Holstein cow weights

[letsmakemilk]

Hi,
Just wondering if anyone (robots or otherwise) is weighing their cows? The reason I ask is for general dosing of drugs. People I know dose from anywhere between 600-800kg. Personally I go bang in the middle at 700kg. My cows are mid-large Holstein.
Cheers

 

[Will Blackburn]

Weigh bands are pretty accurate, might be worth using one.

 

[Tarw Coch]

Hi,
Just wondering if anyone (robots or otherwise) is weighing their cows? The reason I ask is for general dosing of drugs. People I know dose from anywhere between 600-800kg. Personally I go bang in the middle at 700kg. My cows are mid-large Holstein.
Cheers

I just estimate it, my estimation being calibrated by the weight of barrens sold. If you just go 700kg on everything I assume all your cows are pretty even.

I was having a conversation with the vet recently and we come to the conclusion that our best guess was far more accurate than human medicine where size/weight doesn't seem to come into it, it's just number of pills per person per day and there's a vast difference in adult human weight, almost certainly a much bigger difference than in the weight of cows.

Whilst being accurate is always good, the last thing you want to be doing is under dosing both from an animal recovery point and from an establishment of resistance point.

 

[letsmakemilk]

The cows are pretty even. Have 12 fresian types that get dosed for 650kg but other than that it's 700, or splitting bottles in to three for convenience etc. Which generally slightly overdoses. But yes I agree, Tarw, you don't want to under dose.
I am still interested to see what people's cows do weigh out at on scales, my barren cows will be condition score 4, which is a good 100kg extra than a 3

 

[sidjon]

We weigh most months, average cow weight is 490kg , wit a couple down in the low 300kg and one heavy at 725kg.

 

[Rossymons]

We go by our barren weight. Usually a 650kg cow

 

[letsmakemilk]

We weigh most months, average cow weight is 490kg , wit a couple down in the low 300kg and one heavy at 725kg.

These are Holsteins?
Our vets have weighed heifers before bulling before and they were far over 300kg (380-390kg).. So I certainly don't think our cows would be anywhere near as low as 490kg

 

[letsmakemilk]

We go by our barren weight. Usually a 650kg cow

Would you say your barren cows are fatter than the average ones in the herd? That's why I don't want to use the measurement for mine, as in most cases they'd have 100kg on top of what I would call a good condition milker

 

[sidjon]

These are Holsteins?
Our vets have weighed heifers before bulling before and they were far over 300kg (380-390kg).. So I certainly don't think our cows would be anywhere near as low as 490kg

No , NZ friesians cross , but will weigh everything very regularly.

 

[pappuller]

Cows weighed everytime they enter the robot av 611 kg over last 7 days, youll have a herd of very big cows if your average is over 650 kg