Hoof BW Weight Tape, Does it Work??

[randiliana]

As I said earlier this spring, I have both scale weighed and hoof taped every calf born here. Our scale is an old beam scale. It is fairly accurate, but I wouldn't swear it is exactly right on every calf. The Hoof tape I used is the "Hoof Scale" one I believe. At this point I have weighed 146 calves. We still have 27 cows/heifers left to calve. I included the twins that were born here as well.

Here is the Actual Data on 146 calves
Average BW/Scale = 90.11 lbs
Average BW/Tape = 88.75 lbs
Average # of pounds that the weight tape was out = 7.23 lbs.
The BIGGEST difference between using the Scale and the Tape was 31 lbs, Actual weight 109, Taped weight 78

In 46 out of 146 calves the weight tape was out by MORE than 10 lbs (whether Above or Below)

14 of those were out by over 15 lbs and 3 were out by over 20 lbs.

Originally I believed that the calves that it was most out on were the ones on the low or high end of the scale, but this test didn't play out that way. The differences were all over the board. From the smaller end to the bigger end of the calves there was no weight range that seemed to be more or less accurate.

The basic problem with the hoof tape is that it does not take into account anything other than bone size. The length, width, depth and muscle development of the calf as well as height of the calf all play into what the calf weighs.

To use it when deciding whether a calf may/may not be too big for a cow or heifer would be so inaccurate (IMO) that you would be assisting calves that wouldn't need it and leaving calves that could need it for too long.

I can Email the report that I did to anyone that wants to look at it more closely. Just PM me with your email. It is in .xls or PDF format.

 

[Jinglebob]

Thanks for the info. I always wondered about them tapes.

I'm just a dumb ol' cowboy, if they didn't have the calf after awhile, I helped them.

Seemed to work pretty good for a lot of years.

 

[randiliana]

Thanks for the info. I always wondered about them tapes.

I'm just a dumb ol' cowboy, if they didn't have the calf after awhile, I helped them.

Seemed to work pretty good for a lot of years.

We have never used the Tape to make those kinds of decisions either. But, I do know some people have considered doing so. I just did this out of curiosity.

 

[canadian angus]

Think a lot of birth weight problems arive from table weights or measuring the foot. My son worked on a ranch that did the foot thing, not for this cowboy. Length of spine, depth of body, condition of the calf all coralate to weight. Weigh them and then no quessing.

CA

 

[Badlands]

Average BW/Scale = 90.11 lbs
Average BW/Tape = 88.75 lbs
Average # of pounds that the weight tape was out = 7.23 lbs.

90.11 - 88.75 = 1.36.

What am I missing?

One of the things you have to watch for is to weigh each calf at the same time after birth. This is why they say the tape is more accurate. If you weigh them calf right at birth, he would be about 10 pounds heavier than 12 hrs later, and at 24 hrs he should be back to BW or beyond depending on when he ate and pooped last. But the tape will put him at nearly the same weight for all three measurements.

I don't trust them completely, either, but if you didn't weigh each calf at the same time after it's birth your numbers will be off.

Not saying one is better than the other, just saying why the manufacturers say what they say.


Badlands

 

[randiliana]

Average BW/Scale = 90.11 lbs
Average BW/Tape = 88.75 lbs
Average # of pounds that the weight tape was out = 7.23 lbs.

90.11 - 88.75 = 1.36.

What am I missing?

One of the things you have to watch for is to weigh each calf at the same time after birth. This is why they say the tape is more accurate. If you weigh them calf right at birth, he would be about 10 pounds heavier than 12 hrs later, and at 24 hrs he should be back to BW or beyond depending on when he ate and pooped last. But the tape will put him at nearly the same weight for all three measurements.

I don't trust them completely, either, but if you didn't weigh each calf at the same time after it's birth your numbers will be off.

Not saying one is better than the other, just saying why the manufacturers say what they say.


Badlands

Ok, how to explain. If calf A weighed 90 actual and 80 on the tape then the tape was out -10lbs. And if calf B weighed 90 actual but 99 on the tape then the tape was out +9 lbs. The average weight is pretty close to the same for both methods, but on one calf the difference was 10 lbs and on the other it was 9 lbs. So the average difference would be 9.5 lbs, but your average BW would still be pretty close since you are taking into account both + and - weights.

As for the timing of the BW all calves were weighed WITHIN 24 hours of birth. Sorry, but I wasn't going out at 3AM to weigh calves so they were all weighed at the same age :wink: . Sure it is not scientific, but I think it still represents a fair idea of the differences. Whatever the case, I am SURE that the age of the calf that was out 30 lbs didn't play THAT much into it. In fact that particular calf is the perfect example of why the tape isn't accurate.

Here is a pic of that calf shortly after birth, fairly fine boned, but rather massively muscled, lots of length and lots of width across the back. Actual weight 109 lbs, Taped weight 78 lbs

 

[Badlands]

Thanks.

Badlands

 

[Denny]

I just scale weigh all of my reg.calves and a few commercials I will guess the weight just to see how close I am I get real close.

 

[Doug Thorson]

I can tape a calf and make the tape say almost anything I want. Move it a quarter inch and the weight will change several pounds and it depends on if you snug it or crank it real tight.

 

[Ben H]

I use a hoof tape, weighed a bunch on the scale too and the difference was insignificant. I believe the scale does say that you need to use it within 24 hrs, maybe it's 12, not sure. They are also useful for knowing how big the calf is going to be before it's born. There should be a chart that came with it to compare the circumference with the pelvic area of the cow/heifer. By knowing that measurement you can estimate if the calf is going to have normal calving, dystocia or if you better be calling the vet. To measure the pelvic area they make a set of calipers, plastic I thnk, that you insert vaginally to measure height and width of the pelvis. You have to do this before calving season. Cattlemax (software) has a place in the measurements tab to record this. Nasco sells the calipers I believe.

 

[Mike]

Have a neighbor who uses a weight tape in his purebred herd. The scale weights and tape weights have been insignificant to him also.

I think that the tape works fine if all the cattle are the same breed with the same basic bone structure.

 

[PPRM]

If She calves unassistd, I really don't care about BW.....I think Body Shape has more to do with it than Pounds anyways,


BTW, We had to help one cow this year, none for three years prior,

Just no excuses, they are culled,

PPRM