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Western Nebraska | The "proper" way to do it is have your heifers calve at least a couple of weeks ahead of your cows for all of the above mentioned reasons. The "experts" have decided that the best way to handle heifers is to put selection pressure against fertility in your herd. We don't calve heifers early. If they can't get bred back in the same period as the cows I don't want them in the herd. As soon as you start stretching the calving-breeding interval to accommodate the perceived problem with the heifer's breed back you are going to be selecting against fertility. I know that this is at odds with what all the "experts" would tell you, but I can't figure out why I ought to have a heifer in the herd that takes three cycles to get back in good enough shape to breed.
Heifers are stupid. It isn't uncommon to have at least one idiot that refuses to claim or mother the calf. That earns them a free ride to town. No second chances on that deal. | |
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Calving order - heifers first or cows first?
