Fat Cow Problems

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AmandaQ

AmandaQ

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 3, 2024
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276
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Madison, Georgia
As you might already know, I have a fat cow (Mark called her a heiferette.) I have been trying to get her to lose weight and I think it is happening. (Vets said she needs to drop 200 lbs.) She can now lick her sides without winding up to do it. She is starting to feel flabbier than before. She’s a bit jiggly in places. What is normal when a cow is losing weight? I know none of you have your cows on a diet but what are some tips I’m not doing this wrong? You can tell in this picture she is fatter on one side than the other. Is that normal?
 
It will not show up overnight when you are looking for a change. Stick with her feed plan and do not feel sorry for her when the weather is cool and give her treats.

Is she on good hay only? sometimes it is better to compare pictures taken at weekly intervals when looking for changes. The longer time-span you have makes it easier.
 
wbvs58 said:
That is her rumen on that side. If she is getting a lot of low quality hay as in a diet the rumen can be distended as the roughage lingers a bit longer in the rumen as the bacteria are trying to break it down.

Ken
Click to expand...
I think I’m feeding her good Bermuda hay. (The Godfrey feed company owns the hay pastures and sell it at their retail store.) But it looks like crap compared to the Bay Orchard that I originally bought. (They love that stuff but it’s too rich for their bellies and my wallet to buy solely. I give them a flake a day of that.) Could her rumen just be distended all the time?
 
mwj said:
It will not show up overnight when you are looking for a change. Stick with her feed plan and do not feel sorry for her when the weather is cool and give her treats.

Is she on good hay only? sometimes it is better to compare pictures taken at weekly intervals when looking for changes. The longer time-span you have makes it easier.
Click to expand...
Here she is week one in August.
 

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Butterbean_Farms said:
Why spend money on orchard grass when your cows are already to fat? Cows are like people when it comes to weight loss, cut the calories back enough and weight will come down. They don't need treats
Click to expand...
I bought $350 worth of orchard grass when it was time to switch to hay because I was stooopid! I didn’t know any better. I’m on the last bale and after that, they won’t get it again. 😊
 
AmandaQ said:
I bought $350 worth of orchard grass when it was time to switch to hay because I was stooopid! I didn't know any better. I'm on the last bale and after that, they won't get it again.
Click to expand...



Experience is something you can only earn for yourself. It is only stupid when you ignore experience. Keep up the good work and enjoy the ride!
 
I agree... the pics either do a terrible job of showing us what her condition really is, or she's just not into the "fat" category at all... not even close, in my book. On pic two, her brisket seems pretty filled out, but not her overall body condition otherwise.
 
Please get some better pictures of your heiferette. If you will look online at some dairy cow BSC pictures you can see what view points of the cow's body are used to evaluate her body condition scores. Top line, side view, from the back, hooks and pins (the pelvis), ribs. Of course dairy cows have dairy character and are thinner but the points of view and body parts assessed are the same for beef cows.
 
I didn't mean bcs 5 is bad. Most of mine are 5s and 6s right now I'd say. I try to calve at a 6+. Got a couple that might not be 5s but they grow a good calf. They just dwindle down around peak lactation.

A bcs 8 is packer fat in my opinion.
 

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