Central SD | jfqc - 3/15/2020 08:04
1000 lb heifer is not small here. In fact, I’d prefer them to be south of 1000 . Mo
Anyway, if your Herefords weigh 1000, and you think they are too small of pelvic frame to calve, then, They have to be fat.
I don’t feed my bred heifers much for protein. Grass hay if any. This year, for the first time, I was lucky enough to winter them on dormant grass and hay meadows. Not even a protein supplement. Call it lucky, but no weak calves and only pulled 2 outta the first 50. I’m sold on this program.
Your bw doesn’t sound high, maybe the heifers are just too soft to keep pushing on their own?
Post a pic of their body condition?
I don’t want to make this a breed deal but I grew up around a Hereford cowherd. My biggest problem with them was lack of maternal calving ease. We pulled 50-70% calves out of our heifers every year. They lack depth of pelvis more so than width. We had very little calving problems with the mature cows but heifers were a pita. These heifers are crossed with Red Angus which may help or hurt depending on maternal calving ease genetics used. My experience is pelvis size is one of the more heritable traits we can select for. |
Bred heifer question
