Weighing calves

[tinsheet]

Want to start weighing new born calves what do people use, old set of bathroom scales? Sheep weights?
Needs to be portable really as 50% are born outside
Many thanks.

 

[foxbox]

I've never tried it but I've always wondered if a set of travel scales (the sort you hang a case on) with a sling to hold the calf in would work? To save lifting the calf yourself a 2 leg frame to hang the scales from would help. Perhaps getting a bit cumbersome though?

 

[GTB]

Want to start weighing new born calves what do people use, old set of bathroom scales? Sheep weights?
Needs to be portable really as 50% are born outside
Many thanks.

Why?

 

[tinsheet]

Why?

Interested in growth rates, trying to see where I can improve my system, wean out any poor producing cows that I miss otherwise!

 

[S J H]

How accurate are weigh tapes? they use them a lot with horses.

 

[Henarar]

Interested in growth rates, trying to see where I can improve my system, wean out any poor producing cows that I miss otherwise!

for the difference there is between them when they are born I would think an educated guess would do, save messing about with the calf when it has just been born

 

[S J H]

for the difference there is between them when they are born I would think an educated guess would do, save messing about with the calf when it has just been born

I usually judge it when I carry them through to the other pen, I wouldn't want to be taking it away or bringing a crate in to weigh it.

 

[Henarar]

We have a tape to weigh the pedigree calves but I don't know if it would work for cross-breeds

 

[S J H]

Do you think it's accurate? I'll have to ask sister in law, she used to go round and weigh horses, so she might have an idea.

 

[Henarar]

Do you think it's accurate? I'll have to ask sister in law, she used to go round and weigh horses, so she might have an idea.

I don't know, the society supply them, I don't weigh them as it would mean carrying them across the yard and upset the cow
I have tried weighing with bathroom scales but you can't do it on your own very well as when you pick up the animal you can't see the readout

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Just use a lamb weigher

 

[Henarar]

Just use a lamb weigher

we didn't have one then

 

[AF Salers]

You can get a weigh tape from Pedigree Cattle Services who do the Breedplan recording for many of the breed societies. I haven't paid for one, just been sent one but don't think they would be very dear.

Lift a leg to see if bull or heifer then select the relevant side of the tape then just slip over a front hoof & pull tight around the top of the hoof then read the weight, simples. No reason why the readings would be different for xbred as the same tape is used for all breeds. Just do it within 24 hours of birth for accurate readings. Far easier than anything else and plenty accurate enough for 99% of uses.

Hope this helps

 

[Henarar]

You can get a weigh tape from Pedigree Cattle Services who do the Breedplan recording for many of the breed societies. I haven't paid for one, just been sent one but don't think they would be very dear.

Lift a leg to see if bull or heifer then select the relevant side of the tape then just slip over a front hoof & pull tight around the top of the hoof then read the weight, simples. No reason why the readings would be different for xbred as the same tape is used for all breeds. Just do it within 24 hours of birth for accurate readings. Far easier than anything else and plenty accurate enough for 99% of uses.

Hope this helps

Any idea how accurate they are ?

 

[tinsheet]

I don't know, the society supply them, I don't weigh them as it would mean carrying them across the yard and upset the cow
I have tried weighing with bathroom scales but you can't do it on your own very well as when you pick up the animal you can't see the readout

Guess I'll get me one of these then

 

[Blod]

My experience of weigh tapes is that they allow comparison if used by the same person at around the same number of hours post birth. They might be a few kgs out, but consistently so if everything else is equal.

 

[Blaithin]

I use the weight tape around the top of their hoof. Never compared it to a scale but usually gives me a number that's close to what me guessing their weights is.

 

[foxbox]

You can get a weigh tape from Pedigree Cattle Services who do the Breedplan recording for many of the breed societies. I haven't paid for one, just been sent one but don't think they would be very dear.

Lift a leg to see if bull or heifer then select the relevant side of the tape then just slip over a front hoof & pull tight around the top of the hoof then read the weight, simples. No reason why the readings would be different for xbred as the same tape is used for all breeds. Just do it within 24 hours of birth for accurate readings. Far easier than anything else and plenty accurate enough for 99% of uses.

Hope this helps

That's good, I'd heard of using a tape around the belly but that tends to be for older stock, this sounds far easier!

 

[bovine]

I've never seen leg measures but a lot of our guys use the ones that go behind the elbows. Some seem better than others, but they all work out more accurate than looking and guessing. AHDB Dairy were running some dairy calf growth meetings and giving them away. There were some free Volac ones kicking about too. Can be bought for less than £10 so not a big investment. Also useful for 'stirky' things when trying to decide how heavy they are to treat. Amazing how bad some farmers (and vets) are at guessing

 

[Chae1]

Interested in growth rates, trying to see where I can improve my system, wean out any poor producing cows that I miss otherwise!

Would wean weights not be more accurate at assessing cow performance? We've had cows produce huge calves and neither can stand up for a week. Now calving smaller calves that grow quickly. I know which I'd rather have. Also milking ability of cow will be shown in wean weights.