Who is called a heifer
Heifer - what is it? This is the name of a heifer that has never brought offspring. A cow is called a heifer until calving. Care and rearing of heifers is extremely important in the prosperity of the farm. It is necessary to take care of the correct development of the organs responsible for lactation, milk production, muscles, skeleton, as well as normal metabolism.
Heifer
Features of heifer care
The main thing that will help raise a healthy cow or heifer is the right diet. Due to the peculiarities of metabolism, cows are often susceptible to various diseases of the digestive, reproductive, cardiac and other systems. From six months, the heifer should be fed solid succulent feed. It is recommended to inseminate heifers at 18-19 months of age. After about 6 months, it is necessary to increase the amount of carbohydrates consumed for the desired development of the mammary glands.
The duration of pregnancy is influenced by many factors:
- the specifics of care;
- feeding features;
- individual characteristics of the animal;
- breeds;
- calf sex.
Most inexperienced farmers believe that raising a heifer is not difficult at all. However, they are very much mistaken, because in order for the heifer to bring good milk yield in the future, it is necessary to approach growing and care very seriously.
Conducting mating
As already mentioned, the female is inseminated only when she reaches a certain age. In addition, it must be taken into account that the weight of the heifer must be at least 400 kg. Only in this case, the animal can normally go away during pregnancy and gain optimal weight. To avoid metabolic problems as a consequence of obesity, feeding should be closely monitored after insemination. Disturbances in the body occur due to the fact that the stomach increases in size, preparing itself to receive large amounts of food.
Only balanced feed should be used to feed the bred heifers. Silage and concentrates should be excluded from the diet. The feed itself should be carefully checked for mold and mildew.
How to find out that a cow is pregnant and give birth
Heifer pregnancy can be determined by behavior. The following signs will indicate pregnancy:
- during grazing, a young heifer behaves covertly, tries to hide;
- the labia and nipples are swollen;
- there is a loss of appetite;
- the pelvis becomes wider, and a milky yellow fluid is released from the nipples.
Immediately before calving, the heifer becomes restless, cannot find a place for itself. Frequent bowel movements are observed. These symptoms can last for several hours. During the time the contractions last, it is necessary to prepare the place for childbirth: lay a washed rag, collect several buckets of clean warm water. The external genitalia must be prepared by treating them with a warm solution of manganese.
A first heifer will give birth for over an hour.After calving, the cow is thoroughly washed and wiped dry. The young are left with their mother for 15-20 hours. Half an hour after calving, you need to drink warm water. The first month the calf is kept separately, especially if the birth occurred during the cold season, in which case it should be taken to a warm room.
After 1.5 weeks, the cow is fed more feed. Beets and concentrates should be added to the main feed. After calving, the cows are milked more thoroughly, always with a fist, and not with ordinary pinches. Correct breeding is the key to good milk production. Much depends on the proper nutrition of the animal during this period. A heifer can be of great benefit to any household, although you will have to try first.
How to find your own livestock
To choose the right cattle for your yard, you need to take into account the peculiarities of each breed and rely on your preferences and needs.
- Herefords are meat representatives of cattle. Gobies and heifers are highly prized for their high quality marbled beef and high yield at slaughter. Breeding bulls are often used to improve the quality of the herd.
- Holstein individuals are famous for their large milk yield. They perfectly adapt to any climatic conditions, but they need a large amount of specialized feed, which costs a penny to the owners. The initial milk yield is 6500 liters of milk per year.
- The Simmental breed belongs to the meat and dairy direction. This representative is less picky about care. Its milk is more fatty, but the milk yield is less than that of the Holsteins.
- Representatives of the black-and-white breed are the most common inhabitants of our lands. The species has earned popularity due to its endurance and excellent adaptability to any climatic conditions.
- Ayrshire cows have a small build, the color of their coat is red and motley. Such individuals are recognized as the most budgetary species, more suitable for meat production.
Buying a heifer is a pretty profitable business that needs to be approached with full responsibility. Prices will depend on the breed data, the condition of the animal at the time of purchase. Many businesses provide a wide variety of cattle to suit any farmer.
What to look for when choosing an animal
If you decide to have a cow, the business should start with renovation work. First you need to prepare a stall, equip it and calculate all possible options. Many businesses specialize in the sale of heifers and carefully monitor their cleanliness within the genus.
To choose a cow, you need to pay attention to its external characteristics. The middle part of the body should be more massive, and the muscle mass should not have a very pronounced relief. In particular, you should look at these qualities if the cow is bought for meat purposes.
The second thing you should pay attention to is the udder. It should be large in size, the skin should be elastic. Such parameters are the key to a good milk yield in the future.
Final part
Many people think that raising a heifer is easy, but it is not. For the timely correct development of the livestock body, you need to work hard. The main thing that proper cultivation requires is adherence to the rules of care, feeding and walking of cattle, and to achieve perfection in this, you will have to spend more than one month.
Most are interested in the question of how much a heifer costs. The price of cows is very different. Many farms are able to provide customers with a product that will meet their needs. The price will depend on the condition of the animal, breed, belonging to the meat or dairy species, the characteristics of care, etc.