New Toy

[Jac]

Just purchased my cows a present - some livestock scales. I have weighed the first two victims - two uncastrated males
1. Aged 410 days, weight gain 234 kgs (0.570 kgs per day) Non-short
2. Aged 342 days, weight gain 208 kgs (0.608 kgs per day) Short.

Not had the luxury of this before so do not know if these figures are typical. Is anyone else out there weighing?

[Mark Bowles]

from your weights it looks like they are both doing well, especially your short!

[Broomcroft]

Based on my figure they are fairly typical except your non-short looks a bit light unless he's particularly small. We weigh very occasionally at a local weigh bridge, in batches though, not individuals. I think you have to deduct the birth weight before calculating weight gain, I do anyhow. 0.47 kg being average figure at that sort of age. Out of a cross, although the calf is a bit bigger to start with, we get nearly 1 kilo a day.

[Mark Bowles]

What type of scales did you get, and if you don't mind me asking, how much were they?

[wagra dexters]

The following are heights & weights of bull calves at weaning, early May on electronic scales:-

Fellow:.....8mths; 210kg; 95cm; sire Wagra Clansman by Kingshill Gullasch;.dam Willow
Freeman:..8mths; 200kg; 99cm; sire Wagra Caveman by Cornahir Outlaw;...dam Breeze
Faze:.......9mths; 206kg; 99cm; sire Wagra Caveman by Cornahir Outlaw;...dam Zantara
Finn:.......8mths; 185kg; 94cm; sire Woodmagic Hedgehog 3rd;..............dam Cinnamon

Margaret

[Jac]

Based on my figure they are fairly typical except your non-short looks a bit light unless he's particularly small. We weigh very occasionally at a local weigh bridge, in batches though, not individuals. I think you have to deduct the birth weight before calculating weight gain, I do anyhow. 0.47 kg being average figure at that sort of age. Out of a cross, although the calf is a bit bigger to start with, we get nearly 1 kilo a day.

Since I didn't have any scales before I could only estimate the birth weights so have taken them at an average of 18 kgs. The figures shown are weight gain with 18 kgs already deducted and not the 'actual' weight. The non-short male is what some might call a medium leg (from non-short parents) so I do not think he will be very tall. Other factors - he was not home bred so perhaps the move set him back he also had to be dehorned as he was not disbudded earlier. We have had him since he was 6 months.

Here is the next lot all home bred this time
Steer non-short aged 128 days weight gain 92 kgs
Steer short aged 121 days weight gain 82 kgs
Heifer short 167 days weight gain 96 kgs
Heifer non-short 76 days weight gain 58 kgs

Mark
The scales are Salter Brecknell PS1000 Floor Scales and weigh up to 500 kgs. There is a weigh platform with ramp and electronic read out. They fit perfectly inside my yearling crush but I have to put wood underneath the legs so they sit evenly on the crush floor. They cost £464.40 inc vat and delivery from Our Weigh. There is an optional stand for the reader at £30 but I didn't bother as it comes with a holder so that I can fit it to the side of the crush if I need to.

When in the crush larger animals are correctly positioned on the platform with the yoke closed on them but with little ones I have to close the yoke before they enter the crush so that they don't step forward and off the platform. You are supposed to be able to use the scales free standing and train the animal to walk on and off the platform on command but I haven't got the time or inclination. Maybe they could be sited in a suitable passageway ? I know that you can get ones that fit under the crush but they are just too expensive.

[Broomcroft]

I looked at the ones that fit under a crush, and thought the best were from Cox Agri at the time. All the ones I looked at were basically £1000 plus vat. Pharmweigh were the other good ones, again fit under a lot of standard crushes. Both electronic with readouts.

Would love to have a set, but just can't justify the expense.

[Jac]

To be fair Clive you can't justify the cost of anything associated with livestock. Since I do not have any scales to weigh my sheep or pigs either I hope that this is going to help me make less of a loss.