Fate of second year heifer opinion

[garnetann]

Hi
We should not start calving until March 28th. I understand there are early ones, but I found a dead calf this morning. I figured based on how early it was and how small it was I am hoping it was stillborn, but it looks like the mom had it and left it. This was her second calf, her first one last year she did not take very good care of, did not clean it very well but it did fine.

My question is would you keep that cow around another year to see if she is a better mom next year, or cut your losses now? My son said you have to depend on your cows to be good moms and this one was not doing a good job, even if she is a good looking cow, to cut her loose. It is a tough decision since I like this cow...
what do you think?

 

[backhoeboogie]

Make a business decision? Would you keep an employee who caused losses to your business?

 

[denvermartinfarms]

After having sevarel situations like this over the years, my opinion is it's always better to go ahead and sell her now. I've kept some around like this and it just ends up costing you more.

 

[I luv herfrds]

ship her. she is never going to get better. does not matter if you like this cow or not she is not doing her job. had a couple cows like this both got a one way ride to the yard.

 

[Black and Good]

Her next home would be in my Stock trailer. And that would be for about 40 minutes. :lol2: LOL B&G

 

[Limomike]

I say it depends on your situation, your herd numbers, and how the rest of your calving season goes. I usually have given my cows another year when and if they have a stillborn, or a dead calf. Around my place.. two strikes and their out.

Here is a good article about culling cows.. it mainly has to do with older ones, but still some good points to it.
http://beefmagazine.com/blog/9-things-c ... ulling-cow

 

[randiliana]

If she were a good cow, I would probably get a foster calf for her to raise. If she had a dead calf prematurely I wouldn't expect her to hang around it loving it. And heifers (last year) are notorious for not being the best mothers right after birth, they have to figure it all out. But I would expect her to love her calf and act like a mother even if she didn't clean it up as good as you would expect.

If I had questions about her mothering ability, she would go.

If I were satisfied with her mothering ability and she raised a good calf last year, and if she would accept( and had milk to as well) a foster calf I would possibly think about keeping her.

 

[Rhune]

If you like her, someone else sure will. Get her bred back and sell her.

 

[pdfangus]

If you like her, someone else sure will. Get her bred back and sell her.

now this is the kind of stuff that is just bad advice.....

why pass your problems off to someone else? it does not help you and it sure does not help the buyer.....

unless you are honest with the buyer and tell them truthfully why the cow is for sale.....most then will walk away but some will gamble....

 

[jerry27150]

prices are high, why waste the hay

 

[heath]

If you like her, someone else sure will. Get her bred back and sell her.

now this is the kind of stuff that is just bad advice.....

why pass your problems off to someone else? it does not help you and it sure does not help the buyer.....

unless you are honest with the buyer and tell them truthfully why the cow is for sale.....most then will walk away but some will gamble....

I'm assuming he has cows to make money, and bred cows are worth more than open cows.
anytime you buy a cow at the sale barn, you are taking a gamble. sometimes it pays off sometimes it does not. there's no way of telling by looking at a cow if she is a cull or if she is a dispersal.

 

[bird dog]

If you got some grass coming on I would keep her a couple months. Open cows put on a lot of weight pretty quick. After that I would sell her as a packer cow.

 

[3waycross]

If you like her, someone else sure will. Get her bred back and sell her.

now this is the kind of stuff that is just bad advice.....
why pass your problems off to someone else? it does not help you and it sure does not help the buyer.....

unless you are honest with the buyer and tell them truthfully why the cow is for sale.....most then will walk away but some will gamble....

Better watch out Jim your integrity is showing!

 

[3waycross]

BTW to the original poster I would remind you that the truest defination of stupidity I have ever heard is......Doing something the same way every time and expecting different results..

She has proven well that she is not cut out for motherhood.........like was said earlier if you have grass fatten her up and ship her. If you are still feeding hay then let her clean and ship her.

as far as selling her bred all I can say is ........Do unto others!

 

[pdfangus]

If you like her, someone else sure will. Get her bred back and sell her.

now this is the kind of stuff that is just bad advice.....
why pass your problems off to someone else? it does not help you and it sure does not help the buyer.....

unless you are honest with the buyer and tell them truthfully why the cow is for sale.....most then will walk away but some will gamble....

Better watch out Jim your integrity is showing!

THANKS 3WAY....

 

[pdfangus]

If you like her, someone else sure will. Get her bred back and sell her.

now this is the kind of stuff that is just bad advice.....

why pass your problems off to someone else? it does not help you and it sure does not help the buyer.....

unless you are honest with the buyer and tell them truthfully why the cow is for sale.....most then will walk away but some will gamble....

I'm assuming he has cows to make money, and bred cows are worth more than open cows.
anytime you buy a cow at the sale barn, you are taking a gamble. sometimes it pays off sometimes it does not. there's no way of telling by looking at a cow if she is a cull or if she is a dispersal.

People who buy breed cows at the sale barn, I have no pity for....
I interpretted it as we was going to private treaty sale her to someone....
pawning off your problems on the unexpecting is not good for the buyer or the seller.

 

[Rhune]

If you like her, someone else sure will. Get her bred back and sell her.

now this is the kind of stuff that is just bad advice.....

People who buy breed cows at the sale barn, I have no pity for....
I interpretted it as we was going to private treaty sale her to someone....
pawning off your problems on the unexpecting is not good for the buyer or the seller.

I like how you chose to respond and attack me over the four other posts above mine that also said to sell her. I get it, you just assumed that I was a dishonest person with bad business ethics who would make a private sale without full disclosure. That I would shake a mans hand and lie to his face. Could you please direct this board to my posts and comments that made you come to this conclusion? Though your 'integrity may be showing', your eagerness to expose it might have just revealed some other less desirable qualities.

I am expecting an apology.

 

[pdfangus]

If you like her, someone else sure will. Get her bred back and sell her.

now this is the kind of stuff that is just bad advice.....

People who buy breed cows at the sale barn, I have no pity for....
I interpretted it as we was going to private treaty sale her to someone....
pawning off your problems on the unexpecting is not good for the buyer or the seller.

I like how you chose to respond and attack me over the four other posts above mine that also said to sell her. I get it, you just assumed that I was a dishonest person with bad business ethics who would make a private sale without full disclosure. That I would shake a mans hand and lie to his face. Could you please direct this board to my posts and comments that made you come to this conclusion? Though your 'integrity may be showing', your eagerness to expose it might have just revealed some other less desirable qualities.

I am expecting an apology.

I am expecting to be rich and famous some day and the odds of that are the same as me apologizing....

I did not attack you....

I said it was bad advice....

I have given bad advice a time or two in my life....like last week here I erred on a herbicide question...

there is a difference between sell her....... and breed her back and sell her....
selling at market for beef price is normal and expected....
breeding back and selling as a productive female is something else....she has proven not to be a productive female....
it matters not one whit....... if you are unconcerned about your reputation.....

My market was a loyal base of local customers who knew they would get straight information from me about any animal they bought from us....had one call on Sunday just to see if I might have a bull because all my others had been exactly as advertised....He knew we sold the cows four years ago.....

I valued my reputation above an extra hundred bucks or so I might get by hoo dooing someone.

 

[Rhune]

I said it was bad advice....

I have given bad advice a time or two in my life....like last week here I erred on a herbicide question...

Glad you brought that up. I was going to.. but I figured you would (your other qualities are showing). It was my thread. Which I corrected you on. You looked kinda foolish and so took this opportunity to take a swing at me. Internet egos can be a troubling thing. You don't want to apologize? Fine. I withdraw my hand. Good day.

 

[pdfangus]

I said it was bad advice....

I have given bad advice a time or two in my life....like last week here I erred on a herbicide question...

Glad you brought that up. I was going to.. but I figured you would (your other qualities are showing). It was my thread. Which I corrected you on. You looked kinda foolish and so took this opportunity to take a swing at me. Internet egos can be a troubling thing. You don't want to apologize? Fine. I withdraw my hand. Good day.

I truly did not realize that it was you who pointed out my error or that it was your thread....
mine was not a retaliatory swing...
my statement on this thread was just a statement of my view of cattle ethics.....
if I had felt the need to be a female canine over it....then the female canine would have been very femaleishly canine....in that thread.....if I recall I said in that thread "I stand corrected" and I was sincere in my statement....
just as I am sincere here....
I harbor no ill will toward you and have no inclination to engage in what Texasbred has termed in another thread a "chemistry hobby" contest.

If you think I was targeting you....I will apologize for that as it was not my intent....