Buckwheat, the world's smallest bull

[cascade]

Dec 22, 2014 22:33:32 GMT Donlin Stud said:

Dec 21, 2014 21:22:31 GMT cascade said:

As I said above: "Calves below 35 pounds can correlate to health issues and shortened lives, and certainly at over 60 pounds can correlate to birthing problems for the Dexter mother. It's best to avoid both and horn status is irrelevant."

The ideal solution is to select for ideal birth-weights and that's probably in the 40-50 or 35-55 pound range for dexters.

Hi Cascade
Our Dexter calves range between 12 to barely 17 kilos with their weights taken sometime in the first three – four days. (26 – 37.5 pounds).

All our Dexters are maintained at a Body Condition Score of no less than 6 at any time throughout the year and our Dexter calves run around healthy and full of energy.

The ones in the mid-thirties will likely live longer healthy lives, but the ones down toward the twenties and lower have a higher correlation to early arthritis and early deaths especially as they get a little older.
Likewise, there are plenty of 60+ pound dexter calves and moms that do just fine, but there is a strong correlation to birthing difficulties at those higher weights.

I can find lots and lots and lots of 35 - 55 pound calves that live healthy lives to age 18+
I haven't heard of many calves that had a birth-weight of under 30 pounds who lived healthy lives to age 18+
I like your scientific approach to things, so it will be interesting to watch your herd's findings over the years.

PS. In humans, Low Birth Weight (LBW) is a serious health problem.. under 6 pounds is considered problematic with a strong correlation to health problems throughout life

[Donlin Stud]

Dec 22, 2014 23:28:43 GMT cascade said:

Dec 22, 2014 22:33:32 GMT Donlin Stud said:

I haven't heard of many calves that had a birth-weight of under 30 pounds who lived healthy lives to age 18+
I like your scientific approach to things, so it will be interesting to watch your herd's findings over the years.

I will certainly let you know in 16 years time then when the first lot are due to hit their 18th year.

Oh and thank you but I really do have Judy, Genebo and Lakeports to thank for the way we do approach to things - they dont know it but I have learnt quite a bit in a very short timeframe from many angles which has helped us make, and sometimes change the way we look or assess things.