age of cattle

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How can a beginner tell the age of a cow without having a vet check her? Is there outward signs to look for? Does the way or size of the bag have anything to do with a cows age?

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> How can a beginner tell the age of
> a cow without having a vet check
> her? Is there outward signs to
> look for? Does the way or size of
> the bag have anything to do with a
> cows age?

The most accurate way David is by looking in the mounth at the teeth,how many big theeth and how much ware. Maybe someone knows more details and a website that will show pictures which will explain in detail by the number,size and ware of teeth and how to determine age,I would like to know more in detail about this too.

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> The most accurate way David is by
> looking in the mounth at the
> teeth,how many big theeth and how
> much ware. Maybe someone knows
> more details and a website that
> will show pictures which will
> explain in detail by the
> number,size and ware of teeth and
> how to determine age,I would like
> to know more in detail about this
> too.

Agree that looking at teeth is the most commonly used method. But to some extent it's like looking at humans --- once you've seen a lot of cattle you'll generally be able to tell just from outward appearance the general age bracket (though some can fool you). If you have the time and inclination, and if they will allow you to be there, you might get to one of the weekday sale barns the day before the sale and watch them as they age and palpate cows. They will look at teeth and then write the estimated age on the cow's hide. And if you see "SS" that means short & solid. Anyway, the web site with pictures (although not the best quality pictures) is: <A HREF="http://www.longhornshowcase.com/Library/TechieStuff/agexteeth.shtml" TARGET="_blank">www.longhornshowcase.com/Library/TechieStuff/agexteeth.shtml</A>
 
This is the only site I've ever found that actually shows pitures of the teeth. "http://www.minifarm.com/Articles/cattleage.htm" Wear isn't alwasy all that reliable, we've got a cow that was aged at 7 based on her teeth, that was 4 years ago, every spring when we do our vet checks we check teeth. She's still 7 according to the vet based on checking her teeth.

dun

> The most accurate way David is by
> looking in the mounth at the
> teeth,how many big theeth and how
> much ware. Maybe someone knows
> more details and a website that
> will show pictures which will
> explain in detail by the
> number,size and ware of teeth and
> how to determine age,I would like
> to know more in detail about this
> too.
 
I agree that toothing is the best way to guess. Also, older cows' heads and bags look different. It's not that easy to describe (for me anyway) but you will notice that the older cows have wider mouths and their teats will often be longer and more distended.

Craig
 
i have a neighbor that sold a cow he had raised from a baby. she aged 5 but was really 14. that is probably an exception though.. i have a set of 25 tiger strips, all 10 years old... most would age 7, one or two 5, a few SS and a couple of no mouths...

wear on teeth also depends on quality/height of grazing and type of ground... sandy soil wears them out faster..

gene

> This is the only site I've ever
> found that actually shows pitures
> of the teeth.
> "http://www.minifarm.com/Articles/cattleage.htm"
> Wear isn't alwasy all that
> reliable, we've got a cow that was
> aged at 7 based on her teeth, that
> was 4 years ago, every spring when
> we do our vet checks we check
> teeth. She's still 7 according to
> the vet based on checking her
> teeth.

> dun

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> Agree that looking at teeth is the
> most commonly used method. But to
> some extent it's like looking at
> humans --- once you've seen a lot
> of cattle you'll generally be able
> to tell just from outward
> appearance the general age bracket
> (though some can fool you). If you
> have the time and inclination, and
> if they will allow you to be
> there, you might get to one of the
> weekday sale barns the day before
> the sale and watch them as they
> age and palpate cows. They will
> look at teeth and then write the
> estimated age on the cow's hide.
> And if you see "SS" that
> means short & solid. Anyway,
> the web site with pictures
> (although not the best quality
> pictures) is:
> <A HREF="http://www.longhornshowcase.com/Library/TechieStuff/agexteeth.shtml" TARGET="_blank">www.longhornshowcase.com/Library/TechieStuff/agexteeth.shtml</A>

They don't write the estimated age on the cows going through the sales here in N.GA. are at the sale in N.Ala. The vet does estimate the age of the spinger cows he cheeks and writes it on a log, maybe for the state records,I don't know, but they never have wrote it on the cows hide.Everyone just kinds of buys them as is with ones own site being the judge.

I was helping a farmer friend of mine work his charolais this past summer and one of his good looking charolais that he had bought through the sale about 2 yrs ago, that still had a good tight shack,no long tites,eyes were not protuding,looked to be about 5 or 6 yrs old truned out after looking in her mounth to both of our surprise only had little popcorn for teeth. He sold her the next week as a springer and she brought good money.

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Here the cows are tagged with a colored tage denoting stage of pregnancy with a number for age written on it. Usually after about 6 they're either SS (short & Solid) or BM (broken mouth). The skill of the vet is vital. A neighbor bought a bunch of stock cows that were 2nd and 3rd stage, about half of the 2nd stage cows were open, one calved a week after the sale. A couple of the 3rd stage cows were really in the 3rd stage, the others were either 2nd stage or open. They chekc them so fast that a mistake can be made both in the teeth and the stage of pregnancy, plus the chances of the wrong thing being written down. They usually have to vets, one doing teeth and one doing preg checking. Some vets are much better at the preg checks then others. When our vet checks them he tells me what he thinks the breeding date is, the furthest he's been off is 6 days. Of course the history of him having taught reproduction at the U of KS and having worked at MARC in the reproduction facility might have something to do with it.

dun

> They don't write the estimated age
> on the cows going through the
> sales here in N.GA. are at the
> sale in N.Ala. The vet does
> estimate the age of the spinger
> cows he cheeks and writes it on a
> log, maybe for the state records,I
> don't know, but they never have
> wrote it on the cows hide.Everyone
> just kinds of buys them as is with
> ones own site being the judge.

> I was helping a farmer friend of
> mine work his charolais this past
> summer and one of his good looking
> charolais that he had bought
> through the sale about 2 yrs ago,
> that still had a good tight
> shack,no long tites,eyes were not
> protuding,looked to be about 5 or
> 6 yrs old truned out after looking
> in her mounth to both of our
> surprise only had little popcorn
> for teeth. He sold her the next
> week as a springer and she brought
> good money.
 
wow... missing that many cows, especially those in the 3rd trimester... bet that vet catches a lot of heat... the easiest cows to palpate and know they are bred are those in the last trimester.. just reach in and there is a calf there to feel...

double wow.. to acurately palpate cows and the worst you are ever off is 6 days is unheard of around here.... if we get em within a month around here that is good. sometimes you miss em a week and sometimes 6 weeks... but that is just the way it is here... i have bought cows that were missed by 3 months.. but that is not the norm here.

gene

> Here the cows are tagged with a
> colored tage denoting stage of
> pregnancy with a number for age
> written on it. Usually after about
> 6 they're either SS (short &
> Solid) or BM (broken mouth). The
> skill of the vet is vital. A
> neighbor bought a bunch of stock
> cows that were 2nd and 3rd stage,
> about half of the 2nd stage cows
> were open, one calved a week after
> the sale. A couple of the 3rd
> stage cows were really in the 3rd
> stage, the others were either 2nd
> stage or open. They chekc them so
> fast that a mistake can be made
> both in the teeth and the stage of
> pregnancy, plus the chances of the
> wrong thing being written down.
> They usually have to vets, one
> doing teeth and one doing preg
> checking. Some vets are much
> better at the preg checks then
> others. When our vet checks them
> he tells me what he thinks the
> breeding date is, the furthest
> he's been off is 6 days. Of course
> the history of him having taught
> reproduction at the U of KS and
> having worked at MARC in the
> reproduction facility might have
> something to do with it.

> dun

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teeth actually stop wearing out after a while, and if the cattle don't get sick, eat the right stuff and don't have to chew sand too much, you won't be able to tell the difference after 7-8 years of age.

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