Matriarch

[alisonb]

Born 27 Nov 1996,sent her off just days before her 13th birthday. She has given me 11 calves and plenty milk.The last two calves had to be pulled.She spent so much energy producing milk and attempting to maintain body condition but in the last year could no longer maintain her condition(milk never dropped)even though i increased her feed substantially.
The ol' girl will be missed,the other cows won't quiten down-and that is after 4 days.I wonder how long it will take before the next cow steps up to become matriarch.

[hillsdown]

My two herd bosses hit the road last Oct. 2008 , they were both over 15 and were great cows but sadly age had caught up to them. One 4 year old that was born here took over she was a big char cow. She hit the road with all of the other commercials this fall. So I am waiting for someone to take over as right now I have 3 groups, 3 bosses who have started their own herds, it makes it a challenge to get them all together in the same place at the same time. I am hoping once I have them in their calving area one will stand out and become the main boss. I am really hoping it is one that is calm and used to being Ai'd all the time so she can teach the others how it is down, I have a sometimes high strung blk GV and it had better not be her....

Good luck, hopefully another good one will take over. It always hurts to lose a good one, but a good herd boss makes it worse.

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Yup, hard to ship those great ones. Our "matriarch" was 18 yrs old, had 17 calves, 12 were heifers. Our herd is about 25% out of her genetics. She looked like a 5 year old when we shipped her. She just went anastrous (sp?? quit producing eggs). Awesome cow, awesome temperament, and was the calm leader.

[bigbull338]

we all hate to loose those herd builders.but we are gonna loose them 1 way or the other.either by death or sale barn.

[jcarkie]

yeah it is sad but i still would rather have salvage value than diggin a hole.we pregd our spring herds this week and my grandma cow(13 or 14) is still right on schedule for another year she has only produced 2 heifers. first daughter 1st calf and bred back right on schedule hopefully like her mom, long lasting. other heifer just weaned biggest heifer in the replacement pen.

[ANAZAZI]

we all hate to loose those herd builders.but we are gonna loose them 1 way or the other.either by death or sale barn.

The best thing about herd builders is that they allways remain in the form of their offspring. Some comfort to me, at least.

[bigbull338]

yeah an some of those types of cows only build the herd through the herd bulls they have.an i have 1 of those cows.she has had 3 herd bulls back to back.

[dun]

yeah an some of those types of cows only build the herd through the herd bulls they have.an i have 1 of those cows.she has had 3 herd bulls back to back.

Our old granny had her 2nd heifer ever last year. She's 21 years old

[Aero]

Our old granny had her 2nd heifer ever last year. She's 21 years old

i assume she has had more than 4 calves?

that's quite a streak of bull

[dun]

Our old granny had her 2nd heifer ever last year. She's 21 years old

i assume she has had more than 4 calves?

that's quite a streak of bull

She had a heifer in 2000 and one in 2009.

[tncattle467]

My matriarch is a 4 year old sim cow that weighs 1560. She is the matriarc simply because she came on the place when I let her out of the trailer and whooped every cow that tried her.

[LazyARanch]

Just out of curiosity, and not trying to hijack the thread...

do those old cows maintain condition and milk well without any extra care or feed? Do they even still have teeth?

[tncattle467]

Just out of curiosity, and not trying to hijack the thread...

do those old cows maintain condition and milk well without any extra care or feed? Do they even still have teeth?

I am pretty sure my 4 year old still has teeth lol. Shes fat as mud. Where as these 20 year olds I would say they are broken mouthed.

[dun]

That's the reason to start mouthing them once a year when they get to 9 or 10.
Old Granny @ 21 in the spring was still S&S when we weaned calves in September.
I all depends on the cow

[LazyARanch]

That's the reason to start mouthing them once a year when they get to 9 or 10.
Old Granny @ 21 in the spring was still S&S when we weaned calves in September.
I all depends on the cow

Thank you.... (what is S&S? sweet and sassy?)