If I was you I would implant them, we always try to implant our calves before they go out to pasture , and they are char limo X cows bred back to char bulls. We find the charx cattle perform well with an implant. BTW we where out past Shawns place by Con, on our way to Carsons on Saturday and I am sure you are aware things are wet here, but man shes wet out that way. No corn going in the ground here this month!