big calves

[jes]

What is the biggest unassisted calf you have had? Had one today that was 137. Cow is maine/shorthorn, bull is simm/angus. Was not execting this big of a calf out of this cow, but her first calf weighed 90lbs. So she has a large pelvis. It is also a heifer, vet was shocked by that. The calf even got right up and nursed. Amazing!!

 

[OH Breeder]

Count your blessings. That is great and congrats on the live and unassisted delivery.

 

[Spring Creek Farms]

155... out of a Maine Angus with a shorthorn embryo

 

[thats funny]

We had a shorthorn cow have a 152 lb calf out of a maine bull, then the next year she had a 160 lb calf out of Salute....Both bull calves....that later got bannded.

 

[red]

we had a cow that had twins that weighed 90#'s plus each. she calved unassisted.
Maybe it was caused by our poor management? 

Red

 

[kanshow]

Red.. was thinking the same thing..  we just had an enormous set of twins last week..    I guess Kansas isn't part of that perfect world!! 

 

[shortyjock89]

Biggest calf we've had while I've been alive was a 135 bull calf out of a 2200 lb cow (her 2nd calf). Easy pull (Dad and I did it without chains), the only reason we pulled it was because we got home from a show and saw the feet hanging out and she was out walking around the pasture...goofy cow...

If we get a calf over 100 lbs, that's pretty dang big for us, even though we have Shorthorns!

 

[TJ]

Haven't had any this year... yet.  Last year, MY biggest was just under 70 lbs (1/2 Lowline)... MY smallest was just under 30 lbs (full Lowline). 

Biggest we've ever had was around 155 lbs.(I can't remember the exact weight).     
Smallest was a whopping 22 lbs. 

 

[C-CROSS]

169 out of heatwave, cow had him unassisted

 

[red]

I hope Bawndoh doesn't mind but this was from a previous post.

Here is a pic of a calf my aunt/uncle had last winter.  The calf he is holding is a regular (live) 70-80 pounder.  The other calf is also a newborn!!  NOT KIDDING!  I forgot about this picture until I was browzing through my computer.  The large calf was predicted to way about 160lbs (not sure if was ever weighed).  It was a c-section, lived for a day or two, then died.  I really dont think this calf would have been PHAP or THP because they dont have any sort of maine or shorthorn genetics in their herd.  Also, the calf doesnt show any abnormalities, other than it is a MONSTER!!!  The cow never had a calf this size before, and probably never will again.  Just a freak of nature.  In Canada, if we have a cold winter it tends to create higher BW all around, but nothing like this .

 

[farmboy]

we have had some big ones in our day but the one i remember was a pull on a first calf heifer. we pulled and it wasn't a hard at all for me and dad. it plopped out, was already dead. it was a heifer from our pale face bull. it was the biggest we ever had. around 140 lbs. the heifer rested and we turned her back out and she has had 2 calves since then no assistance and has bred back on time every year. pic of her this year.

 

[ratmama2]

Our biggest was 98lbs. From an Australian Hereford bull. Cow was a couple days late when vet checked. Vet thought for sure it was a bull from foot size when she checked...turned out to be a heifer. One of our soon to be 2 year old first calving, easy keeper hefs. The hussy gets fat from sniffing grain. Wish I had a whole herd of her.

 

[red]

Our biggest was 98lbs. From an Australian Hereford bull. Cow was a couple days late when vet checked. Vet thought for sure it was a bull from foot size when she checked...turned out to be a heifer. One of our soon to be 2 year old first calving, easy keeper hefs. The hussy gets fat from sniffing grain. Wish I had a whole herd of her.

LOL- I rejoice over some of my cows having 98#'ers! I too have a cow that gets fat on air. She looks pregnant year round. A real ground sow!

Red

 

[ROAD WARRIOR]

Years ago when I ran commercial cows and had leased a Simmental bull (Back when big was the gig) we had one that weighed 143# out of a hereford/shorthorn cow. Today if we get one in the 90's we consider it big. RW

 

[midway6376]

My biggest calf so far has been 84lbs. But all have mine have been purebred Angus and I don't think that my calves should be as big as your's out of club calf bulls. But I have been thinking that I need to breed some of my Angus to some club calf bulls but I'm a little scared. Especially after reading this post.

 

[cdncowboy]

Limi out of a angus cow 152lbs, the cow might weigh 1350 on a good day.  Had been out for the afternoon, checked before and didn't look to be anything coming.  Upon return go out to take a look and she just stood up from finishing the job,  he was completely dry from nose to navel and still wet the rest of the way.  Still maybe the strangest thing I've saw at calving.

 

[uluru]

A two day old calf born with some help. A hard hard pull 138lbs. He has been banded
A purebred Shorthorn sired by Creekside Standoff  from an Alta Cedar Ultimate 130K cow
Hope this is not the future for calves from him
The calf is doing fine.

 

[Dusty]

I can remember several 130+ calves that looked damn good laying there dead....It always makes me wonder how many good steers there would be in the fall if half of the good ones didn't die trying to come out of the cow???