Cull or Not to Cull

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There are alot of farmers on here that are more experienced than I am. But I have found that I will usually give a cow a second shot....If she takes a grafted calf. And to me that is a plus anyway, because it means that I could work with her without getting knocked into the next pen...
The thing about these 3-n-1 cows that were bought, you are dealing with a bull that the seller chose, and got all big calves. I don't want 100+ pound calves or the possible problems that come along with them. But we also don't want monster size cows. Some of our better calves come from our smaller cows. Most that we cull are in the 1100-1250 lb range when they leave. Sure we have some bigger, but they seem to eat an awful lot to produce the calf.
And since the cow did take the calf, you are not losing the lactation, although the calf probably won't bring what her own would have, it should bring enough to at least have the cow not "cost" anything this year. No, that's not a way to make a living, but it beats what you would have lost, if you had culled her at today's prices compared to what you paid for them. If she breeds back to the bull of your choice and drops a nice calf with no problems next time you will be happy that you kept her. If there are problems then you are still in the same place to cull her.

Maybe we are lucky, but with as many calves as we have every year, with both a spring and fall calving schedule, we normally have less than 2-3% with problems, or dead calves. Had 1 born dead this fall, wouldn't take a calf and was sold, one heifer that had a premie that died at 2 1/2 weeks and she took a holstein bull calf that is growing really well, and 1 that must have slipped a calf after being confirmed preg. That's 3 out of 100. Pulled 1 calf a couple of years ago that was backwards and saved it and she did fine, had a perfectly normal calving the next year.
Most cows will get a second chance unless they didn't raised a decent calf the last time...but I am tough on only "one" second chance. What blows my mind are the number of farmers that don't preg ck around here and aren't sure sometimes if the cows had a calf last year either...??? Really ??? And she is a fat pig and they don't understand why they don't breed...and I am talking older farmers, not "newbies". And how many don't even believe in basic vaccinations.

I keep pretty detailed records of the cows, calvings, etc so I know who is a problem or not. Sent a cow that did fine with her first calf, bred back, 2nd calf was good, got a little thin and didn't breed back so went with the next group so lost 6 months; bred back and had the 3rd calf, just sold it, but she didn't breed back, so she's gone, as is her daughter. NOT perpetuating a problem; but no reason to think that she would have a problem after the first 2 times breeding right back.
We also average at least one set of twins a year and usually the cow can raise them. Maybe they will wean 50-100 lbs less but there are two, so still ahead of the game, and nearly all have bred right back...
 
Well they are officially back with the herd today, gave the calf a full working, tagged and was ready to go. Staying together and doing well, so thank you for the help from everyone, will decide future later but for right not just going to take the W.


 
Really glad to see that she took the calf and they are back with the herd. I hope that if she breeds back that she will do as good as the others that managed to have their big calves live. If nothing else now, you at least know that she has a decent disposition to work around. That's always a plus in my book. Good luck with her and a late Merry Christmas.
 

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