Suckler Cow Efficiency

Samcowman

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Cornwall
IMG_0193.JPG
Here you go. The calf was stood slightly forward of here. He was 45.7% at 200days. Actual weaning weight 414kg
 

Samcowman

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Cornwall
Aaahhhhh! Sorry I misunderstood. What sort of weights did they work into? I know they will still grow a bit.
The one in the picture above was 679kg the lightest one was 518kg. Bit of a range really but that lightest one is the poorest one and the dams of this first cohort didn't have much selection pressure on them they just had to be home bred Angus.
Bit more of a guide next year with 8 fleckvieh heifers calving
 

Samcowman

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Cornwall
Is that a fleckvieh x Angus cow? She's done a cracking job! Think of the calf she would have to the Charolais bull(y)
Yeah first calver so she would have been about 30 months there. That family line is impressive her mother (4 heifers have made it to the herd) is angus X out of Charolais X out of an old proper black Hereford. Trouble is they are big cows 800 kg plus so need to bring size down a bit.
Charolais bull would be nice.
 
Surely a Jersey x BB would be an efficient suckler? Put that to a limousin bull?

Based on past experience, I'd avoid Jersey in a commercial suckler dam, they have nil beef value, a low udder, and calcium issues at calving, which crossing doesn't totally cure.

Definately not my choice for an efficient cow, but everyone has their own ideas.
 

Samcowman

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Cornwall
I also did he results by calf breed with our 3 breeds Angus, Blonde and Fleckvieh and there was less than 1% between the 3.
Also by cow breed and the difference between the majority was only a couple of percent. Apart from pure blondes which were clear bottom, as expected. And the fleckvieh heifers at the top which were only heifers and only a small number so can also be discarded for this year.
 

Old Tip

Member
Location
Cumbria
Great stuff @Samcowman, good to see the results of all your hard work.
I’ve been looking at my hill cows and we are trying to increase the size of the cow a bit as it’s obvious that with current trends at the slaughter end we need to have a bigger calf to sell. The penalties for underweight cattle are severe and the line keeps being shifted up so small chunky sorts just aren’t selling.
Mind my average cow a few years back would be 450/500kg trying to raise that to around 600kg as don’t want big cows on the hill.
 
Good work @Samcowman
I've learnt to be careful about cow weights, a heavy cow at weaning is often a lazy cow, and hard working cows are often pulled down in condition, thus lighter.

However that same cow could be 50+ kg heavier at weaning due to being in better condition yet her calf is still the same weight, making her a better cow despite having a lower weaning %.
 

dannewhouse

Member
Location
huddersfield
I weigh cows and calves but haven't compared but what cost do you put on calving ease?
personally I would happily run a 650kg that spits calves out rather than 550kg that have an odd few to help.
I have a massive range of cow weights some 875kg beef shorthorns down to some planer lims (small types any way but they've been pulled down a lot by calves) down at 500kg I have had a lot higher % to assist calving. so on paper the smaller cow is better but only because the calf is live, had I lost say 1 out of happens 10 I assisted it would make them not the best on paper. there again I had a big cow calve a dead calf other year was licked dry and couldn't really see a problem was warm when I got there so theres no guarantees?
 

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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