Average Life Span of Brood Cow?

[Fallfish]

Just an overview question.

What is the average production life span of a brood cow?

In that line, what is the most extreme age you have ever heard of or owned?

This stems from a friendly debate....so I seek out the oracle of Cattle-Today!

 

[certherfbeef]

The average age of my herd right now is 6 yrs old. But I retained quite a few heifers last year. I have had a cow that was 16 when we finally has to ship her. She didn't have many teeth left. But produced well till the final day. A good friend of mine has an old hereford that is 25. Had a calf last year. And has been retired to do what ever she wants till her dying day. She had 2 sets of twins and calved every year since she was 2 yrs old.

 

[cherokeeruby]

Saw a study recently regarding the productive livespan of F-1 females conducted in Florida. Study said the average productive livespan was 17 years for F-1's produced from crossing Brahman and Hereford.

 

[greenwillowherefords]

Just an overview question.

What is the average production life span of a brood cow?

In that line, what is the most extreme age you have ever heard of or owned?

This stems from a friendly debate....so I seek out the oracle of Cattle-Today!

The average age of both Herefords and Angus is 9 years according to the AHA, and a black-baldie lasts 11 on average. No, I can't produce the proof immediately, I just read that in material promoting black-baldies.
A friend who is as honest as anyone I have ever known said he knew of one horned Hereford who sold in a dispersion sale at around 20. The volume buyer purchased all the brood cows except her, saying he'd never bought a 20 yr old cow, and wasn't going to start. After watching a colleague keep her until 29, raising a calf every year, he said it was the worst mistake he'd ever made, as he missed out on those longevity genetics.

 

[TLCfromARK]

Our avg. age for brood cows is about 8, this isn't including replacement heifers that hasn't calved yet.

As for as the oldest I know of, my brother bought a F-1 pair ( Brahma / Hereford ) 18 years ago and last year was the first year she went over 12 months between calves ( 13 months ). He was told when he bought her that it was her 3rd calf, he guesses that she has to be 22 - 23 years old now.

;-)

 

[sidney411]

The average age of our herd is 5-6 right now. The oldest cow we had died last year, she was a Holstein from the old Dairy that was dispersed in 1986. We don't know exactly w how old she was because we couldn't read her tatoo anymore and her bangs tag was missing, but I assume she was around 20. She had a calf every year until the last year she lost it, she was very frail so we out her in a small area behind the house since she had lost her place as herd matriarc. She went down in a sleet storm and never got back up. We all cried.

 

[dun]

The average age of our herd is 5-6 right now. The oldest cow we had died last year, she was a Holstein from the old Dairy that was dispersed in 1986. We don't know exactly w how old she was because we couldn't read her tatoo anymore and her bangs tag was missing, but I assume she was around 20. She had a calf every year until the last year she lost it, she was very frail so we out her in a small area behind the house since she had lost her place as herd matriarc. She went down in a sleet storm and never got back up. We all cried.

Our old granny is no longer the matriarch either, but when something totally new happens, all the others look to her for what to do. She's only 12 plus, not real sure about actual number. She slipped her calf early last year. When I bred her this year my wife talked to her and told her that it didn't matter if she ever calved again, she'ld be here till she dies. I got the message! She settled first service and is still carrying her calf.

dun

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

Some of our best producing Longhorn cows are in the 10-14 year old range...never missed a beat since they started calving. Think I remember hearing about a Longhorn cow that lived to be 32. Not unusual for a Longhorn cow to keep calving into her early 20's.

 

[hillbilly]

Just an overview question.

What is the average production life span of a brood cow?

In that line, what is the most extreme age you have ever heard of or owned?

This stems from a friendly debate....so I seek out the oracle of Cattle-Today!

Different breeds tend to last different number of years.
There are exceptions to every rule, but here goes, IMHO.

British= 10 years
Contenintal=12 years
Brahma X = 14 years

They would have to exceptional cows to hold beyond 7 years.

I believe the best plan is to raise replacements for 1/6 th of your herd every year. That way your culls are no older than 7 years old.

We do keep good ones longer, and poor ones shorter

Hillbilly

 

[jt]

Just an overview question.

What is the average production life span of a brood cow?

In that line, what is the most extreme age you have ever heard of or owned?

This stems from a friendly debate....so I seek out the oracle of Cattle-Today!

Different breeds tend to last different number of years.
There are exceptions to every rule, but here goes, IMHO.

British= 10 years
Contenintal=12 years
Brahma X = 14 years

They would have to exceptional cows to hold beyond 7 years.

I believe the best plan is to raise replacements for 1/6 th of your herd every year. That way your culls are no older than 7 years old.

We do keep good ones longer, and poor ones shorter

Hillbilly

hillbilly,

that sounds like a good plan.. some valuable info i picked up one time was from a sale barn owner when we were discussing the quality of cows that come thru the barns..

he said, you rarely see people in here buying who have, in his opinion, good cattle. they keep back the best of what they have and therefore will always have good cattle. sure, there will be some of them to cull from time to time, but overall, they will have a good herd. i thought that was very good advice.. and something that at the time i hadnt thought of.

jt

 

[hillbilly]

that sounds like a good plan.. some valuable info i picked up one time was from a sale barn owner when we were discussing the quality of cows that come thru the barns..

he said, you rarely see people in here buying who have, in his opinion, good cattle. they keep back the best of what they have and therefore will always have good cattle. sure, there will be some of them to cull from time to time, but overall, they will have a good herd. i thought that was very good advice.. and something that at the time i hadnt thought of.

jt[/quote]

I agree.
It is cheaper to buy 5 yr old replacments every year than to raise your own. But you cant improve your cattle depending on someone elses genetics for 50% of your herd.
After just a few generations there is a huge differance, If you are running good bulls and have at least a 3 breed rotation.
People start giving enough for your culls that your replacements dont cost so much.

Hillbilly

 

[PATB]

The oldest we have had was 19 years old when we sold her to a 4h kid with a nice heifer calf at side for the price of the calf. We currently have a young herd since we have been keeping back heifers to expand and dad sold off most of the cross breds that are older. The oldest beef cow I know of in my area was 26 when she had her calf. There are several breeders with large percentage of their herds in the late teens early twenty's. We have a jersey breeder who has a cow around 30 that he has been sucking eggs out of.

 

[txshowmom]

I would say average for us would be around 12 years. We have some that are over 20 and still have a calf every year. Thoses are the exception.

 

[BLACKPOWER]

I would say average for us would be around 12 years. We have some that are over 20 and still have a calf every year. Thoses are the exception.

I figured Texas cows would raise 650lb calves every year for 30 years. Don't some Texas cows defy all conventional cows and have 7, 8, maybe even 10 calves a year. O "when I die just let me go to Texas, lord, cause Texas is as close as I'll be". Is that all you so called "ranchers" do in Texas is sit on the computer and discuss Dubya and praise Canadian beef? This will be my last post until Monday, some of us actually have to go out and work on real farms. O LA4Dubya don't forget to feed and water your cow. TXSHOWLADY don't forget to wash the adhesive out of Flossy the "gender challenged" wonder bucket calf. TXAG have fun dove hunting with your assualt rifle, NO ARKANSASING. You've all been great I've learned so much from all of you this week. God Bless CANADA!! Long Live The KING!!

I'm out........... I love you all.

 

[txag]

This will be my last post until Monday, some of us actually have to go out and work on real farms.

some of us do that every day!

I'm out........... I love you all.

sorry, but i just don't think i can return the endearing sentiments.

 

[la4angus]

I'm out........... I love you all.

Little boy bp,It wouldn't make anyone mad if you stayed out.
Go home to ewes little girl sheep.

 

[shorty]

The oldest cow I've ever had was 14 but a friend of mine has 22cows ranging from 15-21 years old and has 22 calves from this spring's crop, He asked me if I knew of anyone that had some young cows to sell , he thinks his luck might start to run out one of these years

 

[donnaIL]

gosh with the cost of animals...im really disappointed that they only last 6yrs. seems like the sales always have alot of older animals...why dont you just say that you raise young animals. instead of making it a rule... and i must say...all of our animals are under 5, and the cows at the farm were holding 20...i expect that from them...

*L**IL* donna