weighing cattle

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DL

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Jan 29, 2007
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I am planning on weaning a month earlier than usual and weighing and started thinking a couple of things - why with the promotion of early weaning (esp in drought conditions) don't breed associations (at least the Maines) accept weights when they are weaned vs within a specific time period (ie btwn 170 and 235 days or some such thing) and when do people usually weigh and with what? Do you use a standing scales for BW, WW, and YW or just WW and YR. Do you own the scale or borrow one? If you own it what is it and do you like it?
 

Show Heifer

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Jan 28, 2007
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I would like to know too which everyone thinks is the best....as I have a new stronghold chute and am considering within the next year, getting a scale.  I am so pathetically bad about guessing weights!
 

Jill

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Our birth weights we take on a stand we made that holds the scale and have a sling attached to it.  Our weaning and yearling weights are taken on a regular fairbanks sale, when our county fair updated to an electric model they sold this one in the auction, it is good enough for what we do with it.  I'm not sure why they don't take the weights, but we have weaned early the last couple of years and the system kicks those early weights out.  To me, we feed very heavy compared to most,  a weight after 2 months of feeding isn't really an accurate weaning weight.
 

ROAD WARRIOR

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dragon lady said:
I am planning on weaning a month earlier than usual and weighing and started thinking a couple of things - why with the promotion of early weaning (esp in drought conditions) don't breed associations (at least the Maines) accept weights when they are weaned vs within a specific time period (ie btwn 170 and 235 days or some such thing) and when do people usually weigh and with what? Do you use a standing scales for BW, WW, and YW or just WW and YR. Do you own the scale or borrow one? If you own it what is it and do you like it?

I own our scale. I use it for taking WW, YW and mature weights. For BW I now use a tape (easy to carry in a saddle bag) and after comparing it to a spring scale decided it was just as accurate as they are. My digital scale is a Central City, made in NE. It runs off of either 12 volt or 110. I have a alley way model right behind the squeeze chute and it has given me no problems in 8 years. Every animal that goes through the chute goes acrossed the scale and it seems to take the wear and tear with out any problem. I think they make all varieties of models including one that goes under a chute. And DL the Red assn. kicks out anything weaned before 150 days, don't ask me why.
 

DL

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Jan 29, 2007
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Yeah I think it is wierd - the CHAPS program calculates those less than 205 (or whatever) weaning weights - but the associations don't - seems kinda counterproductive, like Jill says after feeding heavy is that an accurate weight?

I tape my calves as soon as they hit the ground (before they get up) to get an idea what they weigh. I used to put them in the sling but that got real old real fast - once they are standing I weigh them on a portable scale. Like you said RW there is very little difference between the tape and the actual weight - I did the graph thing once as well.

My scale is in my chute and every once in a while I can't get a little bugger in there in a timely fashion. I have a TruTest that I got from my Gallagher dealer - it has an electronic read out - can use either 110 or truck battery or battery - pretty handy. It is reasonably portable with an aluminum stand and the weigh bars go underneath - a couple of years ago the horse kicked a bunch of gunk into the mechanism - so I don't leave the weigh bars out any more - I think if you had a chute without a horse nearby that would not be an issue!
;D

 

Will

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We tape every calf when they are born.  Our country is to rough to try and use a scale at birth.  Then at weaning time I borrow the scale that belongs to the local coop.  I get it when ever I want it, I do not think it is used that often. 
 

Maines in PA

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Not sure, but I suspect that the regression equation used to adjust weaning weights to 205 days probably does a lousy job when cattle are less than 150 days of age.  I think there's an upper limit (240 days?) where the same thing happens.  You'll notice that younger cattle whose weights are accepted (150-170 days) often have some of the higher adjusted WW. 

I use a tape for baby calves. It's good enough to grasp intra-herd variation which is much more important than actual BW for breed association submission.  Waiting for the innards to be repaired from a set of hydraulic scales I bought a couple of years ago.  It will be nice to have something accurate to weigh calves on this fall.
 
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