How to feed a calf and its weight by month. The biggest bulls in the world

I was born and raised in the village. But as many people know, work in the countryside is very tight. Since I no longer wanted to work for my uncle, I began to think, what can I do in the countryside? There were not many options for opening a business, I had a question, what to do with beekeeping, fishing or animal husbandry.

My choice fell on the third option, I decided to breed bulls for meat, but to open my livestock complex, you need a lot of money. The question was how to earn initial capital.

After about a week of thinking, I found a solution. I came up with the idea to open a metal collection point. I found a company not far from the village, which bought metal for 9 rubles a kilogram. I wrote a sign and soon I had the first metal product.

People dragged scrap metal from the whole village, and since I set the price per kg for 5 rubles, most likely my entire yard was littered with metal, so in a week I got about 15 thousand rubles from metal. This start-up business took off well, because there were no jobs in the village and everyone was trying to make money selling metal to me.

For half a year of work, I managed to earn about 250 thousand rubles. And if I were weak-minded, I would have ended on this, but I still had a different goal, the goal of opening my own livestock company.

When a small initial capital was collected, I went to the head of our village to agree on an old building, which used to be a farm in the USSR, but after the devastation they simply forgot about it, I managed to rent this building for 50 thousand for a year, it was Not bad for a building like this. But now there was another question, who should I grow on this farm?

I traveled around the neighboring villages and found an excellent offer, some farmer was selling young bulls for 9 thousand apiece. Without thinking twice, I bought 11 bulls from him for 100 thousand rubles. And again the question arose, I didn’t want to work myself, because I wouldn’t be able to handle 11 bulls alone, so I had to find at least two workers for my farm.

But where else can you find two people to work with cattle, if not in the village. I agreed with 2 adult men who had experience working with cattle, it is not difficult to find such people in the village, because I repeat there is no work there. I offered them a salary of 9 thousand rubles a month, so much time has passed, and I pay them the same amount, the main thing is that everyone is happy.

Any person involved in animal husbandry knows that one bull-calf, on average, costs 10-12 thousand rubles a year to maintain. Thank God, my scrap metal collection point helped to find capital for their maintenance.

The goby, on average, gains its mass by the year of life. Therefore, at the 10th month of my farm, I began to think about where to put my future meat. After wandering around the city, I arranged with some catering and coffee for the supply of meat. But this was still not enough, because there was a lot of meat and it immediately had to be sold somewhere. If the meat is stored for a long time, it will simply disappear and all its investment will sink into oblivion. Therefore, I agreed with a dozen stores to supply meat and put up an ad on the Internet.

After the slaughter of cattle, it was necessary to somehow organize the delivery of meat to buyers, and the next day after we slaughtered the cattle, people came to buy meat, people came from neighboring villages and even from the city. I agreed with one of the private traders, who had a special. technician (a machine with a freezer) loaded him with meat and took everything to the buyers.

Now let's do the calculations and display the costs and earnings for one year of my farm:
My initial capital was 250 thousand rubles
The building was allocated for rent: 50 thousand rubles
For the purchase of initial livestock was allocated: 100 thousand rubles
The staff of my farm was allocated: 18 thousand per month, which amounted to 216 thousand rubles (You will think how if the capital was only 250 thousand rubles, but if you carefully read my text, it said that the metal collection point brought me good income all this year, which helped me maintain my farm.)

On average, with good handling, a one-year-old bull will weigh from 250 to 320 kg (imagine how much live meat this is).
For one kg of meat, I asked for 250-260 rubles, slightly below the average store price.
As a result, with 11 bulls, I got 2750 kg of meat (weight is taken as 250 kg for one bull)
It turned out to be a very profitable year. On the next year I did not retreat, since my farm could accommodate much more than 11 heads of cattle, I already bought 25 young bulls and hired 2 more people to help. So I got my personal farm with a small team.

I never closed the metal collection point, and to this day it brings me a small but useful income.

Of course, in every region different prices, so if you decide to go into this business, take the trouble to first find out: how much does a young bull cost, how much does it cost to feed, and where do you raise this livestock. After all, if you treat an animal badly, it will not bring profit, but only losses. Think several times whether you need it, because such a thing is hard to quit.

Buying livestock requires special skills and knowledge. You cannot simply rely on the information provided by the owner. It is necessary to personally verify the veracity of the data in order not to waste money in vain. And for this, let's find out how much a cow weighs and how to measure its weight without scales.

Averages and weight categories

It is very important to know how much an adult cow should weigh. After all, it is this indicator that determines the value of livestock. The better you understand these issues, the easier it will be to buy healthy cows.

Besides, this information simply necessary for the selection of a diet. To maintain the health of an animal, it must receive statutory amount of food.

The average weight of a cow depends on several factors:

• type and breed;
• age;
• gender - just imagine that a female can reach a figure of 600 kg, and a male of the same breed will overtake her by 400-450 kg;
• conditions of detention and compliance with the diet.

There are 4 weight categories in total. After selected cows (on average they reach a mass of 450-500 kg), there are representatives of the first, second and third classes. They should grow to 400-450 kg, 380-400 kg, 300-380 kg respectively.

If you are offered a select category of cattle, and you see that the weight of a cow or bull is less than 450 kg, it is worth considering that the animal may have been poorly fed, did not comply with the conditions of detention and did not care for it.

Based on the above, we have the following indicators. A healthy adult, subject to the prescribed diet, should have an average weight of about 350–450 kg. If the animal belongs to representatives of small breeds, then this figure rarely exceeds 300 kg. The weight of a large bull averages up to 750–800 kg.

Calf weight measurement method

In fact, to find out the weight of a calf, you can do without scales. For this, there is a special table developed by Frowin. It has only two parameters needed to determine the mass.

First you need to measure the oblique body length of the calf. Then - the girth of the chest. Where exactly to take measurements can be found in the image in the table. Chest measurements are recorded in the left column. Above - oblique length. At the point of their intersection is the final result.

Let's take an example. If the first value is 114 and the second is 95, then the calf weighs 119 kg. Everything is pretty simple. Just remember that these are only approximate figures. Of course, the formula is tested and reliable, but if the scales show a difference of several kilograms, then you should not be surprised.

Methods for measuring adult cattle

When buying a cow or a bull, the future owner often has problems with determining the weight of the animal. To determine the live weight of cattle without scales, you can use the weight measurement table using measurements.

To do this, you will need a measuring tape and the table below. They will help determine the approximate weight of the animal, so as not to be mistaken and not overpay. This information will certainly help those who are poorly versed in livestock measurements. Even professionals, in order to find out the live weight of a bull without special weights, use similar tables.

There are several interesting ways. It is worth familiarizing yourself with them and choosing the right one.

Body measurement

This is the most popular method, because it is enough for him to simply measure the cow. We need two values. The first is the girth of the chest, and the second is the straight length of the body. Next, we find the weight according to the formula.

True, for a more accurate result, fatness is also taken into account. If the animal is above average fatness, then add 5-10% to the mass. If it is lower, then, on the contrary, they take away 5-10%.

Klüver-Strauch method

The second method also requires measurements. First measure the girth of the chest, and then the oblique length of the body. In the left column there is the first value, and at the top - the second. In their intersection we see the exact result.

It is very important to measure everything correctly. The more accurate the measurement, the more likely it is to make a successful deal.

Chest and belly

This method was previously applied only to certain breeds of cattle, for example, black-and-white. But today, after the experiments and calculations, we can confidently say that such measurements also help to determine the mass.

The girth of the belly should be measured in the fattest places. Two values ​​​​should be found in the columns of the table (left - chest girth, top - belly). At the intersection of two values ​​and the desired value will be found.

regression equation

The most important thing here is to measure the bust circumference correctly. To do this, use a measuring tape. We circle it around the body so that it is placed under the chest. Next, we use special formulas.

The first is applied if the chest girth is 170-180 cm, the second is 181-191, the third is 192 cm or more. Remember that Y is the result that shows the mass of the animal, and X is the girth that we got after the measurement.

Now we see that it is not so difficult to find out how much a healthy bull or cow weighs. It is enough to understand the process of measuring an animal and always have the necessary table with you. These methods will help both professionals and novice farmers.

The calculation of the live weight of cattle allows you to plan the pregnancy of cows, to ensure proper diet nutrition and increase productivity. It can be determined different ways. The ability to calculate weight without weighing will help you choose a highly productive individual when buying.

Average weight

The average weight indicators of cows vary within 300-450 kg, bulls - 600-850. Newborn calves weigh an average of 30–40 kg.

There are 4 weight categories of livestock:

1. Selected (class A) - from 500 kg.
2. First-class (class B) - 400-500 kg.
3. Second-class (class C) - 350-450 kg.
4. Third-rate (class D) - up to 300 kg.

The mass of cattle depends on many factors:

• genetic data determined by the breed;
• health conditions;
• diet;
• age;
• gender;
• conditions of detention;
• breed purpose;
• climatic features of the region.

cows

The fatness of a cow depends on age. A one-year-old heifer weighs from 200 kg.

Important!At the age of one year, the heifer enters into sexual hunting, but a bull can be allowed to approach her only when she reaches a weight corresponding to 70% of her weight. adult. Fertilization of a heifer before this is fraught with the birth of defective offspring and the death of the woman in labor. The body of the female is completely ready for bearing calves at 3 years.

At 3 years old, the normal weight of a female starts at 300 kg. An adult five-year-old cow weighs 400–500 kg. In cows, the indicator varies depending on the stage of lactation.

The average weight of a monthly bull is 40.8–51.8 kg. For a year, the male is gaining 300-400 kg. Heifers on intensive fattening up to a year are not castrated in order to increase muscle mass gain. Gobies are sent for slaughter at the age of 20 months, when the animals form a full-fledged muscular frame.

The weight of a breeding bull can reach 900 kg. They keep him separate from the cows. During the mating period, body weight decreases by 50 kg.

calf

Depending on gender and breed, the weight of a newborn calf varies between 30–50 kg. Babies are kept on milk sucking up to 6-8 months, and from 3 months. introduce succulent feed. Animals gain 0.5–1.8 kg per day; nutrition influences this process.

By 6 months the heifer is gaining weight 100-180 kg, the bull - 200-210 kg. After weaning, babies gain weight more slowly. By 10 months the calf weighs 200–350 kg.

Weight difference depending on the destination

Breeds of cows are divided by purpose into:

• meat;
• dairy;
• meat and dairy.

They differ in body constitution, weight and performance.

Did you know?The weight of cattle fluctuates constantly. Daily fluctuations vary within 30-40 kg.

Dairy

The smallest representatives of cattle are dairy cows. Their weight data varies within 300 kg for females, 600 for bulls. They are distinguished by a neat physique and small dimensions. Babies are born weighing 20-30 kg.

Dairy heifers reach puberty faster. You can reduce them already at 2 years of age.

Meat

Large-sized meat animals at the age of one reach 500 kg. Babies are born weighing 40-50 kg. They are quickly fattened on dairy fattening.

Heifers reach sexual maturity at 3 years of age. Animals are distinguished by high meat productivity. The meat is fatty, juicy, contains a maximum of animal protein.

Meat and dairy

These are universal animals of the combined direction. Male offspring are allowed for meat, and high-quality dairy products are obtained from cows. The weight of the female reaches 580-600 kg, the male - 850 and more.

Calves are born weighing 30 kg. Depending on the breed, one of the qualities may be more pronounced. They grow faster and reach sexual maturity earlier than meat representatives.

How to determine the weight of cattle

Buying livestock or sending it to slaughter, it is necessary to know the exact weight of the animal. This indicator will tell a lot about the health of the cattle. For example, if you buy a one-year-old milk and meat cow and its weight is below 400 kg, it means that the animal is weakened, sick or improperly kept.

Did you know? Every day, a cow secretes 25 liters of saliva, and in a year an individual with a weight of 500 kg is able to produce 1 ton of manure.

You can find out the mass of a cow not only with the help of scales. Going to the market for a cow, arm yourself with a new measuring tape. The results of calculations based on measurements give an error of 20–30 kg.

By chest and belly

Place the measuring tape on your back behind your shoulder blades and trace a circular line across your chest behind your forelegs. Pull the band tight enough to compress the protruding hairs. The second measurement is the girth of the abdominal cavity.

The tape is carried out exactly along the most voluminous part of the body. Then we calculate the weight according to the formula: (A + B): 2 + 50, where A is the measurement of the chest, B is the measurement of the belly.

For example, A = 130, B = 125, we get:

(130 + 125) : 2 + 50 = 177,5.

According to the regression equation

Calculations are carried out according to three formulas:

• 5.3 x A - 507, where A - chest girth 170-180 cm;
• 5.3 x A - 486 - for a girth of 180-190 cm;
• 5.3 x A - 465 - for girth over 191 cm.

The measurement of the chest is carried out in the same way as described above.

According to the Klüver-Strauch method

The Klüver-Strauch technique is considered the most accurate. For the calculation, you will need to measure the chest and oblique body length. Oblique length is determined by laying a measuring tape from the femoral tubercles to the loin of the sternum. Values ​​​​add and subtract 50. For example, body length 125, sternum girth 150, we get: 125 + 150 - 50 = 225.

According to Trukhanovsky's method

Calculations are carried out according to measurements of the sternum and oblique body length. The values ​​​​are multiplied and divided by 50. For example, the girth of the sternum is 170, the oblique body length is 150, we get: (150 x 170): 50 = 510.

How to measure a calf's weight

To find out the weight indicator of a calf, 2 measurements are required - the girth of the sternum and the oblique body length. Before taking measurements, fix the animal and calm it down. The oblique body length of the baby is measured from the root of the tail to the beginning of the forelimb.

After that, the weight can be determined by any of the above methods.

How to find out the meat yield

The indicator is measured as a percentage.

It is:

• 40–50% for dairy representatives;
• 80% for meat;
• 70% for meat and dairy.

Important!To calculate the meat outputthe mass is calculated using scales, since all other methods give only approximate figures and are intended for compiling a complete diet.

Slaughter yield increases with age. The amount of meat products is affected by the diet, climatic conditions. It is also important to consider the purpose of the breed.
Average weight different parts meat and dairy cow with a slaughter weight of 700 kg, subject to a meat yield of 60% (420 kg):

• head - 10 kg;
• liver - 5 kg;
• tongue - 2 kg;
• heart - 3 kg;
• kidneys - 2 kg;
• front leg to the hocks - 2 kg;
• hind leg - 3 kg;
• skin - 17 kg;
• stomach - 15 kg;
• tail - 2 kg;
• fat - 5 kg;
• bones - 112 kg.

The remaining 102 kg are blood and intestines; in percentage terms, blood occupies 8% of live weight. Also, when calculating the meat yield, it is worth considering that fresh meat weighs more.

Weight record holders

The largest representative of the last century was the Donetto bull from Switzerland. An animal at the age of 8 reached 1.85 cm at the withers with a mass of 1.78 tons. The huge bull was distinguished by a kind, non-conflict character.
In 2008, in England, the Field Marshal of the Charolais breed was considered the largest bull. At that time, its weight was 1.7 tons with a height of 1.9 m.
The powerful representative of the Podolsk breed Repp, weighing 1.5 tons, lives in Ukraine, in the Cherkasy region. Repp is ranked among the most prolific inseminating bulls. More than 50,000 calves are artificially obtained from him per year.
Accurate determination of the weight of cattle helps to solve many problems - from the identification of diseases to the planning of insemination and nutrition. For this use various methods, assuming calculation by measurements. The error of indicators is 20–30 kg.

However, these methods are not suitable for determining meat yield from slaughter.

Kira Stoletova

Fattening bulls is one of the main tasks of a farmer who raises animals for meat. Knowing the weight of the calf by months, you can correctly calculate the diet of the cattle representative and determine the features of caring for him at all stages of growth.

Many breeders believe that the most effective period for gaining mass in bulls falls on the first few months of their life. In this period proper care becomes the basis for a strong and healthy body.

The Importance of Feeding Your Newborn Calf

The task of each farmer after the calving of cows is to drink calves with colostrum. This product is an indispensable source of vitamins and minerals that create a strong and healthy immune system from the first hours of an animal's life. His distinctive feature from ordinary milk is more high content protein, which is the basis for the formation of a strong body.

It is important to feed newborn bulls with colostrum in the first hour after calving. Every farmer must do this exactly in the first 60 minutes after birth. Any delay in watering increases the chances of bulls dying and performing poorly in the future. Such animals do not grow well and are poorly amenable to weight gain.

How to feed newborn calves

In order for the calf to grow and develop quickly, it is necessary to know about the features of its feeding. The main task is to create strong immunity, which will create the necessary conditions in order for the baby to develop faster, because during the first month of life the animal needs it most of all, therefore, from the first day of the little bull, it is necessary to feed 5-6 times a day. Special bottles with nipples are used for this. It is necessary to correctly select the diameter of the hole in them so that soldering does not cause:

• blunting of the sucking reflex;
• cheesy formations in the abomasum;
• swallowing large portions of milk.

It is best to give fresh milk to calves, although frozen milk can also be used. The main thing is that it should have a temperature of 37-38 ° C. Many livestock breeders also use combined milk from different cows for feeding. The antibodies that such a product receives create a strong infectious diseases immunity. Such methods are also welcome in the case that the mother of the calves suffers from mastitis. If a farmer doesn't know the nuances of how to feed a bull to gain weight, there will be no growth and no benefit from the calf.

The scheme of feeding calves in the first month from birth

Each newborn calf has a weight of 30-40 kg. Depending on the built diet and the characteristics of immunity, the animal receives an increase of 10-15 kg by the 30th day. But to achieve such indicators is not so easy, much depends on the farmer himself. It is important to consider the nuances of feeding, which include:

• the need to water newborn calves 5-6 times a day;
• a gradual decrease in the frequency of feeding by day 30 to 3-4 times a day;
• use of prefabricated milk;
• feeding through the nipple (each bull has its own, and after each feeding it is disinfected);
• the use of vitamin supplements;
• gradual transition to roughage.

Switching to solid food

The second month of a bull's life differs from the first by the introduction of solid food rich in proteins, fats and carbohydrates into the diet. For such purposes, starter feed is used, which is introduced into the daily menu to replace milk feeding. The weight of the calf gained during this time can be 1.5-2 times the weight at birth, but its scarring digestive system still weak, which cannot be ignored. Starter feed allows you to soften the transition to hay, grass and other foods. It contains products that will be easily digested by the stomach:

• crushed corn, barley and wheat;
• skimmed milk powder;
• meal;
• fodder yeast;
• feed fat;
• sugar and salt.

From the second month, such food becomes the main food for a young bull. All necessary for good health and active growth nutrients, the animal receives from such food. Already in the second week of using the starter feed, cicatricial digestion normalizes, so the farmer should add a small hay sack to the diet with the start of the transition to solid food. Every day its quantity increases by 150-200 g. It is equally important to add silage and haylage.

When the calf starts gaining weight quickly

Calves, whose weight by months depends on the characteristics of the diet, develop faster with a complete transition to solid food. Most often, this period begins at the end of the second or beginning of the third month. By this time, the animal organism becomes ready to digest any food and needs a large amount of protein. The weight of bulls at this age is 90-110 kg. The table shows how to feed a young bull so that he gains weight:

Males differ from females in appetite. Bulls do not need to be persuaded to eat all the food, they easily empty any container of food. In order for the calf to gain weight, it is necessary to choose the right feed, which will include a large number of protein and have a high energy value. The main reason is the decrease in the amount of milk consumed. A good substitute for it would be soy-based concentrates. Such products are rich in vegetable protein, but have one drawback: poor digestibility. Feed additives can help solve this problem. One serving of such compound feed should contain:

• 22% crushed soy;
• 20% corn;
• 23% barley;
• 30% peas;
• 5% minerals and premix.

The protein necessary for weight gain with such consumption will be useful and will completely replace the microelements contained in milk. In addition, each farmer can make such mixtures on his own, without buying expensive ready-made feed. As a result, the breeder expects a bull weight gain.

Most often, the main growth of bulls falls on the period from 6 to 12 months. This is due to a fully formed muscle mass and musculoskeletal system. In just six months, starting from this time, weight gain increases by 1.5-2 times.

Features of keeping calves from four months to a year

Cattle accustomed to solid food require a gradual increase in portions. Yes, with fourth month the mass of bulls reaches 140 kg and has a daily increase of 400-500 g. This result is achieved simply: it is enough to increase the mass of compound feed by 1-1.5 kg daily. Constant access to water is also important - even for pasture walking, the farmer should choose places near fresh water sources.

During the summer, walks in the sun are limited to two hours. In winter - 20-30 minutes. The best place is near the barn, on a site cleared of snow and ice. A platform under a specially equipped canopy is also suitable.

From the seventh month, bulls are completely transferred to three meals a day. During this period, their muscle mass is fully ready to increase and develop. If from the moment of birth a young bull has been eating properly, then by the age of 7 months it should weigh up to 200 kg, and those individuals that weigh less than 150 kg require fattening. You can quickly gain weight by increasing portions of feeding. You also need to increase the dose of vitamins and minerals.

Basic rules for fattening bulls

The low weight of the calf is an indicator of errors in the nutrition and maintenance of the animal. If other livestock peers weigh more, and the farmer has a desire to correct this problem, you should take care of the animal's diet - feeding and fattening processes.

Especially often such methods are used a few months before the slaughter of a bull. Some farmers are against the use of foraging (eating grass from pastures) due to the low energy value of consuming such food, which cannot be said about keeping in a stall and abundant feeding with compound feed (fattening).

Types of fattening

In order for the bull to gain weight, one of the types of fattening is used for subsequent slaughter and butchering of the carcass:

• Short type. Duration - 1-3 months. Used for large cattle that do not require a large increase in weight. Most suitable age the beginning of the procedure - 1.5 years.
• Medium type. Feeding a bull so that he gains weight using this method starts from 1.3-1.6 years. The duration of fattening is 4-7 months. The effect is an increase in weight by 100-150 kg.
• Long term feeding. Takes 8 to 12 months of moderate feeding. The effect is weight gain up to 350 kg.

The choice of fattening variety depends on how much the representatives of cattle weigh at the age of 17 to 19 months. The need for such a procedure is also determined because of the goal itself, because calves are raised to gain meat mass and make a profit from it.

Fundamental rules

Fattening a bull for slaughter is carried out taking into account such rules as:

• Minimal physical activity of living creatures. The less the bull moves, the faster it will gain mass.
• Abundant consumption of feed rich in proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Compound feed, fresh grass, hay, food waste - everything will do. The main thing is to give the animal food in large portions.
• Addition of beer grains, bards and vitamins to the diet. The healthier the animal, the faster its weight gain.

In order for a calf or an adult bull to gain weight, it is closed in a stall for 3-4 months. During this period, he should gain 50-100 kg. Sometimes the length of time this bull is kept is increased to 8 months and even up to one year in order to obtain a higher carcass weight. The well-known phrase “feed for slaughter”, and it fully characterizes the fattening process, because for a period of time of 12 months, a healthy one should have received an increase in weight by 200-250 kg.

When is the slaughter

When raising cows, each farmer should be guided by the demand for a particular product.

Some breeders keep cattle for milk production. Others - meat products. A farmer for keeping livestock for slaughter must do everything in his power to make the finished product tender, healthy and tasty. There are some features of this merciless, but necessary procedure guided by livestock breeders. All of them relate to the taste of meat.

To obtain soft-fiber pulp, calves are slaughtered at the age of 1.3-1.5 years. Such a product has a great biological value: it is easily digested and contains a large amount of amino acids. Young beef is often used to feed the sick and children and is highly valued on the market.

Fattening bulls junior group: 41 days - 2 months

Fattening bulls: 10 days vs. 10 months

video for the "Weight Graph" section

Coarse-fibrous fatty pulp is suitable for the preparation of rich first courses. High fat content or more low quality product affects its value. If the main goal is to obtain just such beef, cattle are slaughtered at the age of 20-24 months.

Both products are in demand on the market, but they have differences in cost. For a farmer, the price of meat products is a payment for hard, long labor and money spent on caring for livestock.

One of the factors that affects the weight of the young and what gain he gains in a year is the breed. Meat breeds have a large muscle mass, and their weight is ahead of .

What determines the mass of the bull and its weight is presented below.

The mass of animals is a great carrier of the necessary information for a specialist. According to the weight of the cattle, he will determine the physical condition of the animal and draw up the necessary feeding ration, as well as calculate the vaccination doses. There are certain standards for determining weight. This is the age, sex of the animal and breed. Depending on the weight of the cattle is divided into categories:

• the highest grade, weight within 450 - 500 kg
• first grade, weight up to 450 kg
• second grade, weight up to 400 kg
• third grade, weight up to 300 kg

If a average value animal weight varies greatly with a tolerance of 30 kg for an adult livestock, this means poor care, feeding and the presence of diseases in livestock.

The average weight of a bull exceeds its mass by 1.5 times. With an average weight of a cow of 750 - 800 kg, the weight of a bull will be 1200 - 1500 kg. The average weight of a young cow should not be less than 350 kg. The weight of a two or three year old cow of meat breed, if it has good conditions content, reaches up to 700 kg and above. The weight of the calf at calving should be on average about 10% of the weight of the cow. This value is 30 - 40 kg, depending on the breed and weight of the parents, as well as the sex of the calf.

Young animals grow quickly and gain weight if there are no health problems. It is recommended to weigh animals 2-3 times a month in order to determine in detail for each calf how much a bull or heifer weighs, to monitor their growth and development.

By the age of one month, the weight increases by an average of 10 kg. By six months of life, the mass of young animals is 60-75 kg and they are transferred to adult content. Weighing should be done once a month. By the age of 1, the bull's weight increases to 250 - 400 kg.

The effect of breed on weight

A huge number of breeds of cattle were bred by scientists - breeders, but all breeds are divided into three types:

• Dairy.
• Meat.
• Meat - dairy.

Dairy

• Hereford breed. The weight of a cow reaches 600 kg, and a bull up to 1100 kg. Meat yield at slaughter up to 70%.
• Aberdeen Angus breed. The weight of cows is up to 600 kg, and bulls are up to 800 kg. Output finished products up to 60%.
• Charolais breed. The weight of an adult individual reaches 800 kg, and gobies up to 1200 kg. Product yield up to 60%.
• Ukrainian meat breed. The weight of a 1.5-year-old cow is up to 600 kg, and that of a bull is up to 800 kg. It is unpretentious in feeding and the skin is used in industry.
• Znamenovskaya breed. The maximum weight of a cow is up to 550 kg, a bull - 700 kg. Leather is used in industry.

Meat - dairy

Animals of this species are used for meat and milk production. Their milk yield is higher than meat breeds, and the yield of meat is greater than that of dairy cows. The live weight of cows is within 550 kg, and bulls grow up to 900 kg.

Among livestock breeders, the most common breeds are:

• Brown Carpathian.
• Lebedinskaya.
• Alatau.
• Red Gorbatovskaya.
• Yurinskaya.
• Red Tambov.
• Swiss breed and others.

Factors affecting weight

The mass of cattle is associated with the conditions of detention and care, as well as the feeding ration. The breed of animals is also important. dairy breeds require a long time to be on the pasture, and individuals of meat species are recommended to be kept in a stall or paddock.

If they are kept on grazing for a long time and driven a certain distance, they will lose weight.

Conditions of detention

When building or reconstructing another building for a barn for cows, a number of requirements must be taken into account:

The diet should be balanced.

It must include:

• Coarse and succulent food of plant origin. Roughage includes hay and straw. Succulent fodder should include silage, haylage, fodder beet, potato.
• Concentrates, which include grain, cake, bran and others.
• Bone meal, animal feed.
• Vitamins and mineral supplements, as well as chemical and food industry waste.

You have to stick to the diet. Cattle need to be fed 3 times a day. Grain and succulent feeds should be given in the morning and at lunchtime, while coarse feeds are better in the evening. If there are no automatic drinkers in the barn, it is necessary to monitor the presence of water in the water tank. Water for drinking should be clean, free of impurities and odor.

When growing bulls for fattening, their diet differs from feeding. During the day, the bull eats up to 100 kg of feed for 3 times. The duration of fattening is up to 20 months. AT recent months it is necessary to limit the mobility of the animal and put on a leash. At this time, bulls become aggressive fighters.

When feeding one bull per year, he eats about 3 quintals of hay, the same amount of feed, as well as a lot of silage straw and vegetables.

In the first year of life, with proper fattening, the weight of a bull in 1 year should increase 8 times compared to its birth weight. This is an indicator of the correct feeding of the animal.

Cows - champions: maximum and minimum weight

In the variety of cattle breeds, there are very large, and even massive breeds - giants.

Among bulls, these are such breeds as:

• Porcelain breed. The bull Donnetto weighed 1740 kg and was 190 cm tall at the withers. He lived in Switzerland in the 20th century.
• Charolais breed. Bull Field Marshal, his weight is 1700 kg, and his height is 190 cm. Residence England, present.
• Freesian breed. Bull of Chile, its mass is 1300 kg. Habitat Britain, our time.
• Freesian breed. Bull Trigger, its weight is 1200 kg and its height is 196 cm. The length of the animal is 4.3 m.
• Podolsky breed. Bull Repp, his weight is more than 1500 kg. Place of residence Ukraine.

Among the cows it is necessary to highlight:

• A hybrid of the Holstein-Durkhman breed. Cow Mount Katahdin, her weight was 2270 kg, height 188 cm and length 3.96 cm. Life time was the beginning of the 20th century. Listed in the Guinness Book of Records.
• Chile breed. The cow weighs over 1000 kg and is 183 cm tall.
• Kazakh white-headed. The weight of the cow is 1069 kg, the year of residence is 1980.

The smallest breeds of cattle:

• Namibian ovambo. The weight of cows is 160 kg, and bulls are 225 kg.
• Anatolian, Turkey. The live weight of a cow is 95 - 275 kg, height is 100 cm.
• African Shothorns. Weight 150 - 200 kg, height 80 - 100 cm.
• In Mexico, a breed of cows was bred, whose weight is 120 - 150 kg, and their height is 80 cm.
  The smallest cow, 62 cm tall, was bred in Mexico.

The ability to determine average weight animals, the weight of the offspring and the average daily gain of livestock are among the main tasks