Recording individual cow and calf performance is essential for managing fertility, according to EBLEX beef specialist Dr Mary Vickers.
Analysing calf weaning weights reveals the animals that are most fertile and most economic to keep and those that should be culled.
Once the calf is 200 days old, 75% of its nutrient requirement should come from feeds other than milk. Taking a proactive decision on when to wean calves can provide a useful means of manipulating body condition score.
With spring calvers, be prepared to wean calves from six months of age to protect body condition for later mobilisation when low-cost feed is less available.
In autumn calved herds, delaying weaning until ten months of age can avoid cows putting on excess condition in mid to late pregnancy. Alternatively, calves can be weaned earlier and feed supply to the cow controlled.
Weaning weight figures not only reflect the milking ability of the cow, but also the genetic potential of different sired calves to grow at a young age.
Aim for fast pre-weaning growth rates, as the feed conversion efficiency of calves gets worse as they get older.
You will need to know the animal’s date of birth to work out its growth rate, so carry a notebook at calving to capture all the necessary information.
Email BRP or call 0870 241 8829 for a free copy of the BRP Herd Notebook.
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