Im shocked (check out these weights)

[JeffNY]

For a more positive thread, than the swollen teats. Tonight I decided to break out the weight tape, curious to what these guys weigh.


I first taped this one. She is 1250lbs! Friggen a, considering last March or April she was about 850 or so, that averaged out is 2.22lbs a day. What puzzles me, is I taped them in August and she was around 1000lbs. She gained 250lbs in 3 months? Now you would think ---- SHE IS FAT, thing is, she isn't. She has rib, her hips are shown, neck isn't chunky, etc. I was floored, she is 60" at the shoulders as well. She will be 2 yrs on the 22nd of March. That corn meal and grass silage has done something special (started feeding it just after the fair or about sept. 1st). Even if I was off by 50lbs, it still shows quite a gain.


Next one is sassy, before the fair I taped her about 1010 or so. She now weighs 1300lbs! She isn't fat, same deal, well look at the picture. She weighs more than speedy, due to her width and body size. Her height im not sure of, didn't check that, but its close to speedy's height.


Following is Amnesty, and once again before the fair I taped her about 670 or so lbs. She is now 950-990lbs. She also was about 52" before the fair, she is now 55". So she not only grew in width, she grew some height.


I'll leave the best for last, atleast my fav heifer, and that is Red. She has come a long way, as some know. I'm not sure of her weight before the fair, however back in April it was bout 700-750lbs. She is now 1125lbs, or so. So figure about 400lbs difference, and a lot of her gain has been since Sept 1st, even so, she has been a nice steady grower. She will be 2 in April, along with Sassy. Amnesty will be 2 in July.




I also taped our Jerseys, and 3 out of 4 are at 530lbs or so, and 45" tall. The other one who had pnuemonia bad this past spring, is 430lbs, she will not be bred untill she is closer to 15months. However the others are at breeding weight, and height. But I will wait till late December/January. The Jerseys are a year this month .

I was very surprised by their growth, I knew they were bigger, and noticed some getting bigger. But that tape really brought it out. One of the others I didn't picture gained 2" since August, and is actually noticeably growing. One other heifer I taped at 1000lbs, she is not 2 till July. Sassy, Speedy, and Kahlua are going to be HUGE. Amnesty will get big as well. I was skeptical about some of the holsteins, I didn't think some were going to get big, but boy they have grown. So good ol' Corn meal, Grass silage and good hay will make them grow like crazy. This diet will continue till May. Just think how big they will get between now and spring. I figure Speedy calving at 1500 or so lbs, same with sassy. Red will be about 1300 I think. We shall see.


Also I hope to get a webcam working, get to watch some bovine from 3pm till 8am .


Jeff

[willow_girl]

Gosh, those are just some STOUT heifers! You're right, not fat at all, just solid all over.

It is amazing how fast they grow, isn't it?!

I had heard Jerseys mature a little slower than Holsteins, and I do believe that's true. Wish I'd waited a bit longer to breed Libby-Belle, but unfortunately she took matters into her own hooves!

I will have to get a cow weight tape and check out my gang here, especially since I'm going to worm them soon.

Jeff, I'll bet you can't wait to get some calves out of these girls! Are you planning to milk in stanchions or do you have a parlor there? Are you still getting set to go in that department?

[Goat Freak]

WOW, that IS big! And you were right, they are NOT fat, but well built. Congrats on the cows, i am sure that they will do you proud come birthing time.

[JeffNY]

I am set for milking, not set if tomorrow I was milking all of them (bulk tank, and other things aren't ready). We will be milking a Jersey later this month. Her bag is getting harder, she has some discharge, vulva is puffin. The udder she has is actually looking really good, for a grade animal that was 75.00, she was one heck of a deal. I know some will show a promising udder, and as they get closer the udder begins to show signs of :P. But her teats are level front to back, and level side to side, and seem to be fairly well placed. I wish she was registered, GRRRR. One good thing is she is starting to show rib, not as fat. She had very little rib showing through the summer, she was fat. Her udder doesn't seem to be fat as well, which is good. But this soon to be cow's(due Nov 28th-dec 7th) udder is also welded on the front. I am going to be milking in a tie stall configuration. I have been bringing them in since only Tuesday. They figured the water bowls out pretty much on the same day they came in, never had to show them. But what a releif over last winter. I had to pitch manure from Jan to May. After March, I was looking forward to pasture. But now I have the barn cleaner, easy to clean up (20 minutes), and no pitching! Some figured out how to lay down, so they can get up properly. Some lay way too close to the manger. Not sure whether they like the curb against their brisket, but they do have room behind them so they can lunge. But it makes sence, they aren't used to a stall, and are sharing a stall (some) with another one. There are a couple that like to hog the space so the other one cant lay down, while the rest dont have any problems. However, sooner than later it looks like I might be moving a few to the other stalls, considering how some are getting bigger. I put them together so they would lay straight, and the stalls are big, made for full sized cowss. Works for now, except for the occasional snitching neighbor .

Edit: The bigger ones, such as Speedy and Sassy, also red, and a couple others. They have their own. Jerseys have their own, swiss does.

Jeff