Is a year old calf to young to get bred?

[Generally01]

We have a 21 month old gersey/south poll hiefer that showed up with a calf. the calf is really active (even if it is really small) and the heifer seems to have plenty of milk.
Is there anything to do to make sure they will be fine? its getting pretty cold around here right now.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

We have a 21 month old gersey/south poll hiefer that showed up with a calf. the calf is really active (even if it is really small) and the heifer seems to have plenty of milk.
Is there anything to do to make sure they will be fine? its getting pretty cold around here right now.

Depends who you ask ours are generally incalf by 15 months, to calve before they turn 2.
If they aren't bred to look like Arnie then you'll be fine, just keep them out of the windchill and pump the grass into them

 

[Matthew Britton]

Keep well fed and should be ok. Had similar cock up with Angus heifers a few years ago. If the don’t get enough grub in them the mother will never finish growing as she is trying to grow herself and her calf.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Is there anything to do to make sure they will be fine? its getting pretty cold around here right now.

If it has plenty of milk and the calf has sucked you don’t need to do anything else

 

[milkloss]

She'll want feed to grow as said above..... we aim to calf on the younger end of the scale..... massive cows stomping round a yard in the winter is ok if you've got oodles of space and straw.

 

[Nearly]

Now you're a proper cattle farmer.

 

[som farmer]

dutch are looking to reduce age of dairy hfrs, from 24 to 21 months, to get around there phosphate regulations, so as long as they look fine, they are ok, just make sure she has enough food to grow herself and calf.

 

[Nithsdale]

dutch are looking to reduce age of dairy hfrs, from 24 to 21 months, to get around there phosphate regulations, so as long as they look fine, they are ok, just make sure she has enough food to grow herself and calf.

This will be the next NBA proposals here, no doubt

 

[Wishful Thinker]

Will turn out to be one of your best cows if you are good to her his winter

 

[gatepost]

Just keep feeding, and then some more, bought some 9m angus heifers a couple of yrs ago, one turned out to be incalf to half brother, had to have a caesarean but sold mother fat after weaning, bit smaller but still got to 870, and sold calf this week at 18m for 940 but there was a bit of a cake bill.

 

[Agrivator]

Just keep feeding, and then some more, bought some 9m angus heifers a couple of yrs ago, one turned out to be incalf to half brother, had to have a caesarean but sold mother fat after weaning, bit smaller but still got to 870, and sold calf this week at 18m for 940 but there was a bit of a cake bill.

And a Vet bill!!!!!

 

[Old Tip]

I’ve had Jerseys calve at not much older than yours was bulled, they are early maturing them channel island lasses

 

[Xiaomi]

Get some pre-calver minerals into her as well.

 

[Generally01]

If it has plenty of milk and the calf has sucked you don’t need to do anything else

Yeah i think well let her wean this calf by herself even tho we want to have her as a milk cow later.

 

[NZDan]

I worked on a farm that had a Blue Grey cow have her 3rd calf at 36 months. From memory her 1st calf was at 14 months and her 2nd calf at 25 months. A good wee cow who used to jump fences to the nearest bull as soon as she came on heat.

 

[som farmer]

we ended up with several aryx calves, last spring, but we never saw the bull out of his barn. Should have been BB or AA, never worked that one out.

 

[czechmate]

Keep well fed and should be ok. Had similar cock up with Angus heifers a few years ago. If the don’t get enough grub in them the mother will never finish growing as she is trying to grow herself and her calf.

A bit off topic but what age are you putting French limmis to the bull Matthew?

 

[Generally01]

I worked on a farm that had a Blue Grey cow have her 3rd calf at 36 months. From memory her 1st calf was at 14 months and her 2nd calf at 25 months. A good wee cow who used to jump fences to the nearest bull as soon as she came on heat.

It seems the cows know (for the most part) when they should be bred, some recover from calving and within a few weeks are like you said jumping fences to get to a bull, others need a couple months. It depends on the age, what they are being fed, overall health.

 

[Matthew Britton]

A bit off topic but what age are you putting French limmis to the bull Matthew?

Two or there abouts. It is just what I have always done, there isn’t a rush and a bit of time lost up front is replayed several times over at the other end in my opinion. You have to remember that I am only a trainee farmer which is why I spend so much time on here learning how to do it properly!

 

[czechmate]

Two or there abouts. It is just what I have always done, there isn’t a rush and a bit of time lost up front is replayed several times over at the other end in my opinion. You have to remember that I am only a trainee farmer which is why I spend so much time on here learning how to do it properly!

Yea, we like 22 months plus.
Some “go ahead types” like to try earlier, to save what? I ask