Thursday, August 12, 2021

Selecting Replacement Heifers

Adriane Good

Many producers have been reducing their herd sizes this year and as you watch trailers full of cows make their way to the auction yard, you may be contemplating exactly which of your heifer calves you should select as replacements and which should be sent down the road with the steer calves.

First of all, there should be some automatic culling reasons no matter the year. If they have a structural fault of any kind, you don’t want them in your herd. Whether that be feet and leg issues, udder or mammary system problems, lack of capacity, or narrow pins, go ahead and put them on the cull list. Another good reason not to keep a heifer is if she had a tough entry to the world. If her dam had calving problems, there’s a good chance her dam will have passed it on to her. In a year like this where feed is short, you may not want to take that risk.

Another thing to think about is the heifer’s birth weight. A birth weight that is not too big and not too small is what you want to shoot for. A heifer calf that had an average birth weight will likely throw calves with average birth weights, which is something to aim for. Too big, and you might run into calving problems. Too small, and you’ll lose precious pounds when you ship.

Looking at the size of your calves may help you make your replacement heifer decisions, but their birth dates are also important. The calves that were born in the first 21 days of your calving cycle are going to mature earlier than the later born calves, which means they’ll get pregnant earlier and calve earlier, helping you to keep the majority of your calves born in that first cycle. These calves were also born to the cows that caught on the first cycle, suggesting that they are the more fertile cows and may pass that on to their daughters.

If you have white faced cows in your herd, it can also be helpful to select the heifers that have pigmentation around their eye. Cows that have white skin around their eyes have a higher risk of pink eye, and in a year where feed is in short supply, it’s just not worth keeping them. Speaking of risk, the heifer calves that are nervous or give you sketchy vibes are also not worth keeping. It can be tough to get rid of those cows and calves with problem dispositions sometimes but adding a hospital bill to your feed bill isn’t a great idea this year.

Other heifers that would be good to keep are those out of your older cows, provided they still meet the previous criteria. If their dams are older and have been part of your herd for a while, the calves will probably have some longevity to them as well.

Finally, you can always look at the genetics of your calves. EPD’s, or expected progeny differences, are the estimated value of your cattle as breeding stock. If the sire and/or the dam of an average calf has good EPD’s, it might be worth keeping the calf as a replacement. Of course, if the calf has a structural fault, EPD’s won’t save it from the cull pen.

Selecting your replacement heifers can be tricky business, especially in years like this. For more information on choosing who in your herd gets to stay and who gets to go on a field trip, contact your local MSU Extension office.


Which of these heifers would you keep and which would you cull?


Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Summer jobs for youth

Kari Lewis 

    Last week, I made a road trip to Lewistown for Extension meetings.  Along the way, it seemed every place I stopped at had a ‘Help Wanted’ sign.  With so many places hiring, there are some great opportunities available for youth looking for a summer job and to gain some skills for their resume. 

                For a teen looking for a summer job, the Montana 4-H Clover Communications curriculum provides examples of cover letters, resumes, and job applications and tips for interviewing.  These Career Communications resources are available online or by contacting your local extension office.   There are also examples of common interview questions that are great to prep with prior to an interview.

                What about younger kids who may not be able to apply for a ‘real’ job yet?  Here are a few ideas:

·         Sell bottled water or lemonade.  A 24-pack case of water for $2.50 works out to $0.10/bottle.  If those bottles can be resold at $1/each, that is over $20 in profit on just one case of water. 
·         The Farmer’s Market can be a fantastic place for selling baked goods, crafts, homemade dog treats, or craft kits that kids could assemble themselves.  Offering face painting or making balloon animals there could also be a fantastic side avenue.
·         Open class at the fair – Many fairs have ‘Open Class’ divisions where anyone can enter photography, baked goods, crafts, even Lego creations, etc.  For every ribbon that is awarded, there is cash ‘premium money’ given as well.  Kids can earn money through their Open Class exhibits, so start now! 
·         Resell old stuff – Most kids have unused or unwanted toys, video games, clothes that they’ve outgrown, etc. that they could sell at a garage sale or online. 
·         Yard or house care – There is a demand for lawn mowing, weeding flower beds, cleaning up dog messes after winter, washing windows, etc.
·         Sell farm fresh eggs – I know a few kids who did quite well selling eggs over the years.   The Farm Service Agency does have youth ag loans that can be used for purchasing livestock or equipment.
·         Pet care – Whether its pet sitting while folks are on vacation or dog walking, this can be a great option.
·         Babysitting – Babysitting can be a great summer gig, and the Teton county Extension office even has an upcoming babysitter boot camp, call them at 406-466-2491 for more details. 
·         Upgrade items – If a kid is willing to keep an eye out by the dumpsters or pick up things being given away, they can likely clean up and perhaps paint items to resell. 
·         Teach a skill – whether it is giving lessons to another kid or helping an elderly neighbor set up electronics or a social media account, that can be a possibility.
·         With many summer weddings and reunions going on, a kid willing to organize kid’s activities, or serve, do cleanup or provide a photo booth with Polaroids there could be a great moneymaker. Being an entertainer at a kid’s birthday party or doing face painting or balloon animals work too.

As a parent, you may also choose to pay your kids a set amount for specific chores or even for every book they read.  If you are able, consider matching their earnings to a set amount.  There are many more ideas online of how children and teens can earn money but hopefully this provides a starting place.