Am I being cruel by keeping her?

[Gate Opener]

We have an old cow, not sure of the age but she has popcorn kernel teeth. She is open right now, I don't think there will be a problem getting her bred back. I have said that she would die on our place but now I wonder if that is the best thing for her. I don't want her to hang around too long and suffer for it but I worry about her taking a long ride in a cramped cattle truck. We have gotten a lot of enjoyment from this cow, yes she is a pet. She looks like an old cow but she has a big belly(not wormy) and has a good calves. She still acts like she feels okay but she is usually at the end of the line coming in when called.

I'm torn about this, how do I make the decision? Anybody else been through this?

 

[Wewild]

We have an old cow, not sure of the age but she has popcorn kernel teeth. She is open right now, I don't think there will be a problem getting her bred back. I have said that she would die on our place but now I wonder if that is the best thing for her. I don't want her to hang around too long and suffer for it but I worry about her taking a long ride in a cramped cattle truck. We have gotten a lot of enjoyment from this cow, yes she is a pet. She looks like an old cow but she has a big belly(not wormy) and has a good calves. She still acts like she feels okay but she is usually at the end of the line coming in when called.

I'm torn about this, how do I make the decision? Anybody else been through this?

I always prefer to sell them before keeping them so long that I have to shoot them.

 

[Horticattleman]

We have an old cow, not sure of the age but she has popcorn kernel teeth. She is open right now, I don't think there will be a problem getting her bred back. I have said that she would die on our place but now I wonder if that is the best thing for her. I don't want her to hang around too long and suffer for it but I worry about her taking a long ride in a cramped cattle truck. We have gotten a lot of enjoyment from this cow, yes she is a pet. She looks like an old cow but she has a big belly(not wormy) and has a good calves. She still acts like she feels okay but she is usually at the end of the line coming in when called.

I'm torn about this, how do I make the decision? Anybody else been through this?

I always prefer to sell them before keeping them so long that I have to shoot them.

So someone else can put her down? It sounds to me like she is doing exactly what she should be doing...giving good calves.
When you get that old would you rather be put in a home in a bed, or worse euthanized, or would you rather live out your days on your own place? I know this is a cow we're talking about, but you did say she is a pet

 

[Tod Dague]

When the time comes turn her into hamburger.

 

[dun]

When the time comes turn her into hamburger.

I'll second that

dun

 

[Alice]

Why would she have to suffer for it hanging around too long? That's a justification, not a reason.

You wouldn't allow her to suffer if you saw that she was suffering, would you? She's still serving a useful purpose...and should that purpose end, and you let her live her last years on your property, how much does it cost the dead truck to haul her off? Here, it's 30 dollars.

Alice

 

[Victoria]

If she can eat, get up in the morning and keep up with the herd you aren't being cruel.
If she can't do these things it is time to re-think the situation. At that point you have three choices, put her on a truck to the auction mart, shoot her yourself or have a vet euthanize her. Is she happy to be alive? Once she gets the look in her eyes it's time for her to go. Hard to tell without seeing her but think about why you are asking.
If she's a pet and you can't bear the thought of her going on the truck - don't send her. She can be killed at home. We've got a few we've done that with and a few more in the future. Some cows around here have paid their dues and getting the extra couple of hundred bucks out of them is not worth it.

 

[Gate Opener]

Why would she have to suffer for it hanging around too long? That's a justification, not a reason.

Alice, I haven't been around an old cow before so I don't know how to tell if the time has come. We have had her about 3 years and she was marked a 0 (gumming it) at the sale barn. I didn't know if it was cruel to keep letting her have babies and if I should wait until she was crippled or whatever happens when they get too old. I truly want to do what is best for her and I don't want her to suffer.

Victoria, thanks the look in the eye sounds like a good way to tell. She still seems happy.

Maybe its a girl thing as most all the men say ship her.

 

[Limomike]

Well, not to sound cruel, but I say keep breeding her if she can take it. If not, then let her roam around, until she cant do it anymore. Then.. off to make hamburger!

 

[auctionboy]

If she breeds and she is fat what is the problem? If she starts to thin out from the teeth and you still want her give her some corn meal everyday.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

from the business standpoint which we all have to veiw open, broken mouth cow=salebarn

 

[sidney411]

If the situation presents itself - it is better to shoot one then to let it starve to death.

 

[Cattle Rack Rancher]

One of my friendliest cows came in open this year. She would always stand beside me when I was cutting the strings on the bales. She was a nice, quiet cow. So, having served in my herd for so many years, she'll be getting served on my dinner plate for the next year. This is a business. Open cows get shipped or eaten.

 

[holly heifer]

Naw- we have buried a few, just depends on "who" they were!
Others get shipped without looking back. There is no rhyme
or reason to my madness. I am a little bit odd at times
:nod:

 

[MoGal]

There comes a time when you have to separate emotions from business. Since you don't want to ship her, then fatten her up and butcher her. You will know for a fact that she was humanely treated plus you will provide meat for the family.

 

[Wewild]

So someone else can put her down? It sounds to me like she is doing exactly what she should be doing...giving good calves.
When you get that old would you rather be put in a home in a bed, or worse euthanized, or would you rather live out your days on your own place? I know this is a cow we're talking about, but you did say she is a pet

Putting one down don't bother me. It comes down to the money. I don't have any pet cows. I've sold the ones I bottle raised back when I was very young when their time came. One got lock jaw and I had to shoot her.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

i got a old gal that i said i was gonna squezz all the calves i could out of her.. she came up arthretic this summer. too many years of establising rank caught up with her. this spring if all goes well . will be her last calf . dam i hate too turn her loose but i got a show too run

 

[dun]

i got a old gal that i said i was gonna squezz all the calves i could out of her.. she came up arthretic this summer. too many years of establising rank caught up with her. this spring if all goes well . will be her last calf . dam i hate too turn her loose but i got a show too run

I have one in the same category, she'll be 17 in the spring. She came up with a bad hip last summer after she was bred. Put her in smaller lot so her calf could still nurse and be able to go out with the others. Her hip popped so loud when she walked that you could hear it from 50-60 feet away. After a couple of months she was better so we turned her back out with the rest of the herd. She looked like she maybe favored it a bit but the popping was gone. The vet had figured that the cold of winter, fighting the snow and possibly ice would be too much for her. After the ice, snow and cold of last week the vet just shook his head when he dropped by the other day. No limp, she's lost a little muscle mass in that hip area, but she's acting like nothing was ever wrong. I'm hoping for another heifer out of her before she gimps up to the point that we have to grind her. She's one tough old girl and who knows, she may have a few more years left in her.

dun

 

[GMN]

Why would she have to suffer for it hanging around too long? That's a justification, not a reason.

Alice, I haven't been around an old cow before so I don't know how to tell if the time has come. We have had her about 3 years and she was marked a 0 (gumming it) at the sale barn. I didn't know if it was cruel to keep letting her have babies and if I should wait until she was crippled or whatever happens when they get too old. I truly want to do what is best for her and I don't want her to suffer.

Victoria, thanks the look in the eye sounds like a good way to tell. She still seems happy.


Maybe its a girl thing as most all the men say ship her.

I think it is easier for a man to just say cull her, ship her whatever, also I imagine it would be easier just to ship a beefie over a dairy cow. I milk, I have my good ole #1, first calf we ever had, raised her up, first cow I Ever milked in my life when I started out. She is 17 now, and she will never go to the sale barn. She still milks, has a calf every year, lately she has slowed down some, getting grey hair, and I'm thinking of just retiring her to pasture, letting her live the rest of her days, in the easy chair. She is a great cow, and I think dairy people get alot more emotionally attached to their animals, where I just wouldn't have the heart to send her to a packing plant.

I know some people may think that silly or whatever, but who cares, do as you like, you are the one who has to sleep at night over decisions you make.

Gail

 

[KANSAS]

When my older brother was 10 he purchased a bottle calf. He raised her and she was a wonderful producer. I know that towards the end of her days we was wondering wether he should let her go and was torn by the same issue. I will say that he opted to keep her and let her live her days out on the farm. However, he does say he wishes he would of kept her skull as she decompossed. In all honesty I wish he would of as well. She was special to us other kids as well.

I say keep her and let her die a natural death on your farm.