Finish on a Heifer

[fordkindagirl]

What should the finish feel/look like on a heifer? I am hopefully getting a heifer soon (I'm doing the Houston calf scramble) but have only raised steers! And I believe that before calving you should increase the amount of fat on the heifer, so they look decent after calving  ? ( a judge recently told me  that). Thanks!

 

[BIGTEX]

I caught a calf in the HLSSR Scramble 21 years ago. If you haven't caught a calf yet I would say you are jumping the gun a little. I ran 5 miles a day in the morning before school just to get ready to run around the Astrodome. Good Luck! Don't worry about the amount of finish just yet.

 

[fordkindagirl]

I caught a calf in the HLSSR Scramble 21 years ago. If you haven't caught a calf yet I would say you are jumping the gun a little. I ran 5 miles a day in the morning before school just to get ready to run around the Astrodome. Good Luck! Don't worry about the amount of finish just yet.

Nice! And we were considering purchasing a heifer before I entered the calf scramble (that was just a bonus) so most likely even if I don't catch a calf I will be getting a heifer (crossin' my fingers). And I'm a cross country runner and a wrestler (a girl wrestler, outrageous! lol ) so I'm in shape and with wrestling practice you stay that way! (Ask any wrestler- wrestling practice is unlike anything you have ever done)

 

[The Show]

You definitely don't want to increase the amount of fat on a heifer right before calving. You don't want them too fat or they will have a harder time calving. Especially first calf heifers.  

 

[SFASUshowman]

Judges generally arent going to handle breeding animals, and finish isnt really important in breeding animals.  We want them healthy and in good flesh.  You definately want the heifer in great body condition going into breeding season. Not only will this increase her chances of settling, but it will also make her look better after calving.  If one is behind when bred, it is hard to get both cow and calf in good condition and looking good when she calves. But by all means do not try to increase fat just before calving.  Not only to fatter cows generally have more calving difficulty, the fetus grows exponentially during that last trimester. By increasing the engergy in the cows diet to get her fat you also increase the energy the calf is receiving and make that calf grow even more, greatly increasing the chance that you are gonna have a huge calf you have to pull. You dont want this in any cow, but especially not in a first calf heifer!

 

[Shorthorns4us]

Nothing personal against judges, but please do not listen to the judge in this case-- DO NOT have your heifers overly fat at calving time--you are looking for a train wreck. 
Not only does having a heifer too fat before breeding, during gestation and at calving make her a possible hard calver with problems due to the fat and weight-- you are not helping her chances of producing or becoming a good milker.  Heifers that are over fat build a lot of that fat in the udder and can potentially ruin their udder.

Heifers should be in good condition-- not thin-- not fat at all times during the breeding season and gestation-  Another important piece to the breeding season is be sure they have the proper mineral program.    You should not see the common tell tale signs of a bunch of finish on a beef-- especially a breeding heifer-- fat and finish build up in the brisket, an udder that is full of fat, patches of fat built up around the tail head, etc.  Your heifer will benefit in the long run as a long term productive cow in your herd if you keep her moderate in her condition.
EF