasture. Sometimes will cull some after their yearling summer at pasture. Then they get another culling when they go to the bull. Because we breed and calve a little older than many, @ 27 -30 months, we can get a better idea of their overall general look. Then actually we do another culling, that is if they come up open after being with the bull.
So, we give any that are "maybe", a little longer to see how they will grow. One of my BEST cows was a bought black angus that was probably a lowline cross.... She never hit 800 lbs and had a crackerjack calf every year. Vet would make fun of shorty every time we preg checked, but I have 3 of her daughters and 1 granddaughter in the herd now. EASY keepers, bigger than shorty but not overly huge cows and they are fertile. Wean off calves in with the rest as far as size goes.

 

[Lazy M]

I like her; I'd keep her. She'll probably become an excellent cow.

 

[True Grit Farms]

You don't know anything about a heifer till she calves, and that's a gamble also. Sell her and buy a young thin bred cow. Ugly cows can have some pretty calves.

 

[southernultrablack]

Thanks everyone for the replies!

My gut tells me to send her down the road, mostly based on her narrow build. I've not dealt a whole lot with really moderate cattle and didn't know if I was expecting to much.
What would you expect a cow that matures at 1-1100 pounds to weigh at weaning? What about at yearling?
If I'm not mistaken heifers should be at 65% of mature weight at breeding, for an 1100 pound mature weight that's only 715 pounds at 13-15 months old.This is not an argument to keep her, just something I have wondered.

 

[littletom]

Pelvic measure her prior to breeding. You will likely cull her then.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Pelvic measure her prior to breeding. You will likely cull her then.

What is your cut off and cull % for pelvic measurements?

 

[SPH]

If you like the genetics behind her, if her cow line has been productive, and if you have the room to keep her for awhile I'd give her a chance to mature and see what you have before breeding season. If you don't like her then you can always fatten her up an sell her for slaughter. We've had some heifers that maybe didn't blow you away at weaning but kept around because we knew they were out of good cows and some of those marginal heifers wound up being better cows than the ones that were the top calves of their calf crop. You just have to go with your gut sometimes and worse case if your gut feeling was wrong then you send that animal to the sale barn but if it was right you won't lose sleep wondering if you gave up on them too soon.

 

[SPH]

Thanks everyone for the replies!

My gut tells me to send her down the road, mostly based on her narrow build. I've not dealt a whole lot with really moderate cattle and didn't know if I was expecting to much.
What would you expect a cow that matures at 1-1100 pounds to weigh at weaning? What about at yearling?
If I'm not mistaken heifers should be at 65% of mature weight at breeding, for an 1100 pound mature weight that's only 715 pounds at 13-15 months old.This is not an argument to keep her, just something I have wondered.

Saw this after I posted. Go with your gut. If she does not fit the type you are breeding there is no point keeping her.

 

[Stocker Steve]

My gut tells me to send her down the road, mostly based on her narrow build. I've not dealt a whole lot with really moderate cattle and didn't know if I was expecting to much.

Narrow is narrow
Moderate is still wide but less height :nod:

 

[cattleman99]

If you are asking the question, you have doubts. No sense making excuses for her. Send her down the road. That would be my advice.