For most breeds and crosses, heifers should weigh between 300 to 390 kgs, (650 to 850 lbs.), at breeding time.
What is the best weight to breed a heifer?
Normally, it is a good idea to breed heifers one month ahead of the main cow herd; so, we need to get heifers that have a mature weight of 1,200 pounds to weigh 780 pounds by the time they are 12-14 months old.
What is the best age to breed a heifer?
Whether you are raising or buying replacement heifers, the goal is to start breeding heifers near 12 – 14 months of age. By this time, heifers should have reached or be close to reaching puberty. Heifers must be pubertal in order to become bred.
What weight should an Angus heifer be to breed?
about 780 pounds
According to the American Angus Association, the average mature cow weight is 1,200 pounds. Heifers from 1,200-pound mothers will need to weigh about 780 pounds by the start of the first breeding season. If the mature size of the herd is 1,100 pounds, then the heifers can be about 715 pounds when breeding begins.
What weight should an Angus heifer be?
However, this is likely to be offset by the cost of maintenance requirements of the heifer for an additional 12months, particularly in southern systems. British breed heifers should weigh at least 275-280 kg at joining, while the later maturing European breeds should weigh at least 320 kg.
What happens if you breed a heifer too early?
Heifers that are bred too early tend to have too small a pelvic area to calve out, so some “whoopsie” heifers need to have a C-section done on them, or have the calf pulled. This can be quite costly, as the new calf will often have to be bottle-fed to get enough milk for him.
Can a 6 month old heifer get pregnant?
After weaning we recommend that you separate the bull calves from the heifers; she can become pregnant after 5-6 months of age.
Should you keep a heifers first calf?
Heifer development is one of the most substantial expenses for beef cattle operations. Time quickly gets away when you’re a cow-calf operator, but it’s essential to keep the first calf heifers on track. Heifers conceiving early in their first breeding season will have increased lifetime production and efficiency.
How much does a 2 year old Angus heifer weigh?
The 2-year-old weighed 1,082 pounds (4.9), 3-year-olds 1,184 (5), 4-year-olds 1,255 (5), 5-year-olds 1,279 (5.1), 6-year-olds 1,301 (5.2) and the 7-year-olds 1,304 (5.2). One should note that cows keep growing until they reach 7 years of age in this data set.
How much should a 6 month old Angus heifer weigh?
When the Angus beef cow is only six months old, it often weighs between 450 and 550 pounds. Mature heifers often grow to be between 800 and 1,400 pounds.
What makes a good breeding heifer?
Pick heifers that look feminine rather than blocky, coarse and masculine. You don’t want a heifer that looks like a steer; her endocrine balance may be off, and there’s more chance she’ll come up open. You also don’t want a heifer that’s extremely long-necked or too short-necked, which makes her look like a male.
What age can Angus heifers be joined?
Heifers can occasionally join as young as 5 months of age, resulting in a calf at foot when the heifer is 15 months old.
How much is a Angus heifer worth?
Angus steers and heifers averaging 568 and 557 pounds (lb.), respectively, brought a combined average of $4.24 per cwt. premium over their non-Angus contemporaries with similar weights and condition, compared to nearly $7 per cwt. in the historically high cattle market.
How much does a full grown Angus heifer weigh?
Size: The Angus is relatively short in stature compared to other cattle breeds. Average market weight is 1000-1300 pounds (453.6-589.7 kg).
Can heifer be breed back to its father?
You can have father-daughter matings in beef cattle, but it is not recommended. This type of breeding practice is called inbreeding or close breeding. Again, this breeding practice is rarely practiced today, although it was common in the foundation animals of most breeds.
What age should a heifer have her first calf?
Historically, heifers were first bred at 2 yr of age, but as beef production systems have become more intensive over the last few decades, more and more producers have bred their heifers as yearlings to calve first at 2 yr of age.
How long should you leave a bull with heifers?
Leave bull B alone with the cows for at least two weeks, and for the rest of the breeding season if his body condition stays above a score of 5. It is critical to favor this young bull during his first breeding season. Turn bull A back out with the cows after bull B has had his two-week learning experience.
How much is a pregnant heifer worth?
Thus, in this table the expected purchase prices of bred replacement heifers range from $858 to $1,496, based on the combinations of 550-pound feeder steer prices and the steer to heifer price ratios listed. Currently, 550-pound feeder steers are averaging around $140/cwt.
At what age does a heifer come in heat?
A heifer has her first estrus, or heat, at puberty. The age at puberty is influenced by genetics, nutrition, and body weight. Heifers fed an appropriate diet will generally reach puberty between 9 and 15 months of age.
Why is second breeding of heifers difficult?
“Low blood energy, as a result of poor body condition at calving, generally is the cause of re- breeding failure,” Evans concludes. Compounding the problem is the fact that a first-calf heifer just overcame the greatest physiological stresses of her life.
What to feed heifers before calving?
From three months before calving: Feed 2kg dairy meal per day plus rough fodder. Since the nutritional requirements of the heifer increase appreciably due to the growth of the foetus and the placenta, the extra concentrates during the last three months before calving are important.