Weaning 600 Pound Calves
Keith Vander Velde, UW
Extension, Marquette County
Weaning 600 Pound Calves
Wean at a later age
Weaning 600 Pound Calves
• Need
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Good genetics
Good Milking cows
Good Pastures
Proper timing
Weaning 600 Pound Calves
Timing is important:
-Need to have calve sold by Oct 1st to get
favorable price
-Finished Market declines in April/May
-Feedlots need to add 650-700 lbs
-Takes 210-240 days(7-8 months)
-Beginning in April normal decline
-Widening of Choice/Select Spread
Weaning 600 Pound Calves
Need to calve earlier
-February calving results in 7 month old calves
in September
-Requires additional labor, facilities
-Matches prime spring grazing to calf needs
and cow peak milk production
-Rebreeding occurs with peak grass and cooler
temperature results in higher conception rate
Weaning 600 Pound Calves
What about April/May calving?
-Less winter feed and more grazing at peak
times
-Calves will weigh 475-550 lbs in October
-Best prices to occur in early February
-Over wintering on roughage is good option
-Retained ownership and target market in July
or August
Weaning 600 Pound Calves
Good Genetics:
-Use Performance Tested Bulls
-Be sure the Expected Progeny Differences
(EPD’s) of your bulls are in the top 25% for
weaning and yearling weight
-Use the Across Breed EPD tables to Compare
bulls of different breeds
-Remember that in three generations the bulls
used represent 87.5% of your herds genetics
BREED
BIRTH WT.
WEANING WT
YEARLING WT
4.6
3.6
2.2
0
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0
Shorthorn
8.7
31.5
49.9
14.5
Simmental
7.8
25.4
40.2
19.7
Limousin
7.2
29.7
34.6
3.7
Charolais
12.0
44.8
73.4
8.8
Maine Anjou
9.1
32.9
29.4
12.2
Gelbvieh
7.8
16.6
-2.7
13.6
Tarentaise
5.1
33.2
25.6
20.6
Salers
6.7
33.0
48.4
12.6
Red Angus
3.7
6.7
13.0
*
Hereford
Angus
MILK
-10.0
Weaning 600 lb Calves
• What is the Cow Job Description?
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Maintain regular 365 day calving interval
Calve unassisted
Nurse and care for the calf
Let you tag and treat calf as necessary
Weaning 600 lb Calves
• Cow Selection:
– Crossbred’s excel over straightbreds
– Chose cows that have have good udder and teat
placement—look at the sires Genetic Trait
Summary on daughters in production
– Cows Milk EPD’s or the sires EPD’s need to be
in the top 25% of the breed
– Avoid large framed late maturing types in any
breed
Weaning 600 lb Calves
• Feed Supply
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Cows and calves will consume more forage
Consider Managed Intensive Grazing (MIG)
Creep feed calves at 4 months thru weaning
Supplement cows with hay if pastures become
short
– Consider feeding cows grain for energy boost
prior to rebreeding
Weaning 600 lb Calves
• At 6 months of age sort steers from heifers
– Sort replacement heifers from non replacement
heifers and steers
– Saves feed and lessens the chance of overfat
replacement heifers