Easy Fleshing

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I use the term to mean a cow that will keep its condition without a bunch of suppliments. I cull for this trait. In my opinion, cows are like people - some will get fat if they eat a pack of crackers each day while others will starve.
 
We select for easy fleshing. An easy fleshing animal is one which will do well on the proverbial sniff of an oily rag. It is an animal that grows, reproduces and maintains its body weight on a low amount of pasture/grain - therefore making you money.
 
mdmdogs3":1uumj9zg said:
now I know what my problem is ... easy fleshing :lol:

a lot of us have the same problem, I think its more of a constitution thing, I hold my condition too well.
 
There is one possible downside to the easy fleshing deal. We've always selected for cows that raise a good calf and still maqintain condition on strictly pasture, frequently very marginal pasture. In years that the pasture is better then marginal, some of the cows are tending towards internal fat. I don;t know yet if that's going to be a settling problem. I've AIed a K model and a M model and both of them were hard to manipulate the cervix because of the interior fat.

dun
 
I understand what you are saying and this year my cow are getting absolutly nasty fat. I have never had a problem with them settling. Just the opposite is true with mine. I have a much higher sucess rate with the fat ones than the just good condition ones. I don't have a clue why. Maybe luck.
 
novatech":w1n95fti said:
I understand what you are saying and this year my cow are getting absolutly nasty fat. I have never had a problem with them settling. Just the opposite is true with mine. I have a much higher sucess rate with the fat ones than the just good condition ones. I don't have a clue why. Maybe luck.
with your brahman cattle a little extra condition is just the ticket for them. were as it would be right the opposite on say a hereford. but there are cow that stay around a BCS of 4 year round and breed back on time. and raise a great calf
 
I don;t know yet if that's going to be a settling problem. I've AIed a K model and a M model and both of them were hard to manipulate the cervix because of the interior fat.

I've had a heifer that got too fat last year and she took two attempts at AI before she settled, another cow that was even fatter settled on the first service, but to try and manipulate the cervix was almost impossible and at best it was a guess where I deposited the semen.

That was extraordinary conditions for my area as we received almost twice our annual rainfall in AUg and Sept. Under normal circumstances I'd rather take a herd full that might get a little too fat when conditions are good as they will need that extra condition sooner rather than later.
 
KNERSIE":g1s5jogc said:
I don;t know yet if that's going to be a settling problem. I've AIed a K model and a M model and both of them were hard to manipulate the cervix because of the interior fat.

I've had a heifer that got too fat last year and she took two attempts at AI before she settled, another cow that was even fatter settled on the first service, but to try and manipulate the cervix was almost impossible and at best it was a guess where I deposited the semen.

That was extraordinary conditions for my area as we received almost twice our annual rainfall in AUg and Sept. Under normal circumstances I'd rather take a herd full that might get a little too fat when conditions are good as they will need that extra condition sooner rather than later.

The conditions here this year are extraordinary too I guess. We don;t usually cut hay till the first or second week of June and we've already finished haying 2 weeks ago. The grass doesn;t in any way appear to be any better then any other year but the girls are carrying better condition 2 months post calving then they usually do.

dun
 
dun":14lmuwyr said:
There is one possible downside to the easy fleshing deal. We've always selected for cows that raise a good calf and still maqintain condition on strictly pasture, frequently very marginal pasture. In years that the pasture is better then marginal, some of the cows are tending towards internal fat. I don;t know yet if that's going to be a settling problem. I've AIed a K model and a M model and both of them were hard to manipulate the cervix because of the interior fat.

dun

You know, I never really though about it from that perspective. Its a good point. But I don't think it will ever be a problem for us because we will only have a 'better than marginal year' once every 20 years (if we're lucky). Its pretty tough here, and the cattle need to be just as tough or tougher to survive.
 

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