Fat Smooth Mouth Bloater

[Stocker Steve]

I was hauling hay this morning, driving by cows that were in a red clover field for the second day. Spotted a dead on the third load. She was one of my bargain Herefords. She only had two stubby teeth on each corner of her mouth, but had managed to gum off a huge pile of clover leaves. The thing that really surprised me was how fat she was. So, cows don't need teeth to do well on pasture?

 

[Aaron]

I was hauling hay this morning, driving by cows that were in a red clover field for the second day. Spotted a dead on the third load. She was one of my bargain Herefords. She only had two stubby teeth on each corner of her mouth, but had managed to gum off a huge pile of clover leaves. The thing that really surprised me was how fat she was. So, cows don't need teeth to do well on pasture?

Only need molars. Incisors are optional as long as pasture is good. Once they lose molars, condition goes downhill fast.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Thanks. I had assumed fat BM cows just had a chipped tooth or two.

Our local butcher says he sees 3 to 4 year old cows with short teeth at farms that feed a lot of beet byproduct (with dirt in it).

 

[Nesikep]

in good pasture the tongue is what does the grazing... as the pasture gets shorter they need teeth (the incisors).. but they always need the molars to chew cud effectively.