LUCY/LEXIE is home and in the pasture

Jcran · #1 03/06/10, 11:01 PM

Ok, a few questions. Our new Jersey heifer came home. IMO, she is thin. However, I can't remember how much condition a girl her age should have. She was on just grass since she was weaned a couple weeks ago. She was born mid-September. I'm going to make a vet appointment to get her dehorned, weighed, brucellosis(is that Bang's?), and Johnnes' tested. What else should I get done at this time. What kind of grain should she be getting and how much. I am guessing she's about 200 lbs? Can one weigh tape a dairy calf?

copperhead46 · #2 03/07/10, 06:23 PM

I hope you are really bad at guessing weight, a six month old calf should weight more than 200 lbs. If you have plenty of grass just keep her on it and maybe add a couple lbs of creep feed to up her protien. You can ask your vet when you take her in. Oh and get ready for a real personality change when you de-horn her. I've just decieded that I'm not going to de-horn anymore. I took one in and just had her horns tipped, so that she wouldn't have the "pointy" part, but she's still showing signs of a lot of stress. P.J.

deineria · #3 03/07/10, 07:59 PM

Ours was 10 weeks old near the end of Sept., and she taped at 325 lbs about a month ago. Sounds small, but ours gets a lot of grass hay, alfalfa, soy meal and calf starter. . .lol! http://lucasfarmwv.com/Jerseys.aspx That first pic is right after she taped at 325, and she seems a good body condition, to me.

Jcran · #4 03/07/10, 08:45 PM

Well, in comparing her with the calf in your pics she is definitely THIN. Her coat is soft and fuzzy, which doesn't seem good. Can I worm her with cydectin pour-on? I have that on hand. I'm out of town later this week, and doing parent conferences up until I leave, so no vet visit until I get back. I am giving her alfalfa, graze, and about 2 cups of dry cob a.m. and p.m. That's why I'm asking folks what they would suggest...I'd definitely like to get some more weight on her.

topside1 · #5 03/08/10, 07:16 AM

Joan if your questioning your calf's weight then worm with cydectin down it's back. Then buy calf starter 18% and sock the grain to her. On the bag will be feeding instructions as per body weight. I can tell you that two cups morning and evening is just a tease. At that age I feed 3 pounds per feeding in winter. Run a string or a tape measure around her brisket just aft of her front legs. Pull the string tight, measure the string where they meet and send me the lenght, I have a weight tape for Jerseys and would be glad to figure her weight....Also I have a Jersey here the same age as your and would be happy to compare.....Topside

Jcran · #6 03/08/10, 08:39 AM

Thanks! I will!

Jcran · #7 03/08/10, 07:56 PM

ok, we put the halter on her and taped her heart girth. She feels soooooooo thin! The measurement was 41 inches. My daughter LOVES her! She led around pretty easily. At her weight how fast can we up the grain to get the weight on her? She is getting free choice grass hay with a fat flake of alfalfa each night. Tonight I gave her four cups of grain instead of 2 cups. As soon as I know her weight, I'd cydectin her. Anything else I can do for her right now? My boers are really well-conditioned and while I don't want to OVER-condition her, I definitely think she's UNDER conditioned. Last night at midnight when the hail hit, I went out and added bedding to her "half-pipe" so I think she's got a nice thick bed for tonight's cold weather.

deineria · #8 03/09/10, 09:36 AM

It seem like ours was 48 last month. . . and I believed Topside said that was 325lb? If you're not already, maybe after worming with Cydectin (which is what I use on our heifer, too) - starting adding alfalfa hay or pellets or cubes and some calf manna or soy meal, which is a lot cheaper.