Few city dwellers know that a heifer is a young, never giving birth cow. Today's article will be devoted to the features of the content of these animals.
The main characteristics of heifers
This word is the first name of a seeded chick, which before that had never had to give birth. After calving, it is already considered a full-fledged cow, for which it calculates the quality of young animals received from it.
Those who do not know how to choose a good heifer should understand that these individuals can apply to both the meat and dairy directions. Beginning farmers can be advised to pay attention to the condition of the skin and the presence of a fat layer. It is these criteria that demonstrate that these individuals are able to build muscle mass in the shortest possible time.
Growing recommendations
The first year is considered one of the most important periods in the life of young animals. It is in this time period that active development and intensive recruitment of live weight takes place. Mistakes made during this period can no longer be corrected. Any experienced farmer knows that raising a heifer is not as easy as it might seem at first glance.
As a result of poor feeding and maintenance, a vicious physique can form in a young cow. The most common manifestations of improper care are a bony butt, an excessively narrow chest and a too sharp back. It is clear that such individuals will not be able to fully reveal the beauty and power of the breed they represent.
Four-week-old calves are gradually weaned from whole milk. Initially, this product is replaced by its skimmer, and later by other feeds. It is important that the food offered by the animals is clean and warm. The same goes for drinking water. It should be in temperature, like fresh milk. As young animals grow older, new foods are added to their diet. So, they begin to feed two-month-old individuals with flaxseed cake, soft hay and oats.
Keeping a heifer is a very difficult job, requiring certain knowledge. Animals need to be provided with a spacious and bright room, the air temperature in which reaches 18 degrees. From the age of twenty days, babies are taken out for short walks. The length of stay on the street is gradually increased from ten minutes to four hours.
How to inseminate a heifer?
This should be done only after the cow reaches a certain age. Ideally, insemination can begin when the animal is 16-19 months old. It should be borne in mind that the weight of an individual should be at least four hundred kilograms. Only in this case, the animal will have time to collect the optimal six centners before delivery.
In order to avoid obesity, which sometimes occurs after insemination and leads to complications during childbirth, it is recommended to carefully monitor the diet of cows. This is due to the fact that during this period the stomach of cattle begins to increase in size, preparing to receive a large amount of feed.
A seeded heifer, the photo of which is presented in this article, should receive well-balanced food. It is important that during this period there is no corn silage and concentrates in her diet. And the feed itself must be checked for mold and mildew.
What care does the heifer require?
This definition applies to breeding stock. For normal growth and development, animals need not only high-quality and well-balanced nutrition, but also appropriate sanitary and hygienic conditions. So, in the summer months, heifers need to be regularly grazed, and in winter they should be provided with warm boxes, in which there are clean bedding.
Young females under the age of twenty months are usually kept without a leash. In the fifth to seventh month of pregnancy, they are transferred to the main herd, where the cows are gradually accustomed to milking.
What diseases can occur during future lactation?
It was at this time that many young individuals are susceptible to various ailments. One of the most common diseases is stomach acidosis. It is associated with the use of excess grain feed.
Another problem that occurs in young individuals during lactation is ketosis. The reason for this disease is that the animal spends more energy in the production of milk than it receives with food. In order to make up for the deficit resulting from this, an active breakdown of fat reserves begins in the cow's body, accompanied by the release of toxins.
Often in animals, abomasum displacement is noted. This problem is associated with malnutrition. In the abomasum of a cow receiving poorly balanced or poor-quality feed, active gas formation begins, as a result of which it swells.