Woolless
Member
- Location
- Berwickshire, Scottish Borders
Plenty of suckler herds measuring heifer pelvises as a tool to select replacements. Can't see why anyone would think it naive.
Calving Ease of Herd
- Thread starter Turkish_FR
- Start date
You are obviously experienced in calving heifers, so what is the significance of pelvic height versus pelvic width? As an example, 2x1 comes to the same as 1x2.
And do you think that heifers with a larger pelvic area have a tendency to produce calves with a higher than average birth weight.
Woolless
Member
- Location
- Berwickshire, Scottish Borders
I don't think I've claimed to have great experience in calving heifers? I have calves cows in the past. I have decent knowledge of EBVs, which the OP enquired about. And I am aware that a lot of switched on suckler men now have their heifers' pelvises measured. Sounds like you're desperate to impart your knowledge on the subject?
Well it gets wild on the blackdown hills so yes they can
beefandsleep
Member
- Location
- Staffordshire
I can only speak from my own experience. They are so far living up to the hype. The ones I have are proving to be very good cows. I don’t breed them pure, but I might do in the future when I buy my next bull. Currently breed to an Angus because of the Angus premium and the progeny are definitely not a bad Angus. Compared to pure Angus I’ve fed in the past, their confirmation is similar but their growth is much better. Until I breed them pure i can’t put that down to the stabilisers or hybrid vigour but I have to say, I’m impressed so far.
Woolless
Member
- Location
- Berwickshire, Scottish Borders
Yes, it's almost as if all that performance recording works, isn't it??
Have you ever considered the effect of longevity in your long time profitability ?
So you are having calves with high carcass yield each time, while smaller breeds gives smaller carcass but for longer period. Did you calculate it ? According to my calculations an Aquitane Blonde giving 6 calves is not more profitable than an Angus that gives 7 calves. Do you agree ?
beefandsleep
Member
- Location
- Staffordshire
That depends on replacement cost. The blonde would have a higher cull value. The french kill their cows quite young as cow beef is valued there.
Choose the cow type that best suits your environment and your market.
According to a study, Blondes have average 5 years of longevity while Angus has 8 and Hereford has 10. I will share in my other topic.
We have about 10 purebred British blues in the herd the oldest being 18 with a calf at foot but she was one we bought in our own bred ones are not very old yet so we are not at enough down the line with them to give a proper assessment of longevity but even if they don't go on so long they are a good animal to sell as a cull.
The rest of the herd are cross breeds and we are going toward more native breeds for our cows then putting Blue bulls on them to get the conformation for terminals
I do think that longevity is important, replacements that I would want to buy are hard to find at a sensible price and breeding your own takes time and space
A good cull cow can be worth up to the profit on two calves extra over a crappy one but you have to take in to consideration what they have done in their lifetime to know which is best
I have done calculations for a number of things but wouldn't put the figures on TFF, to old and wise for that
It will probably be about 6-7 years on average. There are Limo and Charolais cows with about 15 years old longevities but they are 6-7 years on average, based on studies.
The trial results in no direct effect of pelvic size in birth ease but the herd owner decides to measure it anymore, whyyy ??? The cows with larger pelvic size usually gives larger calves because they are probably larger frame cows, so it does not effect the calving ease in a herd, will be easier only for F1 calves of large frame cow and small frame sire.
Last edited:
I have talked to a Blonde herd owner, said they are usually culling their cows at 10 years old age not because they cant go longer but cow meat devaluated after 10 y.o age in France. He said their oldest cow was 20 years old and gave 17 calves. Destroying the studies.
Lots of variation within breeds remember that
- Location
- Fife
I sure hope it does, or I'm wasting my time and money in a large way.
An old cow, fed well, will put on new flesh and produce a far better carcase with better eating quality - or so a very experienced buyer and feeder of cull cows told me. But of course, a cow can get to an age when it won't fatten.
Has anyone still got a cow with an old alpha-numeric tag. Our last one went about two years ago,
You probably are. Just buy some decent foundation stock from someone with a good sound flock of ewes.
- Location
- Fife
Thanks ?
Don't mention it. If I can help somebody.............?