average productive life of beef cows?

[milkmaid]

Or average lifespan, assuming that one culls cows which are no longer productive. :lol: I can't seem to find the numbers; anyone know what the lifespan is?

Thanks!

 

[Brandonm2]

I though 12 was average for heifers that entered production. 16 (I think) is the average life expectancy for a cow if you just let them "die on the place"; but that is all from memory and it is very old memory.

 

[SEC]

Good question, not long enough is the answer.

The early stages of Angus cattle in England they would live a very long time. Now if they are older than 10 it's very good. Those cows weren't held open for flushing or anything.

 

[KNERSIE]

alot depends on the forage or grazing conditions. We run catle mostly on veld and a 10 year old cow's teeth usually are very badly worn. From the time they are 8 we start checking teeth, if a cow here is structurally sound, her teeth will ultimately be the deciding factor.

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

As knersie said, its going to be highly variable based on conditions and breed. Most of the Brit animals that I have that were either born here, or in conditions similar to my own will raise 10 - 12 calves without trouble and probably live to 20 yrs if they stuck around. I bought some Angus cows from southern Alberta whose teeth are giving out at 8, 9 yrs of age.

Rod

 

[Third Row]

Brahman and Brahman Influenced - Start thinking about sending them to town about the time they turn 15.

Simmental - Wonder if they're still strong enough to make it to town about the age of 10.

 

[Northern Rancher]

I'd bet the average over the whole industry isn't far from 7-8 for every matriarch that produces into antiquity there's a worthless heifer that bombs as a two year old. If the average was 12 we'd only be culling 8 percent a year and most herds are way above that. I guess if a cow just has tolive and not raise a calf they can go a long time.

 

[Joy in Texas]

I talked some people the other night. They have around 175 head. The subject came up "how old is your oldest cow". Well, I know this is not the norm. This man named Charlie got to figuring how some of cows are. He said, he had 10-12 head that are 22-25 yrs old. They are still producing calves. I've seen some of his cows ,which they are real good shape for being that old.
Charlie,said he really never thought about how old they were getting. He lives by the rule, as long as they earn their keep,they stay.

 

[Brute 23]

Same here,,, easily get 13, 14,15 years out of them,,, sometimes more.

 

[Beef11]

I heard 5 years was average. I think those numbers came from a salebarn reading bangs tatoos. Alot of first calf heifers don't breed back and that would sure pull the average down. It seems dairy is bad right now. I've heard as low as 1.8 lactations to 3 lactations.

 

[Cattle Rack Rancher]

I've heard 7 years batted around alot as the magic number. As in, the average cow remains productive in the herd for 7 years. Overall, I'm sure that there lots of cows that stay productive into their late teens and early twenties. Some breeds are known for their longevity more than others and their will be lots of environmental factors as well that will affect how long cows can stay productive in any herd.

 

[sidney411]

I've got herf/angus and hols/angus cross cows in the herd that are 17 and 18 yrs old and still going strong calving interval of 10 mts and some of the heaviest calves every time I sell. Now - I do not believe this to be the normal average productive lifespan of a cow. I would say 12 - 15 yrs though.

 

[sidney411]

I've got herf/angus and hols/angus cross cows in the herd that are 17 and 18 yrs old and still going strong calving interval of 10 mts and some of the heaviest calves every time I sell. Now - I do not believe this to be the normal average productive lifespan of a cow. I would say 12 - 15 yrs though.

 

[Brandonm2]

I heard 5 years was average. I think those numbers came from a salebarn reading bangs tatoos.

That would not be accurate, because that does not account for the old cows that die out there on the farm.

 

[Anonymous]

If you are only getting 5 years you are not doing something right.

 

[*Cowgirl*]

Same here,,, easily get 13, 14,15 years out of them,,, sometimes more.

Ditto!
I think a cow is right at her prime b/w 6-10.

 

[Badlands]

7-8 is average, and I would guess it is actually closer to 7 than 8. You just aren't going to stray very far from that number.

It is important to look at the whole distribution, not just the few that make it to an old age. If there truly were a high percentage that made it to that advanced age like some might talk about, then there was no way that the person selected that many for each year to begin with! To do so would have put the culling and replacement rate below 5%/year.

Badlands

 

[cjpherford3]

we have a polled hereford cow that is 15 years old with a real nice heifer calf by side and bred back. cj

 

[greatgerts]

7-8 is average, and I would guess it is actually closer to 7 than 8. You just aren't going to stray very far from that number.

It is important to look at the whole distribution, not just the few that make it to an old age. If there truly were a high percentage that made it to that advanced age like some might talk about, then there was no way that the person selected that many for each year to begin with! To do so would have put the culling and replacement rate below 5%/year.

Badlands

This is true, but the question was on "production". If you cull most at weaning or yearling age, they do not enter production, correct? We try to cull hard enough early so that, barring some catastrophe, our cows will produce into their mid to late 10s. 23% of our cows are over 9 years old.

 

[mnmtranching]

I think if you just let cows live out their lives most would last between 15 to 20 years. [around here]

But right about 10 calves for most cows is max. To many things to go wrong, udders, feet, teeth, etc. Best to cull out at first sign of going down hill. For some cows it might be after 3-4 calves and some old girls are still doing good at a dozen.

Average...... 7-8 years.