Coat?

[NEFarmwife]

May be an ignorant post... but I was on a website of an operation that I greatly admire. It stated that they score the cows coats in June because...

“Data has shown that cows that successfully slick off each year can wean calves that are more than 60lbs heavier than cows that don't completely shed their winter hair coats.”

When I go to pasture, I can’t recollect any cow that hasn’t done such by then but that statement has peaked my curiosity. I do know others have stated that coats at yearling can fortell breeding chances.

So could we dedicate this post to discussion of our cattle’s coats? Have you learned or practiced or made culling decisions based off your cows coat?

 

[Caustic Burno]

May be an ignorant post... but I was on a website of an operation that I greatly admire. It stated that they score the cows coats in June because...

“Data has shown that cows that successfully slick off each year can wean calves that are more than 60lbs heavier than cows that don't completely shed their winter hair coats.”

When I go to pasture, I can’t recollect any cow that hasn’t done such by then but that statement has peaked my curiosity. I do know others have stated that coats at yearling can fortell breeding chances.

So could we dedicate this post to discussion of our cattle’s coats? Have you learned or practiced or made culling decisions based off your cows coat?

That is an interesting factoid.
My question is it breed specific?

Regional specific?

 

[NEFarmwife]

May be an ignorant post... but I was on a website of an operation that I greatly admire. It stated that they score the cows coats in June because...

“Data has shown that cows that successfully slick off each year can wean calves that are more than 60lbs heavier than cows that don't completely shed their winter hair coats.”

When I go to pasture, I can’t recollect any cow that hasn’t done such by then but that statement has peaked my curiosity. I do know others have stated that coats at yearling can fortell breeding chances.

So could we dedicate this post to discussion of our cattle’s coats? Have you learned or practiced or made culling decisions based off your cows coat?

That is an interesting factoid.
My question is it breed specific?

Regional specific?

Good question. I’m very curious myself. This was a black angus website out of SD.

 

[NEFarmwife]

I guess I should have looked to UNL again for all the answers... this makes sense. This is a calf shedding it’s coat but same info could be applied to a cow.

https://newsroom.unl.edu/announce/beef/7865/45836

 

[76 Bar]

https://www.bonsmara.org.au/admin/f...bonsma_and_the_bonsmara_beef_cattle_breed.pdf
Insightful read. See page 20 for his thoughts on hormonal status as reflected by shedding.
Difficult to obtain and hence pricey but I heartily recommend Bonsma's Man Must Measure

 

[Ebenezer]

Coat/shedding matters on fescue. No fuzzies need apply here.

 

[Bright Raven]

Fire Sweep Simmentals should participate here. Her cattle are enrolled in a several year study on the relationship of shedding to fescue toxicity. Where she lives has some of the highest endophyte toxin levels in the nation. The problem being analyzed : what is the relationship of shedding efficiency to susceptibility to endophyte toxins. The theory is that it can be related to genetics or toxins in fescue.

Edited to add: I think they also score her cows in June. Theoretically, unless caused by toxin or genetics, your cows should have made progress in being shed out by June.

 

[NEFarmwife]

https://www.bonsmara.org.au/admin/f...bonsma_and_the_bonsmara_beef_cattle_breed.pdf
Insightful read. See page 20 for his thoughts on hormonal status as reflected by shedding.
Difficult to obtain and hence pricey but I heartily recommend Bonsma's Man Must Measure

Thanks for the link.... I’m gonna have to sit down and read all of this, by the looks of it. I just quickly glazed over it. Interesting stuff.

 

[CreekAngus]

May be an ignorant post... but I was on a website of an operation that I greatly admire. It stated that they score the cows coats in June because...

“Data has shown that cows that successfully slick off each year can wean calves that are more than 60lbs heavier than cows that don't completely shed their winter hair coats.”

When I go to pasture, I can’t recollect any cow that hasn’t done such by then but that statement has peaked my curiosity. I do know others have stated that coats at yearling can fortell breeding chances.

So could we dedicate this post to discussion of our cattle’s coats? Have you learned or practiced or made culling decisions based off your cows coat?

From what I understand the AAA is putting a lot of emphasis into shedding and we could see an EPD coming out in a year or two, because we need more data we can't trust. Another EPD, that will be useless, because of environments and operations.

 

[Nesikep]

May be an ignorant post... but I was on a website of an operation that I greatly admire. It stated that they score the cows coats in June because...

“Data has shown that cows that successfully slick off each year can wean calves that are more than 60lbs heavier than cows that don't completely shed their winter hair coats.”

When I go to pasture, I can’t recollect any cow that hasn’t done such by then but that statement has peaked my curiosity. I do know others have stated that coats at yearling can fortell breeding chances.

So could we dedicate this post to discussion of our cattle’s coats? Have you learned or practiced or made culling decisions based off your cows coat?

From what I understand the AAA is putting a lot of emphasis into shedding and we could see an EPD coming out in a year or two, because we need more data we can't trust. Another EPD, that will be useless, because of environments and operations.

Another EPD that won't have much accuracy and some people will take as the gospel.

A lot of it depends on if the cows have good spots to rub on too, I could see these brushing machines being put up on every corner in some places
https://youtu.be/h3SG72cKA9o

My bull is really shedding out now, comes out by the handful.. Cows are hit and miss, and I can't say that the cows that shed out early are better milkers... I do have some families that have very straight hair and some that have curly hair, the straight haired ones are few, but I do like them and they raise fine calves
Momma and daughter


yearling daughter


Daughter and granddaughter



Another problem is who's going to determine what's "better"? Shedding out early might be good for the southern cows, but might be bad for one in the north when you get a foot of snow darned near close to May (We've never seen that before have we??)

 

[Nesikep]

Meanwhile these two fuzzies are sisters to the momma above, didn't keep the roan one (kinda wish I had) but the tan one is a top producer

 

[76 Bar]

Thanks for the link.... I’m gonna have to sit down and read all of this, by the looks of it. I just quickly glazed over it. Interesting stuff.

Glad you appreciated it.

 

[Hippie Rancher]

interesting idea - never really thought about that as a factor, though in general a nice slick animal would be considered to be in good health so just that aspect makes sense.

 

[Dave]

What if they have some Galloway in their breeding? I always heard that those that didn't shed as quickly was a sign of worms. I don't know that it is true but I do know the years I did a better job of worming they seemed to shed better.

 

[hornedfrogbbq]

Our cattle wear faux fur coats...wink.

 

[Redgully]

Well thats the end of the highlanders!

 

[NEFarmwife]

Well thats the end of the highlanders!

I’ve seriously wanted one! Actually, I just want to see one in real life. I’ve got to stop collecting critters.

 

[Hippie Rancher]

Well thats the end of the highlanders!

we used to have one (and subsequently many descendants) they shed out their undercoat and get pretty slick like any other, the hair is longer and ears stay shaggy, but you can see a clear difference between winter and summer coats.

 

[Redgully]

I was at a show last weekend and a stud was showing some in the interbreed section. They did ok but came undone against the charolais. They looked great and actually handled well, I've heard stories of touchy temperament. But those horns look scary. These were fluffy and autumn here. I've thought about having one run around the paddock too!

 

[Hippie Rancher]

I was at a show last weekend and a stud was showing some in the interbreed section. They did ok but came undone against the charolais. They looked great and actually handled well, I've heard stories of touchy temperament. But those horns look scary. These were fluffy and autumn here. I've thought about having one run around the paddock too!

they cross with Brahma into a really nice cow but yeah you want to handle them early and often, they can get really wild on their own. I prefer horned cattle and even have some Longhorns around so that part we are used to. They are good mountain cattle, obviously and know how to deal with predators. :lol: