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05/12/10, 12:31 AM
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Banned
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Location: WV
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9 month Jersey Heifer Condition
Okay, since putting her from a dry lot with hay and grain and added soy meal (we hadn't finished fence with pasture until a few weeks ago). . .
to a lush pasture 24/7 and less grain and no hay, Stella, who is 9 months old,
has gotten thinner. . . but she really might have been too heavy before. . .still,
her ribs are fairly obvious. . .even more so than these photos show tonight, IMO.
But I know Dairy animals usually are supposed to be thinner - so how is her condition? Do I need to up her feed?
This one was from about 10 days ago:
Last edited by deineria; 05/12/10 at 12:36 AM.
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05/12/10, 06:41 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,441
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For one thing, she is probably getting more exercise. Did you worm her before turning her out to grass? She really doesn't look that thin to me, but if you haven't wormed her, you might want to do that.
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05/12/10, 08:02 AM
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Retired Coastie
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Monterey, Tennessee
Posts: 4,651
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photo
Photo of my nine month old...photo taken two days ago...they look the same size to me.
Topside
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TOPSIDE FARMS
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05/12/10, 08:04 AM
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Retired Coastie
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Monterey, Tennessee
Posts: 4,651
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photos
Your's maybe showing more backbone. Here is another photo taken the same day. Different stance, different angle, different look. Weight tape her again.
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TOPSIDE FARMS
Last edited by topside1; 05/12/10 at 08:12 AM.
Reason: extra info
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05/12/10, 05:25 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Republic of Alabama
Posts: 1,569
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Heifer looks good as it can get in pasture condition.
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05/12/10, 05:46 PM
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 17,225
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Youngsters of all species can have spurts of great growth and periods of decline. Could be new teeth, new feed, a spurt in height, etc. Does she look noticeably taller in a short period of time? The recent change in feed can cause a short decline as she develops new rumen flora to process the new feed.
She looks beautiful to me BTW.
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Libertarindependent
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05/12/10, 05:52 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Missouri
Posts: 9,208
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She looks fine to me. She is a teenager going through awkward phases. They look different every time you look at them. She is shiny, eyes are bright, she has a layer of flesh over those ribs, they are not jutting.....I think she looks great.
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Emily Dixon
Ozark Jewels
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05/12/10, 07:26 PM
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Banned
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Thank you. I was afraid she was a little too heavy which is why I cut the grain back when moving her from a dry lot to a lush pasture.
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05/13/10, 04:35 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Missouri
Posts: 2,349
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Naw, she looks awful. But, being the good ole boy that I am I'll come and haul her away for you before she does down to nothing and blows away in the next strong wind.
A beautiful very feminine looking heifer, I wish I had a half dozen like her.
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05/13/10, 04:39 PM
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Udderly Happy!
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Oklahoma
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I think she a keeper! Like Ozark said, she's a teenager going through the awkward stage. I've got some jerseys that are well fed and well cared for that don't look near that good. Some are easy keepers and some are not. As long as she's got a smooth, shiny coat and she's not showing more than 3 pronounced ribs, I don't consider her to be thin. I'd be real proud of her if it was me.
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05/13/10, 05:03 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Missouri
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Sorry duplicate post
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05/13/10, 05:14 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: WV
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Thank you all. I am in beef cattle country - no dairy cows anywhere by and large - so I just never know how she should look at each stage.
Another question, which I asked before, but now she is much older and in her summer coat - do you all think she will get the black face like her Dam has or is her adult color what she has now?
Everyone thought so from fall/winter pics, but she looks lighter than she did then, now. . .
Stella is the calf there. . .
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05/13/10, 10:18 PM
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Moderator
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: MO
Posts: 10,683
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Yes, Stella is going to get a black mask. 
Each time she sheds coat it will get a little bit darker.
I know it isn't what you want to hear, but it is true. Sorry.
She is looking great!
I cannot wait til you get her bred and everything that follows. 
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05/14/10, 12:20 AM
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Banned
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: WV
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lol ~ Oh no! I am not a fan of the black mask, at all - but Oh, well!
Thanks
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