Cull or Not to Cull

[USAxBrad]

This Cow gave birth to a still born 116lb heifer tonight. Did not notice her having any problems but judging from the swelling on the calf she had to push long and hard. Anyway this cow weaned off a nice 710lb steer for me earlier this spring, largest one of her herd. Between this birth weight and the fact the rest of the herd was done calving at the end of October should I cull this cow after this winter or give her another shot. She is docile and sound. Just don't know what to do with her. If she is going to throw large calves everytime, I can't be around all the time to calve them due to work. I have that new sim angus bull that has a decent CE and BW instead of that Charlouis if he would be worth giving her another shot. What do you all do.




The 116lb heifer. Judging by the photo don't you think it was the fact she was just too large and took too long getting out?

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

She's a nice looking cow but it sounds like she's way out of sync for your operation. I'd sell her private treaty if possible.

 

[ClinchValley]

Wow that's a big calf. Wouldn't ya do best to sell her after being bred?

 

[elkwc]

First what did her first calf weigh? In this case it could of been the mating. I wouldn't necessarily cull her based solely on this one calf. I would breed her to an average BW sire and see what happens. JMO

 

[dun]

I would graft a calf on her and bred her as normal.

 

[Lazy M]

I would graft a calf on her and bred her as normal.

Agreed. I like the cow from the pic. I'd give her another shot even if you don't graft one on her.

 

[dun]

I would graft a calf on her and bred her as normal.

Agreed. I like the cow from the pic. I'd give her another shot even if you don't graft one on her.

My concern about not grafting a calf on her is the odds that she may get too fat to settle.

 

[M-5]

I would graft a calf on her and bred her as normal.

Agreed. I like the cow from the pic. I'd give her another shot even if you don't graft one on her.

My concern about not grafting a calf on her is the odds that she may get too fat to settle.

DING DING DING , we have a winner , Of course dun is usually the voice of reason anyway

 

[kickinbull]

I had a conversation with a friend about a cow he lost recently. She was out of sync with what he thought was her breeding day. three weeks early. So he wasn't really watching her close. She had tried to calve, it was breach and she and the calf died. He said that this is her third calf and she always needed some assistance for calving. I am trying to change the kind of herd we have to one of no to little maintenance. Or I should say I am trying to change my way of thinking and management to no maintenance. For me I recognized the first two calvings of friends cow as a sign.

 

[Ebenezer]

She will get too fat and if she is in great condition now and the calf is abnormally big I have to wonder about gestational diabetes in the cow. If so, she will get real fat. I'd either ship her or let her breed and sell her later at the barn as a sleeved cow.

 

[M.Magis]

If you were to cull her, why would you wait until after winter? May as well save the feed and ship her now, if that's the route you decide on.

 

[dun]

If you were to cull her, why would you wait until after winter? May as well save the feed and ship her now, if that's the route you decide on.

If you decide to ship her, send her now as a wet bag cow.

 

[Ebenezer]

If you were to cull her, why would you wait until after winter? May as well save the feed and ship her now, if that's the route you decide on.

Here, a 5 month bred cow is $250+ over beef prices. A good younger cow of moderate size more like $350.

 

[USAxBrad]

If I do cull her it wouldn't be till spring after she is bred. I have heard a lot of good feed back. One thing I didn't take into account is her condition she will get into not having a calf on her side. Is this a real.issue if I don't graft one on there?

 

[USAxBrad]

If I do cull her it wouldn't be till spring after she is bred. I have heard a lot of good feed back. One thing I didn't take into account is her condition she will get into not having a calf on her side. Is this a real big concern if I don't graft one on there and affecting her long term.

 

[dun]

Depends on the cow. I've seen some that stay in decent condition and others that blew up like a goodyear blimp. I've seen enough overly fat cows that didn;t breed back or bred back and had calving issues because of the excess fat.

 

[farmerjan]

I'd graft a calf on her and then put her back with your new bull and see what happens the next time. That dead calf could have been breech too and drowned or suffocated before she could get it out. I wouldn't let her go with no calf on her. The opposite end, if the rest were done by the end of Oct, then if you put her right back with the bull, and you don't put a calf on her, she should clean up and come back into heat a little sooner, breed back, and maybe back up a month so and get more in time with the rest. If she does, I'd keep her and try her for another calf. If pound cows were 1.00 lb then she would go right now. @ .50 we just put 2 young cows back with the bull that came up open and we just sold their calves. They will be 6 months behind the original group they were with and will stay with our fall calving group now. But if it happens again, they are gone.

 

[USAxBrad]

Okay thanks, I have found a calf to graft on, 1 week old been on a nurse cow. Is 48 hours too late to try to stick a calf on the cow? I have use of the maternity pen with head gate. Are my odds good this late into it?

 

[angus9259]

Okay thanks, I have found a calf to graft on, 1 week old been on a nurse cow. Is 48 hours too late to try to stick a calf on the cow? I have use of the maternity pen with head gate. Are my odds good this late into it?

Odds are good she'll keep milking. It will be more challenging to get the cow to accept the calf unless she's just a real accepting sort...

 

[dun]

Okay thanks, I have found a calf to graft on, 1 week old been on a nurse cow. Is 48 hours too late to try to stick a calf on the cow? I have use of the maternity pen with head gate. Are my odds good this late into it?

Odds are good she'll keep milking. It will be more challenging to get the cow to accept the calf unless she's just a real accepting sort...

What he said