Curiosity about reliable cows

[bandit80]

I've culled pretty hard the last 4-5 years, so I don't have a whole lot of cows over 8. I can think of 7 out of my 46 cows that will be 8 or older in spring of '09. There is one commercial cow that has a high tailhead, but the others aren't falling apart yet.

And I think you are right dun, longevity will be increasingly important if cattle prices stay where they are right now for any length of time.

 

[Dave]

Probably over half the herd are over 8. But that comes from buying older cows out of the kill pen with the idea of getting one more calf out of them and turning then back. Some of them do such a good job of raising a calf that they get to stick around for a few more years. Those cows that aren't structurally sound get left in the kill pen to start with.
I have been wondering about this subject. I see bred heifers advertised for $1,600. If for easy figuring we use a salvage value of $600 that leaves a $1,000 that goes against the calves she raises. If she raised 10 calves it works out to $100 against each calf for the original purchase price of the cow. Would a pot load of bred heifers average raising 10 calves each? I don't think so. They aren't all going to be winners. But at those prices a cow has to have a long productive life to pay for herself.

 

[Jogeephus]

I have a group of older cows with most being around 6-10 years old. Barring some teat malformations and a few sway backs they are very good producers and are well above average as far as conception and weaning. I guess I'm the fella that buys someone elses 4 year old culls and gives them another shot. If they can't make it on my rations, I give them the cull ride. I just can't see paying big money for a high dollar nonproven heifer and I will keep an old cow as long as she produces - no matter what she looks like.

 

[jedstivers]

Dun, I usually buy about 100hd of thin,broken mouth cows every fall and run them on some leased hay ground didn't this yr because kill prices were to high but alot of those cows if on good forage can come back and raise good calves I would say 95% of those cows are over 10yrs most are bred when I get them a few aren't I buy a salebarn bull and turn out and rebreed the ones that calve or were open when purchased

I think with the proper feed and care these cows will have a few more calves almost all of them when I sell in the spring are rebred ,but as you know feed and care is the main thing for them to reproduce and these are cows that haven't had the proper care an aged cow needs when I buy them

That would fit what I want to do (running them in fall & winter on waste crops & wheat and selling in spring) but I don't know enough to buy out of the sale barn and not have a complete cull. This year to get started back I bought heifers that I will sell in april. What are some things to watch for when buying old cows like that? Thanks

 

[msscamp]

Don;t need to post pictures but I'm curious how many of your cows 8 plus years of age have structural issues? For instance, weak top lines, need foot trimming, post legged, high tail heads, etc.
For us it's zero out of 15

Since we don't have cows anymore, I don't know if my response counts or not. When we did have cows, we had 3 or 4 that had one or more of the issues you mentioned - that was out of a herd of 60.

 

[Angus Cowman]

Dun, I usually buy about 100hd of thin,broken mouth cows every fall and run them on some leased hay ground didn't this yr because kill prices were to high but alot of those cows if on good forage can come back and raise good calves I would say 95% of those cows are over 10yrs most are bred when I get them a few aren't I buy a salebarn bull and turn out and rebreed the ones that calve or were open when purchased

I think with the proper feed and care these cows will have a few more calves almost all of them when I sell in the spring are rebred ,but as you know feed and care is the main thing for them to reproduce and these are cows that haven't had the proper care an aged cow needs when I buy them

That would fit what I want to do (running them in fall & winter on waste crops & wheat and selling in spring) but I don't know enough to buy out of the sale barn and not have a complete cull. This year to get started back I bought heifers that I will sell in april. What are some things to watch for when buying old cows like that? Thanks

the major things I watch for are feet problems their gait and udders in doing this one thing to remember is you are probably gonna lose a few but at the price you pay you usually can afford a couple losses and still make out ok Also have a good place to get one or two up because some may need a lil more feed than the others and always have to dr a few

The first thing I do is vacc and worm them when they get here
Goodluck

 

[rgv]

On a side note of buying BM cows and reselling bred. Ever wonder how many times some of those BM's travel through that cycle? I guess it is kinda like hot potato - never know who the last one holding the bag is.

 

[Joy of Texas]

We have 26 that are over 8 most are 12 and over. I check their teeth once a year. These girls are put in a pasture by them selves. I take the bull to them. They all produce a calf every year and are really not a problem,unless it doesn't rain. Which this is one of the bad years. I feed them beef developer instead of cubes. I know the cost ,well I look at it this way. Each and everyone of those cows have raised a good calf for their lifetime. It is also easier for them to eat. It seems some of the range cubes are so hard.They deserve alittle extra care. My 17 yr old is due any day. Yes she is spoiled. But she has beautiful heifers ,which I have 3 of them in another pasture. I almost thought she was going to miss a calf this year. She bred back alot later than normal. I guess that's another problem with older cows. Sometimes they don't breed right back.
I do a have a couple that are sway back and their bags are not as good as they use to be. One looks like she is just starving to death,she just won't hold any weight when she has a calf on her.
I'm not taking any of them to the sale barn. I know most would go for slaughter and they were bringing 14-16 cents a lb. I decided they will live out their days here.

 

[Wewild]

We sold 3 over 15 years after they couldn't get the job done yesterday. They showed their age. Kinda like people do. It came down to milk.

 

[Wewild]

We have 26 that are over 8 most are 12 and over.

Most being over 12 would scare me to death. I like to have the same amount at all ages.

Or there about.

 

[ollie?]

Don;t need to post pictures but I'm curious how many of your cows 8 plus years of age have structural issues? For instance, weak top lines, need foot trimming, post legged, high tail heads, etc.
For us it's zero out of 15

I sold 3 killers this week. Two with busted stifle joints a few years back which resulted in a bad back foot on each of those two. The other cow , the youngest at age 11, lost 2 quarters. I've never had a cow break down from a weak top. They still killed for $515.00 each.

 

[jedstivers]

Dun, I usually buy about 100hd of thin,broken mouth cows every fall and run them on some leased hay ground didn't this yr because kill prices were to high but alot of those cows if on good forage can come back and raise good calves I would say 95% of those cows are over 10yrs most are bred when I get them a few aren't I buy a salebarn bull and turn out and rebreed the ones that calve or were open when purchased

I think with the proper feed and care these cows will have a few more calves almost all of them when I sell in the spring are rebred ,but as you know feed and care is the main thing for them to reproduce and these are cows that haven't had the proper care an aged cow needs when I buy them

That would fit what I want to do (running them in fall & winter on waste crops & wheat and selling in spring) but I don't know enough to buy out of the sale barn and not have a complete cull. This year to get started back I bought heifers that I will sell in april. What are some things to watch for when buying old cows like that? Thanks

the major things I watch for are feet problems their gait and udders in doing this one thing to remember is you are probably gonna lose a few but at the price you pay you usually can afford a couple losses and still make out ok Also have a good place to get one or two up because some may need a lil more feed than the others and always have to dr a few

The first thing I do is vacc and worm them when they get here
Goodluck

Thanks Angus Cowman

 

[Stocker Steve]

How do they bust a stiffle joint?
Does that give them long toes or some other foot problem?

 

[ollie?]

How do they bust a stiffle joint?
Does that give them long toes or some other foot problem?

I don't know how they became stifled Steve but if I remember I was over wintering some opens waiting on better killer prices and it probably happened when they were riding another cow. Because of the added pain when walking on it I guess or because it changes mobility, their foot isn't as sound as it was on that leg. They don't wear the foot even after a stifle in my experience.