New born calf wieght

I was wondering if feeding a pregnant cow free choice nice alfalfa  would affect the size of the calf?

LazyGLowlines said:

I was wondering if feeding a pregnant cow free choice nice alfalfa  would affect the size of the calf?

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Yes, based on my experience, it most certainly can.   

as opposed to what?

simtal said:

as opposed to what?

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We feed only grass hay and hayledge, sometimes when we can get a truckload of old alfalfa or Timothy we will add as a supplement. As you probably know we raise Lowlines, we have never had to pull a calf except when it presented wrong. We have a customer who feeds prime alfalfa and had a calf that had to be pulled from a first time heifer. He said she wasn't overly fat.  I just wonder if feed was a factor.

LazyGLowlines said:

simtal said:

as opposed to what?

Click to expand...

We feed only grass hay and hayledge, sometimes when we can get a truckload of old alfalfa or Timothy we will add as a supplement. As you probably know we raise Lowlines, we have never had to pull a calf except when it presented wrong. We have a customer who feeds prime alfalfa and had a calf that had to be pulled from a first time heifer. He said she wasn't overly fat.  I just wonder if feed was a factor.

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Protein grows, but it doesn't fatten.  That's why finishing rations are lower protein/higher energy & growing rations are typically higher protein/lower energy.  If the alfalfa was high in protein the calf could get big, but the heifer still not be overly fat.  Besides, during the later stages of pregnancy, she will be putting a decent amount of her nutrient intake into her calf, rather than back into herself, so that will keep her slimmer too.  With all that said, I don't know if it was the alfalfa or the heifer.  Also, calving right after an extremely cold winter will increase the birth weights.  Honestly, it could be a lot of things.