What's your idea of a perfect cow?

[wbvs58]

Doesn't everyone???

You are easy to please. :cboy:

Yes, but my partner will keep breeding a good registered heifer - cow 4 or 5 times AI, put a embryo or two in her and then turn her in with a bull for a few more tries. It's hard to cull something with good numbers.

That is not my idea of a fertile animal. I would get frustrated and send her out.

What, his heifer or his partner or both?

Ken

 

[Bright Raven]

Yes, but my partner will keep breeding a good registered heifer - cow 4 or 5 times AI, put a embryo or two in her and then turn her in with a bull for a few more tries. It's hard to cull something with good numbers.

That is not my idea of a fertile animal. I would get frustrated and send her out.

What, his heifer or his partner or both?

Ken

Lol

 

[Nesikep]

What bball said... about covers it
For me and my area, a 1400 lb mature weight, frame 5 or so seems to be a nice balance.. Live a good long life, which means no troublesome feet or udders. You'll never have all your cows producing above average, though you can get your average up.

This one is about what I'm shooting for

 

[76 Bar]

We had a cow loose her metal bangs tag.

Not unusual here to have a large percentage loose their bangs tags regardless of age, attending DVM and sans biscuit eatters.

 

[76 Bar]

Perfect cow:
365 CI, never touched her for any reason, never fails to bring in a coupon, calf never sorted off as a single.

 

[JParrott]

Has a live calf unassisted every year, breeds back to calve within two weeks of the same time every year, weighs ~1200 lbs, milks and weans off a 600+ pounder at seven-eight months, doesn't fight or flight - especially around a newborn, and doesn't get sick or sore footed.

 

[Hippie Rancher]

one that calves and survives like a Longhorn/corriente but throws meaty black hided calves (or whatever color du jour buyers want). she should be super docile in the corral, move off towards where I want her to from horseback, and be crazy as a bat for the "neighbors."

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Just curious. Pretty much everyone agrees they want a cow to produce a calf every 12 months.
For any of you that look at purebred cattle sale books - how many of you look up the cow's progeny info to SEE if she has produced a calf each year? I do. And, I am amazed at how pizz poor some of them have performed for their owner/seller. I realize that not every one or every breed turns in records on each calf, but even if they don't have ALL the progeny, you can sometimes figure out a pattern. Like born in spring 2012, calves late fall of 2014, then has a calf in spring of 2017.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

I always look up the progeny on cows I look to buy which is not very many. I also look up cows sired by bulls I use to see how they seem to do.

 

[JMJ Farms]

My perfect cow. 1200 pounds with 1/4 ear and a white face. Calves every 12 months on grass, minerals and hay with no supplements under normal conditions. Fights anything with legs except people. Weans a 550(+) calf at 7 months. And has calves with so much vigor they're sucking the tit upside down before they hit the ground!

 

[Caustic Burno]

My perfect cow. 1200 pounds with 1/4 ear and a white face. Calves every 12 months on grass, minerals and hay with no supplements under normal conditions. Fights anything with legs except people. Weans a 550(+) calf at 7 months. And has calves with so much vigor they're sucking the tit upside down before they hit the ground!

Love it!

This is her to me.

 

[gcreekrch]

Survive on snowballs and promises and bring home an acceptable calf every year from the wolf and grizzly infested range.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

1 calf a month that weans at 1400 pounds in 30 days, and only consumes russian olives, and ceders, and lives to be 55.

Yep that would be perfect.

 

[CattleMan1920]

Cows that can barely make it through a standard chute because they are too big. I.e. Priefert, For-Most, Arrowquip. Those are my ideal gals.

If they get stuck and struggle to move when I have it opened to it's farthest position, then I know I have a real momma cow.

Imagine someone trying to squeeze into jeans that are far too small. Now you get the picture.

When they sail right on through with ease, I have to consider culling them.

 

[Boot Jack Bulls]

Cows that can barely make it through a standard chute because they are too big. I.e. Priefert, For-Most, Arrowquip. Those are my ideal gals.

If they get stuck and struggle to move when I have it opened to it's farthest position, then I know I have a real momma cow.

Imagine someone trying to squeeze into jeans that are far too small. Now you get the picture.

When they sail right on through with ease, I have to consider culling them.

I agree to the extent that I want her ribs to rub the sides and hips to barely make it past the palp cage. I'm talking about her actual bone structure though. I don't need fat hanging out between the bars....to me that means she's putting all her intake into herself, not the calf. I like a big cow, or bull for that matter....but they still need to be economical.

 

[wbvs58]

Cows that can barely make it through a standard chute because they are too big. I.e. Priefert, For-Most, Arrowquip. Those are my ideal gals.

If they get stuck and struggle to move when I have it opened to it's farthest position, then I know I have a real momma cow.

Imagine someone trying to squeeze into jeans that are far too small. Now you get the picture.

When they sail right on through with ease, I have to consider culling them.

BH, and what age are they when they can't fit through your facilities?

Ken

 

[CattleMan1920]

Cows that can barely make it through a standard chute because they are too big. I.e. Priefert, For-Most, Arrowquip. Those are my ideal gals.

If they get stuck and struggle to move when I have it opened to it's farthest position, then I know I have a real momma cow.

Imagine someone trying to squeeze into jeans that are far too small. Now you get the picture.

When they sail right on through with ease, I have to consider culling them.

BH, and what age are they when they can't fit through your facilities?

Ken

I hope you realize I was joking, as others on the thread were.

I do have a couple of mature cows that are a tight fit, but the rest can get in and out without much fanfare.

I value health and fertility more than about anything, everything else falls in line behind that.

Sorry the joking went off the rails.

 

[Nesikep]

Branded, Here was one of my widest cows, her hips barely fit through the chute,

Just before calving, Hector was born the next day... She's actually not fat, BCS of 5-6..

 

[Dave]

A 1,100-1,200 pound cow who is able to climb mountains without assistance. She can eat her fill in sparse grass while walking up and down steep hills. Brings in a 500-600 pound calf every fall which was born unassisted in February. And does this while going virtually unseen by human eyes from late April to October. Oh, she protects her calf and herself from any and all predators yet doesn't try to kill me during the months she is in contact with humans.

 

[76 Bar]

I comprehend. 8)