Culling old cows

[Frankie]

We've been looking at culling our last EXT cow for a couple of years. She was 12 years old last spring and her calves have been at or near the bottom on WWs for a couple of years. We got the AHIR report on WW from earlier this week and I can see why she's stayed around so long:

She's weaned 11 calves with an average WW ratio of 98 in a calving interval of 363 days. Considering her calf's performances the last two years, I was surprised to see that 98 WW ratio. But it's time for her to go.

 

[alacattleman]

sell her too northern rancher :cowboy:

 

[Oldtimer]

sell her too northern rancher :cowboy:

No-- can't do that to old Northern Rancher- he's just recovering from a major surgery and battling cancer- so probably not as speedy as before...

Altho I have to admit- I've had worse luck for being hot and pure mean with some simmis/imis/salers than I ever did EXT calves/cows....I have two coming 4 year old cows sired by simmi bulls (neighbors) that are going to take a trip down the road this fall as soon as they've weaned their calves because you can't trust them- and one has wanted to play Bodacious with me a couple of times (and I'm getting too old and fat to climb fences as fast as I did) .....

 

[Frankie]

When we brought her home as a 2-year-old bred for her second calf, she was a bit "alert." We had to be sure she was in the middle of the herd when we moved them. During the winter, we fed cubes in the corral and she calmed down fine....until she had her calf in the spring. While that calf was small, she refused to go into the corral. She didn't run away, she just wouldn't take that calf into the corral. Then they went on grass and by weaning time, they were both easy enough to handle. She's not a pet, but now I can walk within arm's reach of her when I walk through the herd. Any closer and she'll start backing away. And that's fine with me. She's got a Lead On bull calf this year and he doesn't make me happy, but I don't know if it's her fault or the bull's? My low indexing heifer is also a Lead On.

I'm sorry to hear about Northern Rancher. I hope he's better soon.

 

[talldog]

When we brought her home as a 2-year-old bred for her second calf, she was a bit "alert." We had to be sure she was in the middle of the herd when we moved them. During the winter, we fed cubes in the corral and she calmed down fine....until she had her calf in the spring. While that calf was small, she refused to go into the corral. She didn't run away, she just wouldn't take that calf into the corral. Then they went on grass and by weaning time, they were both easy enough to handle. She's not a pet, but now I can walk within arm's reach of her when I walk through the herd. Any closer and she'll start backing away. And that's fine with me. She's got a Lead On bull calf this year and he doesn't make me happy, but I don't know if it's her fault or the bull's? My low indexing heifer is also a Lead On.

I'm sorry to hear about Northern Rancher. I hope he's better soon.

Sounds like she paid her boarding bill ---In Full !!!

 

[giftedcowboy]

The boys have had several EXT daughters here and their cowherd is strong on EXT. We have never had a problem with wild flighty cows. I wonder if our breeding on the bottom side is the difference?

 

[Oldtimer]

She's got a Lead On bull calf this year and he doesn't make me happy, but I don't know if it's her fault or the bull's? My low indexing heifer is also a Lead On.

Interesting to hear about your Lead On calf... I've sure seen some nice looking Lead On heifers over the years- altho he's a little bigger framed than I prefer...My son has a Lead On X Double Rito 525 EAR cow- that this year has one of the nicer bull calves we have..Its sired by my Whitney Creek Legacy 726 T bull which is a Rito Legacy X Indreland Ext (EXT is his maternal great grand sire).....
Don't have any recent pictures but he was starting to look good (and following the old bulls around) even before he was 4 months old when I took this picture....

 

[Northern Rancher]

I might be a tad slower but I'm just as crafty-were just about weeded out of EXT's finally we must of had 100-120 of them at one time. We had a cuple cutback yearlings we were pulling to ship last week-out of EXt daughters. One of those fainthearted little SOB's walked out of the bunch to the gate then turned and went straight on the fight. Ty roped him and he just laid down and gave up the ghost. I never seen cattle like them in any breed and we've had most of them over the years. I imagine the little toad-EXT-himself was bit 'alert' too and should of lost his nuts for it.

 

[alacattleman]

hope all goes well with you... get better,, and keep posting :cboy: