Birth weight variation from same bull and cows

[herfdog]

Has anyone had the chance to breed the same bull on the same cows for a number of years and get birth weights on the calves? I would like to know how much variation there is on the birth weights. Thanks

[Deleted]

Have a decent example with a 4th calf due in a month out of the same mating. We've bred our oldest cow to our herd sire the past 3 years and had varied results. Her heaviest calf ever was a 115# bull out of our World Class son who we typically got light birth weights out of so that was an odd one. She also had a 102# bull calf out of a Boomer 29F son we used which wasn't a surprise because in that same calf crop 6 of the 18 calves were 100+ lbs and 4 others were 90+ which was the red flag for us that maybe the bull was not a good calving ease bull despite his actual BW of 86#

89# bull
83# heifer
74# heifer

[circleh]

I am learning that some environmental factors may effect calf weight as much as anything. Weather, amount of forage, feed intake. First year I moved my small group to the pasture beside the my home, I had huge calves. Haven't had them since. As I look back on the situation I think the fact they were right beside my home allowed be to visit them daily with a bucket of feed.

[herfdog]

Feb 27, 2015 23:03:10 GMT -6 circleh said:

I am learning that some environmental factors may effect calf weight as much as anything. Weather, amount of forage, feed intake. First year I moved my small group to the pasture beside the my home, I had huge calves. Haven't had them since. As I look back on the situation I think the fact they were right beside my home allowed be to visit them daily with a bucket of feed.

That's what I am thinking but just wondering if any one had any data on it.

[strojanherefords]

I have a related question. How do you compare the weaning weights between calves out of first calf heifers, cows in their prime and aged cows.