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Alberta | Have your fist calf heifers in very good shape before they calve, almost to the point that they are fat, there is a fine line between a heifer in good shape and a heifer that is fat that will give you calving issues. It will not be until after they have had their 3rd calf that they have stopped growing, at which point they no longer have to grow and feed and maintain themselves and a baby at foot or inside. Also, after the first and second calvers calve, make sure they have extra groceries because they are trying to maintain and grow their own bodies as well as provide milk for the calf. They need extra protein and their condition needs to be improving right through to breeding. A short breeding season on yearling heifers also helps as those heifers have an extra cycle to flush before breeding. We run our yearlings for 23 days with the bull, done calving in 30 days then they get 2 cycles to flush before they even see a bull again. Conception in 23 days is usually around 70 percent. Our open rate on heifers and second calvers is usually 1/2 that of 3rd calvers and up cows. . After they calve as a heifer, they get a 60 day breeding season as do older cows. | |
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What is your baby calf program and why
