Mating calves

philthomas · Post by **philthomas** » Tue Nov 15, 2005 11:29 am

I'm sure I've seen this question on the forum before but at the time didn't read the replies. I'd like to know what age members are mating their heifer calves for the first time, I'm thinking 12 to 15 months?
Phil

Duncan MacIntyre · Post by **Duncan MacIntyre** » Tue Nov 15, 2005 12:20 pm

A well fed and grown heifer is able to calve at 2yrs old, not really a good idea before that - so 15 months is the earliest to be serving them. If they are calving under two years old they tend not to be so well grown, you may have more calving problems, and they will be slowed in their own maturing and maybe even end up smaller and poorer than they should have been. But having said that I am in favour of doing them well and calving at two. Many people prefer to leave them older, but I am not convinced there is any benefit in having them too old at first calving - if anything the reverse, as they are more inclined to be over fat by calving time.

Duncan

catomell · Post by **catomell** » Tue Nov 15, 2005 7:18 pm

If it's any help, further to Duncan's reply, I tend to run them with the bull from the age of 15 months. Having said that, said bull seems to have been doing his business, so I am hoping for a very busy June!!

Martin · Post by **Martin** » Tue Nov 15, 2005 10:14 pm

My heifers that went to the bull this year where 14 months, they where very well grown (add lib hay plus a few nuts throughout last winter) they have run with the cows at good grass all summer and are now on hay even though there is still plenty of grass in front of them (not a lot of goodness in it this time of year). The trick is to keep them moving forward, at no time should they have a 'store' period. Remember heifers are the future of your herd, look after them, but most of all look at them, know them and make sure they continue to grow.

Duncan MacIntyre · Post by **Duncan MacIntyre** » Tue Nov 15, 2005 10:19 pm

Very well said, Martin, the worst anyone can do with a heavily in calf heifer is to panic and think the calf may get big so they cut the feed back to ensure a small calf. The opposite happens, because the calf gets all the nourishment, the heifer stops growing and the difficult calving becomes a self fulfilling prophesy.

Duncan

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Wed Nov 16, 2005 9:51 am

A few days ago I had the undesirable experience of putting a 28 month old heifer to our mature bull and he flattened her. It happened again and we got her out straight away. She didn't look weak or too small and was standing steady for other heifers in the pen we moved her to. This leaves a dilemma - should she be left even longer, should smaller heifers have a younger bull? Others of her age and a bit younger don't seem to have had any problem.

Duncan MacIntyre · Post by **Duncan MacIntyre** » Wed Nov 16, 2005 11:10 am

Difficult to say too much about the mating unless we know the weight aof bull, weight of heifer, and the physical condition of the heifer. Underfoot conditions would also be relevant.

What about AI, assuing that there is no physical reason why the heifer should not be put in calf. She should already have produced her first calf and be in calf for a second time by now.

Duncan

Peter thornton · Post by **Peter thornton** » Wed Nov 16, 2005 8:45 pm

The big advantage in mating heifers at 15 months is that it keeps the herd "in step". Assuming you like all your cows to calve at approximately the same time.