Bad Bag or Just Don't Look ?

[Stocker Steve]

Got a easy keeping and heavy milking bwf 8 yr old cow that has developed bad bag support. I planned to cull her this fall, but the current calf prices are giving me second thoughts. Her bag tips forward a bit so the calf gets started on the front two quarters, and eventually gets to the back two. Will this develop into a real problem that needs to be prevented, or do I need to only look at her big calf for a couple years?

 

[J&D Cattle]

I've got two that have bag "support" issues. I'm choosing to only look at the big calves for a year or two or until dry weather forces me to sell a couple. Both are short solid cows so their stay is limited anyway.

 

[AllForage]

I bought a Galloway long time ago that developed the same thing. She got toxic mastitis and poisoned her calf. With it hanging low, it picked up bacteria from lounging areas when the heat started. I'm not a udder nazi as long as it's functional and I don't have to touch it, but I would cull her with that problem.

 

[Rafter S]

I can understand wanting to get one more calf out of her, but the price for cull cows is pretty good too. I'd sell her.

 

[highgrit]

It will get worse every year. I culled a fine cow because of a udder edema.

 

[Nesikep]

I got one that has a massive dangling bag, She holds a gallon of colostrum in each quarter (I know, I milked her), and it takes a month for the calf to learn to count to 4... she raises great calves, her daughters have all had good udders... I sometimes have to give the calf a hand to get going (she's mean as hell, so it's always fun), but I've always got better things to cull for at this point.

 

[Taurus]

Personally I would sell her as her udder will get worse every time she has a calf. You will feels better when you drop off her at the sale barn.

 

[Bigfoot]

I've always culled heavy. It also means you need to keep a lot of replacements. That cow would definitely be on my list.

 

[LRTX1]

With calf prices the way they are cull her later. As long as she keeps up her end of the bargain. Unless you can replace her with something better for what you get from culling her.

 

[cowgirl_jenna]

We used to keep cows like that when we were building our beef herd, but I will admit they were usually the problem childs the next year. Some times the calf had so much trouble getting started sucking. Now we would probably cull her with the market. But saying that we have a OLD cow we call granny and her udder would SHOCK you. But, she has always bred back, raised one of the biggest calves every year, never been sick and her calf has always sucked right away. As long as she is healthy I guess we are keeping her. SO, guess you have to weigh all the options.
Jenna

 

[Nesikep]

Mine is like the one Cowgirl Jenna describes... She's had the first calf of the year about 5 times, and it's always in the top 20%.

a video is worth more... Here is "Sabine" a day after calving. This year it took her granddaughter (a real thief) to find the hind quarters.
[youtube]4mhECCMxi1w[/youtube]

 

[Aaron]

A bag is only a problem when you have to milk them out or help the calf nurse. Lots of Hereford cows had beautiful tight bags in the 80's, but their calves starved.

 

[Nesikep]

Then the herfs had bad bags that produced better, which isn't a definite step forward.

 

[Aaron]

Then the herfs had bad bags that produced better, which isn't a definite step forward.

Not bad. But not perfect. Although there were some bulls from the 80's that had terrible-uddered daughters and no milk.

But a cow that can milk over one that can't is a step forward, no matter the quality of the udder.

 

[Stocker Steve]

A bag is only a problem when you have to milk them out or help the calf nurse.

Right, and she is perky. So my fall plan for cull'in 25% is off.

 

[Nesikep]

Then the herfs had bad bags that produced better, which isn't a definite step forward.

Not bad. But not perfect. Although there were some bulls from the 80's that had terrible-uddered daughters and no milk.

But a cow that can milk over one that can't is a step forward, no matter the quality of the udder.

Only if the calf doesn't starve because it can't find the teats, or can't fit them into it's mouth. I'm very grateful I've gotten rid of the worst offenders there.. Sabine is the only one left, I didn't have to help this year, though most years she ends up in the chute and gets milked once or twice... Her bag is so bad I have to laugh at her, so at least she's good for a laugh.

 

[jerry27150]

that one pictured has way to low of a bag for a beef cow

 

[Lucky_P]

Have a few with ugly bags - some, huge washtub size things, some big bags with big ugly teats.
They all get a 'strike' for ugly, but until I have to help a calf nurse, 'cause the teats are too big for it to get 'hold of, they're not leaving for that feature alone. I'll just keep trying to breed them to a sire known for improving udder structure & teat size/shape.
Current walking Angus sire doesn't fix 'em, but he doesn't make 'em any worse.

 

[Nesikep]

Jerry... Mine? I completely agree..

Here is what I think is a perfect beefer udder.. about a week after her first calf


Calf is now 6 weeks old and still doesn't leave hungry

 

[Chris H]

We've got pretty good udders in our Herefords now. We sold a cow a couple years ago that was about 11. Her udder got worse each year between 5 and 8 yrs old. I almost culled her at 8 but decided to take a chance for 1 more calf. Her udder never got any worse than what it was when she was 8. Her best calves were born after 8, that bull just clicked with her. Those daughters have picture perfect udders.

I've never been able to tell for certain if an udder will get worse or not.