Big Calves

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Toughie

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Feb 4, 2010
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45
What is the biggest birthweight calf that you have had or heard of?  I heard last night of one that weighed 185 lbs and heifers that had calves weighing 146 and 153. 
 

obie105

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Oct 17, 2011
Messages
780
140 was the biggest I have heard of a friend had it and it was a c section and it was 2 weeks overdue. I think 180 is a stretch. 
 

Warrior10

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Aug 9, 2010
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Location
Mason City, Ne
Toughie said:
What is the biggest birthweight calf that you have had or heard of?  I heard last night of one that weighed 185 lbs and heifers that had calves weighing 146 and 153. 
What were the sires of the heifers' calves?
 

kidsandkows

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Dec 30, 2010
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172
Ughh!!! Thats huge! It is hard to imagine, but some of those big ol cows weighing 2000 lbs its really not all that difficult for them to produce well over 100lb calves but I havent heard of anything like that. Interesting!
 

vanridge

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Jan 26, 2011
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468
Location
Manitoba, Canada
When I was a kid and we owned purebred/fullblood  Simmentals ( the original kind) 120 -140 was not uncommon birthweights. This year our heaviest was a 140 lb calf from a  cow who has a bit of simm in her background. We had to pull that one, it was not a hard pull. We also had a cow give birth to 135 lb one this year unassisted and calf was up in minutes sucking. 185 lbs sounds like a lot! Do you know the breed of the cow and sire?
 

bluffcountrycattle

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Mar 27, 2008
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383
Location
SE MN
My cousin is a vet, and he did a C-Section on a Holstein cow a few years back.  They couldn't believe the size, so weighed it....193 lb bull calf!  Don't have to be clubby to be HUGE!!  :eek:
 

RyanChandler

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Jul 6, 2011
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3,457
Location
Pottsboro, TX
bluffcountrycattle said:
My cousin is a vet, and he did a C-Section on a Holstein cow a few years back.  They couldn't believe the size, so weighed it....193 lb bull calf!  Don't have to be clubby to be HUGE!!   :eek:

No, it just has to be another sector that doesnt apply MULTIPLE trait selection protocol.
 

CRS

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Jul 22, 2012
Messages
470
Location
Ohio
I know of a full blood Simmental breeder who called a 120lb calf small. Most of his calves averaged around 130 and has had some near 200. Lots of pulls, but never any cesarean sections.  His cows this year were bred by a Rowe Broadband x Ali.  Be interesting to see how big they are his calves usually run about 70lbs. 
 
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