Daily liveweight gain

[Jdunn55]

I've just weighed a group of heifers for the first time prior to turn out and wanted to see if anyone has any figures to compare how mine have done? Just want to make sure I'm doing the best I can with them

There's 11 in the group and average 177 days old and 197kg which I make out to be 0.92kg/day growth assuming a birth weight of 35kg

Thanks

 

[Headless chicken]

I've just weighed a group of heifers for the first time prior to turn out and wanted to see if anyone has any figures to compare how mine have done? Just want to make sure I'm doing the best I can with them

There's 11 in the group and average 177 days old and 197kg which I make out to be 0.92kg/day growth assuming a birth weight of 35kg

Thanks

right on track I would say

 

[Tasteless]

We usually hit 400-425kg @ 13month. 1kg a day good rule of thumb. Ped Holsteins.

 

[Princess Pooper]

I've just weighed a group of heifers for the first time prior to turn out and wanted to see if anyone has any figures to compare how mine have done? Just want to make sure I'm doing the best I can with them

There's 11 in the group and average 177 days old and 197kg which I make out to be 0.92kg/day growth assuming a birth weight of 35kg

Thanks

Do you weigh/belly band any at birth, 35 kg seems low. Our Holsteins (which are not bred for stature) are nearer 45 and some touching 50kg at birth.

 

[TheRanger]

Do you weigh/belly band any at birth, 35 kg seems low. Our Holsteins (which are not bred for stature) are nearer 45 and some touching 50kg at birth.

35kg be about right here, but vast majority of our heifers are out of heifers.

 

[upnortheast]

How hard they grow will depend on your target calving age ? 24 months ?
Think I`ve read target is 65% of mature weight at bulling
So 650 kg cow 420 kg at service - 15 months = growth rate 0.9 kg / day
So @Jdunn55 heifers bang on target

 

[choochter]

I've just weighed a group of heifers for the first time prior to turn out and wanted to see if anyone has any figures to compare how mine have done? Just want to make sure I'm doing the best I can with them

There's 11 in the group and average 177 days old and 197kg which I make out to be 0.92kg/day growth assuming a birth weight of 35kg

Thanks

I'd be happy with that for continental sucklers calving at 23-27 months

 

[Nathan818]

How hard they grow will depend on your target calving age ? 24 months ?
Think I`ve read target is 65% of mature weight at bulling
So 650 kg cow 420 kg at service - 15 months = growth rate 0.9 kg / day
So @Jdunn55 heifers bang on target

Ahdb recommend 55% for 'pre-breeding' at 14 months I think

 

[Pigken]

Ahdb recommend 55% for 'pre-breeding' at 14 months I think

ahdb may well recommend 55% but think longevity and getting back in calf could be issues, everything works differently on different systems

 

[ImLost]

I've just weighed a group of heifers for the first time prior to turn out and wanted to see if anyone has any figures to compare how mine have done? Just want to make sure I'm doing the best I can with them

There's 11 in the group and average 177 days old and 197kg which I make out to be 0.92kg/day growth assuming a birth weight of 35kg

Thanks

We usually hit 400-425kg @ 13month. 1kg a day good rule of thumb. Ped Holsteins.

On grazing alone? Or what else are they getting??

 

[Tasteless]

On grazing alone? Or what else are they getting??

Never be able to hit my targets on grazing alone.
Generally 120kg at weaning 9 weeks, adlib cake, adlib wheat straw and 6L 24f%22%p.
On adlib cake and wheat straw for a further 3 weeks. Then about 4kg cake and adlib wheat straw till 150-180 days.
then onto worst silage on farm 2kg cake and 1kg oats. Once serving back the cake off a kg.
Once pd+ live off silage and 1kg oats.
When we hit summer we start sending stuff outside around 6-8m mark. Try and keep the cake dose up to 2-3kg. Although I find they don't grow as well as when inside, especo when it's wet, man's got to be on the wall with feeding more shen they can't fill themselves properly.

 

[deleted user 837354]

Never be able to hit my targets on grazing alone.
Generally 120kg at weaning 9 weeks, adlib cake, adlib wheat straw and 6L 24f%22%p.
On adlib cake and wheat straw for a further 3 weeks. Then about 4kg cake and adlib wheat straw till 150-180 days.
then onto worst silage on farm 2kg cake and 1kg oats. Once serving back the cake off a kg.
Once pd+ live off silage and 1kg oats.
When we hit summer we start sending stuff outside around 6-8m mark. Try and keep the cake dose up to 2-3kg. Although I find they don't grow as well as when inside, especo when it's wet, man's got to be on the wall with feeding more shen they can't fill themselves properly.

That is interesting, are you feeding oats for rumen development? I've encountered people who do this from quite an early age, sometimes included in a blend/meal. Are you feeding them whole or rolled or?

 

[Jdunn55]

On grazing alone? Or what else are they getting??

That was on haylege + Ad-lib wheat/soya

They are now outside and having grazing and 2kg wheat

My bulling heifers are on just grazing and growing at 1.5kg/day

It's the younger stuff I worry about

My calves now are on Ad-lib silage + 3kg of an 17% cake

 

[Farmer Keith]

Never be able to hit my targets on grazing alone.
Generally 120kg at weaning 9 weeks, adlib cake, adlib wheat straw and 6L 24f%22%p.
On adlib cake and wheat straw for a further 3 weeks. Then about 4kg cake and adlib wheat straw till 150-180 days.
then onto worst silage on farm 2kg cake and 1kg oats. Once serving back the cake off a kg.
Once pd+ live off silage and 1kg oats.
When we hit summer we start sending stuff outside around 6-8m mark. Try and keep the cake dose up to 2-3kg. Although I find they don't grow as well as when inside, especo when it's wet, man's got to be on the wall with feeding more shen they can't fill themselves properly.

What are the targets? We’re looking for a 550kg cow here but heifers do well on this farm so in reality mature cow weight is 600kg. We should be 300kgs at mating but often they’re ahead of that. 2kgs of barley/beef nut mixed 50/50 plus add lib hay post weaning and grass and 1kg of meal after turnout. Kind of want to slow them down but it’s easier said than done.

 

[In the pit]

What are the targets? We’re looking for a 550kg cow here but heifers do well on this farm so in reality mature cow weight is 600kg. We should be 300kgs at mating but often they’re ahead of that. 2kgs of barley/beef nut mixed 50/50 plus add lib hay post weaning and grass and 1kg of meal after turnout. Kind of want to slow them down but it’s easier said than done.

I find if heifers are above target at weaning and then calve in above target they remain in the herd much longer and if calving to a block stay in that first 3 week period better which is probaly due to them holding there own better in the herd

 

[Tasteless]

What are the targets?

400kg at 13th month / first service.

 

[Grassman247]

400kg at 13th month / first service.

We average 390kg at 14months

fully grazed, housed for one winter on silage and maybe some rape meal for the smaller ones during that winter.

they have whole milk, as lib cake and then are reduced down to 0.6kg/head of 16% rearer nut at 4-5 months which they have in the paddock daily with grass until housing around November time

 

[Farmer Keith]

303kgs at 10.5 months here today. Go to the bull at 15 months so going to be well above target, one thing to bare in mind here is growth rates drop over winter as they’re not housed so a little in the bank doesn’t go a miss.

 

[Farmer Keith]

I find if heifers are above target at weaning and then calve in above target they remain in the herd much longer and if calving to a block stay in that first 3 week period better which is probaly due to them holding there own better in the herd

You’ll never hit target liveweight if your heifers always calve in above target weight though. Depends how much of a priority reducing LW is for you.

 

[kp_n_plghng]

I guess @In the pit could still hit target weight on average. Just that there's always some within the group that are above target weight? And that they do better in the herd as their bigger than their herd mates.

I have found the bigger heifers always go on to do well, in so much as they are healthy and strong, but does not guarantee they will break any records in terms of productive performance and fertility. Maybe I've just been unlucky!