Average Cow Longevity ?

[Stocker Steve]

There are a lot of general articles on how cross bred cows last one or two year longer. I have heard some general comments that British crosses last longer than continental crosses. Have you see data, or had some personal results, on which beef breed cross lasts the longest in a commercial herd?

 

[Galloways1]

I have had many Galloway cows last 15 -20 years. These were not hand fed pen cows, they foraged just like all the younger ones.

When they slacked off in production (ww or open) they went into the freezer.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Some of the oldest cows i have been around in this area have been continental crosses. HerefordxChar LimousinxHereford, seen several of them last into there late teens.

 

[angusdave63]

when i was a kid late 60's through the 70's we had several hereford and a couple hereford char cross cows last into there late teens. they calved every year and weaned good calves for the times, now seems like i am lucky to get a cow to 10, hmmmm is it really better breeding, i agree the cows wean bigger calves but at what cost,i feel like a cow is a real money maker after 4 or 5 calves.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I saw one study where they measured the enamel thickness and bite by breed. Apparently some breeds need braces and others don't. ;-)

 

[houstoncutter]

One of the big reasons we like our F1 Brahman crosses here in the deep south. Have had several of those ol girls go into their 20's!

 

[Caustic Burno]

One of the big reasons we like our F1 Brahman crosses here in the deep south. Have had several of those ol girls go into their 20's!

Exactly right.
I hauled some 25 and older girl's for my neighbor and they aged out six and seven through the barn, there teeth were still that good. I toothed every one of his old girls and he only had one SS in the bunch. They were fat, slick and still producing a calf every year.

 

[u4411clb]

Put me down for Brahman influenced cattle as well. Had a set of Brangus cows that were 22 years old that I sold not because they missed a calf or couldn't wean a calf just because they were 22 years old. Not sure how long they could have went.

 

[Bigfoot]

Long horns will be with you for a while as well.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

Put me down for Brahman influenced cattle as well. Had a set of Brangus cows that were 22 years old that I sold not because they missed a calf or couldn't wean a calf just because they were 22 years old. Not sure how long they could have went.

till they drop.... though they can be slower maturing, they make up for it with the extra calves, on the tail end ....

 

[ALACOWMAN]

Long horns will be with you for a while as well.

not if i can help it

 

[Rustler9]

We have several cows still producing in their teens. Of course we raise the original American breed-which some like and others are afraid to try. I have eighteen year old cows right raising big fat calves.

 

[Bigfoot]

Long horns will be with you for a while as well.

not if i can help it

I usually keep one or two in the herd. Left over roping stock. I would never promote the breed. They do last a long time. Had one a tree feel on when it was 19. I hung her head up in my tack room. Her teeth looked great. Her calves were always bottom of the market.

 

[xbred]

i have a lot of charolais influence in my herd and one thing i am not pleased with is the longevity of the mamas. in my herd 10 years is old only a few have made it to 12 and been doing well...

 

[Rosielou]

We had several crossbreeds last until their early-mid 20's and still raising good calves. Angus, Limousin, Brangus and Charolais influences.

 

[Stocker Steve]

i have a lot of charolais influence in my herd and one thing i am not pleased with is the longevity of the mamas. in my herd 10 years is old only a few have made it to 12 and been doing well...

Found a little data on common continental crosses and it had Char X with the most longevity. Limi X had the least. I don't have enough continental crosses to take a position.
Found quite a bit of data on common British crosses and the classic wf F1 did very well for longevity. Shorthorn crosses had the least (mine tend to bag and teat problems). I did not see any Galloway data.
There are always exceptions, but I think 12 is getting real old if you do not have any ear and cull for performance.

 

[Galloways1]

i have a lot of charolais influence in my herd and one thing i am not pleased with is the longevity of the mamas. in my herd 10 years is old only a few have made it to 12 and been doing well...

Found a little data on common continental crosses and it had Char X with the most longevity. Limi X had the least. I don't have enough continental crosses to take a position.
Found quite a bit of data on common British crosses and the classic wf F1 did very well for longevity. Shorthorn crosses had the least (mine tend to bag and teat problems). I did not see any Galloway data.
There are always exceptions, but I think 12 is getting real old if you do not have any ear and cull for performance.

You won't find much data on Galloways in the US. Since the late 1970's early 80's, Galloway numbers have been low enough, so not included in mainstream beef industry testing. There is some feedlot trial data out of Olds college in Alberta, CA.

I agree 12 is old enough, but as a maternal breed, the Galloway cow will keep producing calves well into their teens. As long as they were still weaning 50% of their mature weight, they were kept. Their heifer calves had similar longevity. That is one of the downfalls of the breed...they last too long. I have commercial bull buyers that only buy bulls every 7-10 years. They rotate them with neighboring herds, getting them back every 3-4 years. So after the use a bull the 3rd time (9-12 years) they buy a "NEW" one, that isn't related to the females they have kept.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

my F1's still look like 5 yr olds,, at 12... if i sold at 12, i wouldnt even retain em......id buy

 

[Taurus]

I had a 18 years old Red Angus cow till she passed away peacefully five years ago. Sold two 16 years old Black Angus and a 17 yrs old Black Baldy cow. They don't have any brahman or Charolais in them. Right now the oldest cow in my herd would be a 11 years old Beltie cross cow and her half sister Black Angus cow.

 

[Massey135]

When I started in the shorthorns, I was amazed that many of the breeders I initially went to that had cows in their 20s. most commercial cows are lucky to go 10-12 before having tooth/mouth problems.

It would also make sense that the later maturing types would have more longevity.