Stocking Rates

[3 M L & C]

Been doing some reading on stocking rates of Cow compaired to replacement heifers. From what I have read a 1000 pound cow has a aue of 1 and 700 pound heifer of about .8 I havn't been able to clearly tell if this 1000 pound cow aue of 1 is just the cow or the cow and calf. We stock the heifers more animals per pasture compaired to the cows than the math would work out to from what I have read. Unless they add the calf on the cow with another number. Any thoughts? What kind of ratio do most of you go with?

 

[Soapweed]

Been doing some reading on stocking rates of Cow compaired to replacement heifers. From what I have read a 1000 pound cow has a aue of 1 and 700 pound heifer of about .8 I havn't been able to clearly tell if this 1000 pound cow aue of 1 is just the cow or the cow and calf. We stock the heifers more animals per pasture compaired to the cows than the math would work out to from what I have read. Unless they add the calf on the cow with another number. Any thoughts? What kind of ratio do most of you go with?

Hardly anyone has thousand pound cows anymore. If a thousand pound cow goes through the sale barn, they are usually emaciated from sickness or malnutrition. Plugging in more realistic numbers using an 800 pound yearling heifer, a 1200 pound dry cow, or a 1200 pound cow with a 400 pound calf at side, more realistic figures would indicate that a yearling heifer would eat approximately half as much as a pair, or two thirds as much as a dry cow.

 

[eatbeef]

Our hiefer stocking rate is 2/3 the amount acres as a pair. I have got by fine the doing it that way and even with the dry weather this year the pastures are gonna hold on.

 

[flyingS]

A 1000 lb cow= 1AU is just a basis to use. The reason that a 700lb hfr equals .8 intstead of .7 is because you have to allow for that heifers intake to grow not just maintain. So a 1200 dry cow should equal a 1.2 and a 1200 lb lactating cow with a 500 lb calf should probably be 1.7 or greater. By using those figures you have a scale to track the amount of forage that you are utilizing. I have never asked anyone nor ever heard any discussion on how the numbers change when you wean a calf. Research shows that a pair will consume 25% less when they are seperated. Of course you still have the same weight, the cow obviously is the one that lowers her intake. She only has to maintain herself and her pregnancy and will no longer lactate, but where is the change in value. Common sense gives a person the answer to these questions, but more people rely on research than common sense it seems these days.

 

[LazyWP]

A 1000 lb cow= 1AU is just a basis to use. The reason that a 700lb hfr equals .8 intstead of .7 is because you have to allow for that heifers intake to grow not just maintain. So a 1200 dry cow should equal a 1.2 and a 1200 lb lactating cow with a 500 lb calf should probably be 1.7 or greater. By using those figures you have a scale to track the amount of forage that you are utilizing. I have never asked anyone nor ever heard any discussion on how the numbers change when you wean a calf. Research shows that a pair will consume 25% less when they are seperated. Of course you still have the same weight, the cow obviously is the one that lowers her intake. She only has to maintain herself and her pregnancy and will no longer lactate, but where is the change in value. Common sense gives a person the answer to these questions, but more people rely on research than common sense it seems these days.

They consume a whole bunch less when they are on the run for 2 days, and end up locked back in the dry corral for another 2 days!!!!

 

[flyingS]

Not much fun. I like to look at those type of things as learning experiences not mistakes or failures.

 

[LazyWP]

I am pretty sure it WON'T happen again. I should have had you take the whole bunch to the corral the other night. WOuld have saved me riding all day!