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At what age should dairy heifers be ready to calve the first time?
While there are many factors that go into raising heifers, the primary goal is to produce well-grown heifers that are ready to calve at 22 to 24 months of age. It is important to balance the cost of inputs with later returns of a heifer program.
What to feed growing heifers?
Feed high-quality grass or hay, Accuration® Liquid Supplement or Accuration® Hi-Fat Block, and Wind and Rain® Storm® Cattle Mineral. Set replacement heifers up to take the place of existing females and be better than your current cow herd. By putting a total program together, you’re not leaving anything to chance.
What age is best to butcher a cow?
The highest quality beef comes from animals that are under 36 months of age. Old cows produce highly acceptable beef if properly fattened and processed. Depending on the calf and the feeding regime, calves are best slaughtered between three and 16 weeks of age.
What is the easiest cow to raise?
Beef cattle are generally the most profitable and easiest livestock to raise for profit. Beef cattle simply require good pasture, supplemental hay during the winter, fresh water, vaccinations and plenty of room to roam. You can buy calves from dairy farms inexpensively to start raising beef cattle.
What age can you join heifers?
15 months old
Heifers can occasionally join as young as 5 months of age, resulting in a calf at foot when the heifer is 15 months old. This is undesirable and can especially lead to complications with calving. The most important factor is not the age of the heifer, but the weight at joining4.
Can a 6 month old heifer get pregnant?
An immature rumen cannot properly digest grass. After weaning we recommend that you separate the bull calves from the heifers; she can become pregnant after 5-6 months of age.
What to feed heifers before breeding?
Supplement first-calf heifers with grains (energy) like corn, corn silage, or barley before they lose body condition. “Thin heifers don’t breed back quickly, if at all,” says Bjurstrom. “If she rebreeds late, it will take several lactations to get her back on track with the rest of the herd.
How much should you feed a heifer?
Feeding 4 to 6 pounds of grain and letting the heifer have free-choice access to alfalfa hay should result in 2.0 to 2.5 lb/day gain. No supplemental protein, vitamins, or mineral will be required.
What is the best cow for beginners?
Dexter Cattle – (Best Beginner Breed) Dexters are a more petite breed, which makes them a great choice for people with less space but who still want to have the experience of cow ownership. These cows are distinct because of their squat shape and size.
What is the average age of first calving for dairy cows?
from the National Dairy Heifer Evaluation Project (1991-92). Heifers in this survey had an average age at first calving of 27.0 ± 1.7 months. Recommended ranges represent the 50th to 67th percentile.
What is the best age to breed a dairy heifer?
The goal here, he said, should be to accomplish this through good, consistent growth and at a reasonable cost without compromising the heifer’s health or welfare. Regardless of the dairy’s methods, heifers should be ready to breed at 12 to 14 months old.
What age do Holstein heifers calve?
As a result, the heifers probably were smaller for any given age than those found on today’s well-managed dairy farms that calve heifers at 22 to 24 months of age. The Holstein heifer growth charts indicate several percentiles of the U.S. population, allowing a producer to compare an individual heifer to all others and to set growth goals.
How much should a heifer weigh when breeding?
Large-breed heifers, like Holsteins, should weigh 350 to 400 kilograms (770 to 880 pounds) at breeding, while smaller breeds should be between 225 and 260 kilograms (495 to 570 pounds) at breeding. To accomplish this, aim for an overall 900-gram (2-pound) average daily gain (ADG) from weaning to breeding for large-breed heifers.