# Weight tapes for cows



## Farmer Kitty (Feb 3, 2009)

I'm posting for the dairy breed tape covering Holstein, Guernsey, and Jersey. If someone has one for beef could you please post the info for it?

We have had at least one member that has had trouble getting a hold of the tape so I will do my best to give you the info on it and maybe you can use a fabric tape. It would be best if you can get your hands on a weight tape to do so as I'm only giving bunch marks and they have weights in between.

Keep in mind that these are average weights for heifers and are a rough figure.
*Holstein & Brown Swiss*- 3 months--215 pounds(40  inches), 6 months--395 pounds(50 inches), Lightest breeding weight--840 pounds(66  inches), Average calving--1195 pounds(76 inches)

*Guernesy & Ayrshires-*3 months--177 pounds(38 inches), 6 months--336 pounds (47  inches), Lightest breeding weight--607 pounds (59  inches), Average calving--950 pounds (70 inches)

*Jersey-*3 months--138 pounds (35 inches), 6 months--280 pounds (44  inches), Lightest breeding weight--529 pounds (57 inches), Average calving--726 pounds (63  inches)

Directions for use:
When you take measurements, the cow should stand square with the head upright. If she moves about, take several measurements and average them for best results. Place the tape around the cow at the smallest heart hirth just back of the front legs. Pull it tight enough to lay the hair flat and read the weight in the correct scale. 





Closeup.









From: Raising A Calf For Beef





From: Raising A Calf For Beef


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## wynedot55 (Feb 3, 2009)

kitty thats some good info for new people.i like to use my eye when guessing cattles weight.


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## Farmer Kitty (Feb 3, 2009)

wynedot55 said:
			
		

> kitty thats some good info for new people.i like to use my eye when guessing cattles weight.


That comes with practice. I had to really dig to find our weight tape.


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## wynedot55 (Feb 3, 2009)

ive been guessing weights for almost 40yrs.an ive got so good i rarely miss weights by 50lbs up or down.i know what you men.you prolly havent used a weigh tape in years.


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## babyboy1_mom (Feb 3, 2009)

Thanks very much FarmerKitty.  I am going to have to find my sewing tape tomorrow and go see how big around he is now...lol  

I saw the other 2 calves that my sister purchased at the same time as BarBQ and they are tiny compared to him.  My DH whispered to me that he thinks that they are starving...lol

I have been giving him approx. 2 gal. of calf starter (16% I think), hay and grass. I am working on getting the new fences up, so that he can get more grass, because he doesn't get much right now.

Ok, now tell me if I am over feeding or under feeding. I don't believe that he is under fed at all.  He has really grown...lol  

I will post my measurements tomorrow, but he is only about 9 wks, so not quite 3 mon. yet.

Dorothy


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## Farmer Kitty (Feb 4, 2009)

My recommendation for grain would be 5-6 pounds but, that depends on the type of meat you want too. I have a SIL that raises corn feed beef and those animals get all the grain they can eat with a little hay for roughage. Some prefer grass fed only. Grain weight varies so you would have to weigh your grain to see where you are at. As long as he is growing good then it's up to you as to how much. If you think he's getting to much try cutting back a little and see how he grows.


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## wynedot55 (Feb 4, 2009)

he is eating good.id leave him at 2 gallons of feed a day for awhile.because you want him to grow fast an big.less days on feed means less feed.when i put bulls or heifers in the pen.i feed them 12 to 15lbs of feed ea a day.


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## babyboy1_mom (Feb 4, 2009)

I don't have the new pics. yet, but I tried to measure BarBQ by myself and what I came up with was that he is approx. 39" - 40" tall and around his approx. 41" around the smallest chest area. (According to FarmerKitty's directions and pics.)  

I will have to get DH to help me and see if we can get him to be still long enough to get a better measurement. 

Something else, we banded him last Thursday and I tried to see it this morning and from what I can tell, his band is no longer there.  I will have to get my DH to help me check that area out as well...lol  

I will post pics. as soon as possible, been crazy around here.  By the measurements, if anyone wants to give a guess on his weight, then it will be welcomed.

Thanks, 
Dorothy


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## wynedot55 (Feb 4, 2009)

when you post pics of him.ill guess his weight.


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## Farmer Kitty (Feb 4, 2009)

At 41" he would be 224 pounds according to the tape.


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## babyboy1_mom (Feb 4, 2009)

I will try to get the pics. on here tomorrow.

So, do all of you think that approx. 224 lbs. is a good weight for a approx. 9 wk old bull calf? 

If he is indeed at that weight or close to it, then he is almost half the weight that my last bull that my sister raised for us, when he was 1 yr. 8 mo.   (373 dressed/cleaned, whatever they called it.  My BIL said to add approx. 150 lbs. to estimate total weight.  I personally do not know.)  That is a huge difference, IMO.

 I am learning and loving every minute of it. I just wish that I wasn't so tired, so that I could keep more info. in my head without having to read it several times.  I know that with time comes experience, so it will eventually stick with the experience and time...lol

Thanks for all the help, suggestions and info.

Dorothy


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## Farmer Kitty (Feb 5, 2009)

I believe, when you butcher, dressed out weight is roughly 60% of live weight. Of course, that will depend on the breed and the individual animal.

With the other one weighing 373 dressed out and add on the 150 your BIL told you to add on he only weighed 523 pounds. So 60% of 523 is 313.80 pounds. But as a 1 year 8 month old that isn't to good. 

Now, for your current calf, at 9 weeks and roughly 224 pounds I would say he's doing good. The tape put heifers at 215 at 3 months and while a steer/bull will probably be a little more, I would think he's doing good. I don't know what he weighed at birth but, I'll figure 100 pounds. So that's a gain of 124 pounds in 9 weeks or 13.7 pounds a week.


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## wynedot55 (Feb 5, 2009)

if you can keep him gaining 1.8 to 2lbs a day.he will weigh in at 750lbs at 1 yr old or less.but todo that you have to pour the feed to him.if the calf that your sil raised an butchered for you weighed 525 lbs.that tells me that she fed him very little grain.an prolly just had him on hay an pasture.


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## Farmer Kitty (Feb 24, 2009)

I have added a chart to the original post.


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## babyboy1_mom (Feb 25, 2009)

Sorry that this has taken me so long, but take my word for it, that things have been absolutely crazy around here.  I haven't been online in a while.  Here are the pictures that were supposed to have been here a long time ago...lol























Yes, he is tied on a rope at this time. DH and I are working on his pasture now and will have it done soon, I hope.  

I will "try" to get new measurements on him tomorrow and will post them.

Dorothy


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## Farmer Kitty (Feb 26, 2009)

I like the second pic. He is looking well.


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## wynedot55 (Feb 26, 2009)

he looks to weigh 300 to 350 more or less.keep pouring the feed to him.


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## babyboy1_mom (Feb 26, 2009)

Thanks Farmer Kitty and wynedot55.  I like the secone picture also.  I was stooping down to take it and he was coming towards me to see if I had something for him to eat...lol

I did discover yesterday, that he has a ringworm on his neck and I went to the feed store right then and got the meds. to treat it, before it gets out of hand.  Now, I keep thinking about it and itching all over...lol  

Dorothy


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## JerseyXGirl (Apr 2, 2009)

How do you measure a cow that is a dairy x beef cross like Jersey x Angus?  I measured with a cloth tape and got 30"

I may have been off alittle but after finding this thread I will redo tomorrow but I think I'm I did pretty good for guessing, lol.


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## Farmer Kitty (Apr 2, 2009)

Good question. I never did get anyone to do the beef tapes--I'll have to see if I can find one when I get to town. Without it to compare I'm not sure how to do a cross. Try posting a pic of the calf with things in the background to compare it to and see if we can estimate a weight for you.


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## JerseyXGirl (Apr 2, 2009)

Farmer Kitty said:
			
		

> Good question. I never did get anyone to do the beef tapes--I'll have to see if I can find one when I get to town. Without it to compare I'm not sure how to do a cross. Try posting a pic of the calf with things in the background to compare it to and see if we can estimate a weight for you.


Ok tomorrow I will get up to date pics because they've put on some weight   I also have another question off topic for you Farmer Kitty and don't know where to put it.

The brown and white one (TBone) is recouping from having scours really bad and doing a fine job and is eating and doing great.  His back end was pretty yucky and dried with poo.  He now has these two hairless spots back there where it looks like he nawed the poo off.  Is this normal, should I put some blu kote on them.  No redness or sores just two bare batches where it looks like he was nawing the poo off cleaning hisself.


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## wynedot55 (Apr 2, 2009)

im not kitty.but i can answer your q.yes thats normal for them to loose some hair like that.


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## Farmer Kitty (Apr 2, 2009)

Just leave the bare spots be, as long as there is no sores. The hair will grow back just fine.


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