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 old is a first calf heifer?
14 months
Maturation timeline. The typical heifer will reach puberty at around 12 months of age. This means that the majority of first-calf heifers are bred at 12 – 14 months. Many production heifers are less than two years old when they give birth to their first calf.
What is a first calf heifer?
Hopefully, first-calf heifers are the first females to start calving on the ranch. Breeding programs set up this way have advantages over calving all cows at once. First off, once calving season officially starts you are committed to checking cows every three to five hours.
What age is best for a heifer?
The age at which beef heifers should be first mated depends upon the economics of management input against returns. Well grown British breed heifers can be mated as early as 15 months to calve at 24 months, but require extra managerial effort if good results are to be obtained.
When should I pull my calf and heifer?
The rule of thumb is to wait one hour in cows and 1.5 hours with heifers once they show strong uterine contractions with no progress. Exceptions to this rule are when cows or heifers are uneasy, bawling, or nesting for an extraordinary period of time.
How long does it take for a heifer to push out a calf?
The second stage of labor is the expulsion of the calf through the birth canal. Duration of this stage lasts from one-half hour in the cow to two or three hours in a first- calf heifer. A cow or heifer should be given no more than one hour after the water bag appears before being checked to see if she needs help.
How long does it take for a cow to have her first calf?
Gestation length ranges from 279 to 287 days. For most breeds, 283 days would be common. Cows carrying bull calves tend to have a slightly longer gestation compared to cows carrying heifer calves.
What is the best age to breed a first calf 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.
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.
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 breed of cow is the easiest to birth calves?
DeBruycker Charolais females are the best beef cattle breed for calving, as they’re easy calvers and boast fine maternal instincts.
How old are heifers when they are first bred?
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.
Can a 9 month old heifer get pregnant?
A: Breeding should occur when the heifer reaches puberty. Puberty is a function of breed, age, and weight. Most heifers will reach puberty and be bred by 12 to 14 months of age and will be between 55% and 65% of their mature weight when they first begin to exhibit estrous cycles.
How can you tell a good 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.
At what age is a cow most valuable?
In most markets, breeding females actually appreciate in value until about 3 years of age. Typically, females that continue to breed back hold their value relatively well until approximately age 6. From there, a cow generally begins to depreciate rapidly, leveling out at a low value at approximately age 9.
Is it cruel to separate calves from cows?
The bottom line: Calf weaning is animal cruelty
To produce an endless supply of beef and dairy, farmers first produce an endless supply of living, breathing, emotionally intelligent animals. Cows don’t have babies or produce milk without being forcibly impregnated.
How long is a first time heifer in labor?
Labor and delivery usually lasts less than 8 hours. Labor is divided into three stages with all three stages only lasting 6-12 hours. Cows and heifers can attempt to calve and fail in the time it takes us to perform our off farm job or other tasks around the farm.
What should I look for when replacing a heifer?
Heifers should be selected on structural soundness, be in good health and have good growth potential. Generally, evaluating your production records are helpful in determining growth potential and identifying the calves that are from above average producing cows.
Do cows cry when their calves are taken?
Many cows bellow and cry for hours or days after their calf is taken away, although that varies. Some cows are also seen chasing after their calf, or looking around for their calf after separation.
Can you breed a bull back to his mother?
What are the do’s and don’ts of breeding a bull to his daughter, mother, granddaughter, or sister? Mating any of the above would result in a high level of inbreeding. Generally speaking, inbreeding of this nature should be avoided.
How long should after birth hang out of cow?
Most cows will pass the afterbirth (placenta, cleansing or calf bed) within 6 hours of calving. Some cows take up to 24 hours. If the placenta is retained longer than this, the condition is classified as retained placenta or retained fetal membranes (RFM).