Help on Birth Weight

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LindseysMaine_Angus

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Aug 16, 2011
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Sumner, MI
I was wondering if there is anyway I can calculate my steers birth weight. Here is some info. that would probably help.
D.O.B: April 4th 2011
Current Weight: About 647
Eating about 3.5 pounds a day
Gaining about 25 pounds a week
He was born on pasture and was weaned about Beginning/Middle November
I am not sure his Parents BirthWeight. His Mom is sired by sunseeker. I am not sure of his dad.
 

kfacres

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Industry, IL Ph #: 618-322-2582
NO

unless you get a time machine and go back to check on that...

Also notice that you said the word "about" several times.. Without exacts....  My guess is as good as yours...

Matter of fact, I'm going to guess and say that your steer was born about in the 87-102 pound range.  You know, just like many of the promo clubby steer sires...  O, and I forgot... Unassisted- wait maybe I guessed in the 80s? 

If you had a Canada shorthorn- I'd guess since he's a steer- his bw. would be over 102-- unless it got crept down to 101 so he could keep his nuts in him... Maybe the scale was a little off that day-- maybe he had a full belly of milk, which weighed about 2 pounds, and so he really weighed 101-- which made him a prospect to be a great one.

Come to think of it-- that's
 

LindseysMaine_Angus

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Sumner, MI
Cut the BS said:
NO

unless you get a time machine and go back to check on that...

Also notice that you said the word "about" several times.. Without exacts....  My guess is as good as yours...

Matter of fact, I'm going to guess and say that your steer was born about in the 87-102 pound range.  You know, just like many of the promo clubby steer sires...  O, and I forgot... Unassisted- wait maybe I guessed in the 80s? 

If you had a Canada shorthorn- I'd guess since he's a steer- his bw. would be over 102-- unless it got crept down to 101 so he could keep his nuts in him... Maybe the scale was a little off that day-- maybe he had a full belly of milk, which weighed about 2 pounds, and so he really weighed 101-- which made him a prospect to be a great one.

Come to think of it-- that's

I estimated all of these by using a calculator. I figured he is weighing 647 because on December 3 he weighed 605 and November 12 he weighed 580 so thats how I did that and I figured 3.5 lbs by basically doing the same thing. you know a calculator is only an estimate. ABOUT=ESTIMATE. I know you are only being honest. he is an Angus x Chi x Maine.
 

vcsf

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Jan 21, 2009
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Saskatchewan, Canada
No, there is no way to calculate his birth weight. The only true way to know a birth weight is to actually weigh the calf within hours of birth.  In all honesty your calf could have a birth weight anywhere from 50 lbs to 150 lbs or even more or less.

On a different note if your calf is really gaining 25 pounds a week (about 3.5 lbs per day) on only 3.5 lbs of feed per day he may just be the greatest calf ever born from a production standpoint.  That is a conversion rate of 1 to 1 a rate of 6 pounds feed per pound of gain would be considered to be very good.  What I am saying is I think you are wrong about either what he is eating or what he is gaining.  A calf that weight for show should be eating close to or over 15 pounds per day.

edited to add
I just reread your reply above.  From Nov. 12 to Dec. 3 is a period of three weeks so it actually shows your calf to only be gaining just over a pound per day and a 25 pound difference in weight could be accounted for by him drinking three gallons of water and he may in fact be losing weight.  I am not trying to be critical but merely inform you.  I realize you are fairly new to this.
 

LindseysMaine_Angus

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Sumner, MI
vcsf said:
No, there is no way to calculate his birth weight. The only true way to know a birth weight is to actually weigh the calf within hours of birth.  In all honesty your calf could have a birth weight anywhere from 50 lbs to 150 lbs or even more or less.

On a different note if your calf is really gaining 25 pounds a week (about 3.5 lbs per day) on only 3.5 lbs of feed per day he may just be the greatest calf ever born from a production standpoint.  That is a conversion rate of 1 to 1 a rate of 6 pounds feed per pound of gain would be considered to be very good.  What I am saying is I think you are wrong about either what he is eating or what he is gaining.  A calf that weight for show should be eating close to or over 15 pounds per day.

edited to add
I just reread your reply above.  From Nov. 12 to Dec. 3 is a period of three weeks so it actually shows your calf to only be gaining just over a pound per day and a 25 pound difference in weight could be accounted for by him drinking three gallons of water and he may in fact be losing weight.  I am not trying to be critical but merely inform you.  I realize you are fairly new to this.
I ment he gains 25lbs approx every 2 weeks. His ADG (Average Daily Gain) Is 3.5 pounds
 

firesweepranch

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SW MO
Gee, it is great to see what others are doing. We are raising our 4th steer (we focus on heifers, one of our kids raises a steer for the fair each year, and then into our freezer he goes!), and this is our first bred and owned. He was born out of a first calf heifer, at 82 pounds, on April 2nd. We steered him in October (we were going to leave him a bull, but we have three other bulls to sell and he was the youngest in the group with the least liked attitude, so he got selected), and we just weighed him this weekend and he is 1040, which is quiet a bit heavier than yours Lindsey. He is currently eating between 20 and 25 pounds winter creep twice a day, so he is gaining great! Our fair is in June, and we are thinking of taking him to the South Central Regionals in Arkansas in June, since he is really nice and it is close to us. He is probably the best steer we have ever raised, and everyone that sees him thinks he is clubby bred, but he is actually a purebred Simmental! We are sure happy with him, and he will be good eating!!!  <party>
 

nkotb

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Quinter, KS
Not trying to be critical, but 25 lbs every two weeks is nowhere near 3.5 ADG.  It is less than 2.
 

LindseysMaine_Angus

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Sumner, MI
Ok. I will try to figure out everything around christmas and let you guys know. I can post about the 26th or i will post something on my blog...
 

LindseysMaine_Angus

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Joined
Aug 16, 2011
Messages
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Location
Sumner, MI
firesweepranch said:
Gee, it is great to see what others are doing. We are raising our 4th steer (we focus on heifers, one of our kids raises a steer for the fair each year, and then into our freezer he goes!), and this is our first bred and owned. He was born out of a first calf heifer, at 82 pounds, on April 2nd. We steered him in October (we were going to leave him a bull, but we have three other bulls to sell and he was the youngest in the group with the least liked attitude, so he got selected), and we just weighed him this weekend and he is 1040, which is quiet a bit heavier than yours Lindsey. He is currently eating between 20 and 25 pounds winter creep twice a day, so he is gaining great! Our fair is in June, and we are thinking of taking him to the South Central Regionals in Arkansas in June, since he is really nice and it is close to us. He is probably the best steer we have ever raised, and everyone that sees him thinks he is clubby bred, but he is actually a purebred Simmental! We are sure happy with him, and he will be good eating!!!  <party>

I am going to PM you some questions:)
 

Okotoks

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Aug 17, 2010
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3,083
There is no way to get a birth weight unless the calf is actualy weighed shortly after birth.
It would be good to figure out his actual gain and feed conversion, that will be important to help with the success of your project.
Good luck (thumbsup).
 
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