Breeding

[mainecattlemother]

We have two heifers that we are looking at breeding very early so they are showing by MN State Fair time.  One is a Dream On x Rocky Balboa and the other is a Sandeens SOS.  We feel that they are big enough to breed in early April so they will be showing in late August.  The Balboa is a Feb 28, 2011 calf and the SOS calf is a April 4, 2011.  She is a Hilbrand/Ebersbacher Embryo calf.  The thing we are worried about is the possibility that it may stunt their growth.  Will this effect them negatively in any way?  The Balboa heifer was very competive at MN Beef Expo and we feel by breeding early will make it even more competitive.  Any comments would be appreciated.

 

[kfacres]

Will this effect them negatively in any way?  The Balboa heifer was very competive at MN Beef Expo and we feel by breeding early will make it even more competitive. 

Win a show ring or ruin a good cow prospect??? hmm??

Why do you think the RECOMMENDED Age to breed heifers is 15 months or OLDER?

let me guess you want to breed them to some clubby bull as well? 

 

[mainecattlemother]

We are not breeding with a clubby bull.  We plan to use either Angus BC Lookout or Simmi Ebony's Grand Master.  The PB Simmi is my daughters heifer that she received from the Minnesota Youth Beef Experience Program and we have received free semen from Ebonys Grand Master.  My daughter has done a wonderful job caring for this heifer.  We have just found in the past that it seems like they are breeding heifers earlier and earlier in the show ring, thus is the reason for my post. We are actually trying to get out of the clubby area and are trying to breed for all simmi and foundation simmi as they fit in very well with our commercial herd and we currently have a Simmi Angus full that is a Sandeens SOS.

 

[kfacres]

The PB Simmi is my daughters heifer that she received from the Minnesota Youth Beef Experience Program
My daughter has done a wonderful job caring for this heifer. 

I sure wouldn't ruin her then-- long live that kind.

 

[DKT Angus]

IMO  you have to weigh the opitions, general rule of thumb i've been told and find to be true is: you can move 7 days after breeding after that you should wait til 28 days to move again.

 

[Simmgal]

IMO  you have to weigh the opitions, general rule of thumb i've been told and find to be true is: you can move 7 days after breeding after that you should wait til 28 days to move again.

So you don't want to move shortbred animals? Makes sense..

By the way...Here's a joke: If cattle were cookies... If Oreo would be Belties and Chocolate chip would be Shorthorn...What would a cow that was under 30 days pregnant be? ShortBREAD!!  (lol)

 

[hevmando]

What do the donors of the heifer recommend?  I would think their opinion would be the most important.

 

[lightnin4]

We have two heifers that we are looking at breeding very early so they are showing by MN State Fair time.  One is a Dream On x Rocky Balboa and the other is a Sandeens SOS.  We feel that they are big enough to breed in early April so they will be showing in late August.  The Balboa is a Feb 28, 2011 calf and the SOS calf is a April 4, 2011.  She is a Hilbrand/Ebersbacher Embryo calf.  The thing we are worried about is the possibility that it may stunt their growth.  Will this effect them negatively in any way?  The Balboa heifer was very competive at MN Beef Expo and we feel by breeding early will make it even more competitive.  Any comments would be appreciated.

I don't think you would have any problems with breeding the February calf in early April as long as you stick with a calving ease bull.  I have bred heifers to calve at 22 months with no problems.  I don't think I would want to breed the April heifer at 12 months old though.  I would rather give her more time to mature.

As far as moving/hauling after breeding.  I attended a conference on beef cattle reproduction a couple of years ago and they said you could safely move a cow 3-5 days after breeding, but then the embryo did not attach and was subject to loss until 45 days bred.

 

[firesweepranch]

We have two heifers that we are looking at breeding very early so they are showing by MN State Fair time.  One is a Dream On x Rocky Balboa and the other is a Sandeens SOS.  We feel that they are big enough to breed in early April so they will be showing in late August.  The Balboa is a Feb 28, 2011 calf and the SOS calf is a April 4, 2011.  She is a Hilbrand/Ebersbacher Embryo calf.  The thing we are worried about is the possibility that it may stunt their growth.  Will this effect them negatively in any way?  The Balboa heifer was very competive at MN Beef Expo and we feel by breeding early will make it even more competitive.  Any comments would be appreciated.

Really, they would only be 4 months bred by the fair, and I don't see heifers showing at 4 months! So are you gaining anything? A good filler product would do a better job than a 4 month pregnancy, and not risk loosing the cow or calf at birth time. My animals are to valuable to put that risk on them, as is there calves! Prices these days losing a calf because you bred to young is not wise. But that is just my opinion! Set them up to calf at 24 months, or even 23.