randiliana
Well-known member
On Oct 1 we preg checked and weighed all the cows and calves. Preg checking went pretty well, with just under 10% dry. But we lost a bunch of first calvers that turned up dry. No rhyme or reason, some calved early, some later, some had big calves, some didn't....
Now that I've had time to crunch all the numbers, I am very happy with the weights. The calves were big, and this year our cows are FAT! Amazing what a little grass can do....
So here's the numbers, calves are mostly March and April born (a handful of stragglers we bought that were in May)...
Actual weight on all calves on Oct 1 averaged 561 lbs,
205 day weight would be 588 lbs
Steers averaged 575 lbs actual weight with the top steer weighing 728 lbs
Cows averaged 1302 lbs, with 45 2 year olds pulling it down as they averaged 1128 lbs. The cows are probably the fattest I've ever seen them. In fact we have some 2 year olds weighing almost 1300 lbs which is pretty amazing cause they also had pretty nice calves on them.
So here are a few photos of the steers and their mamas.
OK, I couldn't figure out how to make them work on here, so check out the link!
https://www.facebook.com/Randi.DeBruyne/media_set?set=a.10204024526947084.1073741849.1040992558&type=1
Check out # 42 and #103. I bought these 2 cows last fall at the SALE BARN, paid $730 each for them (there was 6 in the group) They were part of a dispersal. I believe that they are about 3-4 years old. We culled one in the spring (got over $1000 for her and a heifer is raising her calf) and one is dry this fall..... They calved late March and into April...I think that these 2 calves might almost pay for the 5 remaining cows....
Now that I've had time to crunch all the numbers, I am very happy with the weights. The calves were big, and this year our cows are FAT! Amazing what a little grass can do....
So here's the numbers, calves are mostly March and April born (a handful of stragglers we bought that were in May)...
Actual weight on all calves on Oct 1 averaged 561 lbs,
205 day weight would be 588 lbs
Steers averaged 575 lbs actual weight with the top steer weighing 728 lbs
Cows averaged 1302 lbs, with 45 2 year olds pulling it down as they averaged 1128 lbs. The cows are probably the fattest I've ever seen them. In fact we have some 2 year olds weighing almost 1300 lbs which is pretty amazing cause they also had pretty nice calves on them.
So here are a few photos of the steers and their mamas.
OK, I couldn't figure out how to make them work on here, so check out the link!
https://www.facebook.com/Randi.DeBruyne/media_set?set=a.10204024526947084.1073741849.1040992558&type=1
Check out # 42 and #103. I bought these 2 cows last fall at the SALE BARN, paid $730 each for them (there was 6 in the group) They were part of a dispersal. I believe that they are about 3-4 years old. We culled one in the spring (got over $1000 for her and a heifer is raising her calf) and one is dry this fall..... They calved late March and into April...I think that these 2 calves might almost pay for the 5 remaining cows....
