Heifer Breeding Age

Tom-NorthCenTX · Jun 20, 2012

Run a small cow-calf operation. Lease a bull every year and keep him in 2 months. Got 100 percent calf crop last 2 years. Question: want to keep some heifers for replacements of culled cows. To keep the breeding cycle same would have to breed heifers to calve at 24 months old, or at 26 months old. Heifers are hlaf Angus and half Black Brangus, thus they are 13/16 Angus and 3/16 Bramaha. Would you breed for 24 months old? Thanks to all.
Tom
P.S. tractor related as I use tractors to make their hay.

thurlow · Jun 20, 2012

24/26 months.......YES! Usta keep between 20 and 30 replacement heifers every year (commercial cow/calf....crossed between Angus, Polled Hereford, Brangus and Beefmaster. Bred 'em to calf as 2-year olds. Some of 'em looked really pitiful by the time they were sucking a 3 or 4 month-old calf, so we got 'smart' one year......bred 'em to calf at 3 years old. They were the fattest best looking heifers we ever had; had to pull about half of 'em and lost several. Went back to calving at 2 years old.

jackinok · Jun 20, 2012

two years was always what i shot for,but ive seen them bred at 18mo.My biggest problem was keeping the heifers away from the neighbors bull!

Tom-NorthCenTX · Jun 20, 2012

Typing error, I meant to say to keep the breeding/calving cycle with the herd, I would have to breed the heifers to calve at 24 months old, or breed to calve at 36 months old. Sorry . Tom

jbp · Jun 20, 2012

If you breed for a calf at 24 months that cow will be productive for 80% of her expected average life. If you breed for a calf at 36 months you have lowered that figure to 70% of her expected life. You can't afford to give up 10% of your profit for a less productive fat cow.

I always calved at 2 years and had very few problems calving. The secret is not to be too good to them with the feed bucket until after they calve, then give them extra feed so they will raise that 1st calf and breed back. My 2 cents. Joe

Bill(Wis) · Jun 20, 2012

We had our holsteins first calve at about 24 months but in a lot of cases would breed them with angus semen. Smaller calf the first time around. No good for replacement first time but was a popular breed (holstein/angus) for beef. No problem for calves that followed.

JRSutton · Jun 20, 2012

Was thinking you must really have quite an efficient operation if two months is going to make a big difference!

Tom in TN · Jun 20, 2012

Tom,

I have a small cow/calf operation in Middle Tennessee. I use registered Angus bulls and grade Angus cows. I have 28 momma cows and a couple of heifers that I will turn into the herd in about a month. I let my bull run with my cows all year.

I separate my heifers from the herd when they are 12 months old and keep them separated from the herd (actually separated from the bull) until they are 17 or 18 months old. They usually calve when they are a little less than 3 years old. I've never had to pull a first-calf calf yet.

Good luck with your decision.

Tom in TN

Tom-NorthCenTX · Jun 20, 2012

Thanks to all who responded. You have set me straight. I will let the heifers breed with the normal cow cycle, making them 24 months at first calve. The are good sized for their age now. My Angus cows run about 1200 lbs each and really raise high quality calves, so I am going to keep 2 or 3 heifers this year. Will sell calf crop in July. Thanks again to all. Tom

in-too-deep · Jun 21, 2012

Find a bull with a low birth weight but high weaning weight and toss him in.

Heifer Breeding Age

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