Give Opinion on This Situation

[Chuckie]

A very nice heifer, that is allowed to go down to body score 3, or possibly a 2 , for the last two winters, and has never been wormed, has lost both calves in the spring, the two years that she has been able to calve. She continues to look like she needs worming, and some attention, badly, as several of them do. She never formed a bag, and the calf was born dead this year, and was born alive last year, but died within a few hours. This heifer has no access to salt or mineral. Just hay in the winter time and grass in the summer time.
The dam to the heifer is a very nice cow, the the sire to the heifer is a really good bull. There have been no fertility problems there. Of course they do arise. Both the dam and sire are easy keepers.

How would you judge the heifer on her problem with calving? Would you say that she needs to be hamburger meat or would you say the owner needs to be hamburger meat, and feed the heifer like she needs to be fed, minerals, and worm her, give her the shots she needs, and try again with a different home? I don't see how she could have kept a baby in the first place!!
Chuckie

 

[3waycross]

You already know the answer.

Are you looking for someone here to sanction the HIT?

I just realized this could be misconstrued so I will explain.

Based soley on what you have related the owner SHOULD have a hard time living with himself.

The cow although MOSTLY blameless could be already damaged to the point where she's not salvageable.

Sounds like a judgement call that needs to be made in person.(on both counts)

 

[Howdyjabo]

I wouldn't try her-- she may not fully recover from being set back soo bad.

 

[Anonymous]

Depends on what kind of operation you run. Larger herd where you cull for optimum profit.......don't mess with her. Smaller operation where its not all about profit and you are willing to chance it and see how she looks after good mineral and grass.....I would do it and see if you can get a live calf out of her. She may not be an easy keeper, but may thow some good calves given the opportunity and a decent bull

 

[alacattleman]

nowdays id rather spend the money on a sure thing, you'll spend a fortune playing catch up

 

[farmwriter]

nowdays id rather spend the money on a sure thing, you'll spend a fortune playing catch up

Which one - death or taxes? ;-)

 

[dun]

Time to cut your losses, burger

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

A very sad story & situation!!

Even if a bovine is down to BCS of 3 or 4, it can take them up to a year to get to BCS 5. Considering she has lost 2 calves, has NEVER been de-wormed (how do you know?), etc., she possibly has uterine scaring or damage? from something. Apparently she has been mineral deficient since she lost 2 calves (one died very quick).

Personally, I wouldn't even turn her into hamburger...I'd sell her as "slaughter, dog food only" since her meat is probably very lean and tough due to BCS.

Hope who ever owns her doesn't breed any more...some people shouldn't be allowed to breed...

 

[AngusLimoX]

Buy her! Especially if she is down to a 2 BCS and priced below 30 cents a pound.

 

[cmf1]

I bought this cow in a 2-3 condition with a live baby on her side when she was 16-18 mos old.
His neighbors' bull jumped a fence.
Took a chance and took her home, sold the heifer calf off of her, netted her cost down to about $350.00.
Fed her, wormed her, kept her with heifers for about 5 months bred her.
She aborted.
Let her run with the cows and get healthy.
Turned the bull in on her and 276 days later had this bull calf Feb. 09.
Bred now and looking good. Due in about 4 weeks.

Difference is she had a live one on her, but when I tell you she was in rough condition, I mean rough.
If the baby hadn't looked good I probably never would have tried it and even then took a while to get her right.
I'm small time so it wasn't any big deal to give her the time off. I figured if nothing else, she was sure enough fertile.
But again she had a live one on her and the initial cost could have been made up easy enough.

if you really like what she could be and you can get her cheap enough....
I get a lot of satisfaction looking at my rescue cow all fat and bred and out in my pasture.

 

[BRYANT]

Personally, I wouldn't even turn her into hamburger...I'd sell her as "slaughter, dog food only" since her meat is probably very lean and tough due to BCS.

Tough does not matter I have killed lots of old bulls and some old poor cows when they are ground you don't know if it was tough or not she may not cut out to well percentage wise more bone than meat but tough will not be a concern

 

[msscamp]

A very nice heifer, that is allowed to go down to body score 3, or possibly a 2 , for the last two winters, and has never been wormed, has lost both calves in the spring, the two years that she has been able to calve. She continues to look like she needs worming, and some attention, badly, as several of them do. She never formed a bag, and the calf was born dead this year, and was born alive last year, but died within a few hours. This heifer has no access to salt or mineral. Just hay in the winter time and grass in the summer time.
The dam to the heifer is a very nice cow, the the sire to the heifer is a really good bull. There have been no fertility problems there. Of course they do arise. Both the dam and sire are easy keepers.

How would you judge the heifer on her problem with calving? Would you say that she needs to be hamburger meat or would you say the owner needs to be hamburger meat, and feed the heifer like she needs to be fed, minerals, and worm her, give her the shots she needs, and try again with a different home? I don't see how she could have kept a baby in the first place!!
Chuckie

If she is as nice as you say, and if I could afford it - hell, yeah I'd take the chance! Nothing ventured, nothing gained. It doesn't sound like there is anything basically wrong with her. True, she has had the added strain of carrying developing calves, but not the strain of having to raise them. With proper nutrition and minerals, she might come back stronger than anyone thinks is possible. Even if she doesn't, given her condition, she should be pretty cheap. Worst comes to worst, feed her up a bit and you should be able to at least be able to recoup your purchase price. Besides, I'm a sucker for an animal in a bad position.

 

[MO_cows]

I'd give her a try if the price was right. If the base genetics are decent and she just hasn't been cared for, she should bounce back.
One of our cows was orphaned at around 2 mos. old. The old owner saw she was stealing some milk and so just left her out with the herd. She "weaned" at about 350 pounds and was the smallest calf by far. But the genes were there, she just needed a little extra nutrition to get caught up. We bought her cheap, she grew enough that we went ahead and bred her to calve at 2 and she's been a good producer since. I posted pictures of her with her 3rd calf and she got good reviews on here.

And, sheesh, what is wrong with these people that won't provide basic care for their animals?? Even if they don't have a heart they are saving pennies and losing dollars. There is a starved and neglected pig that I have to drive past every day. Bugs the be nice out of me. If you don't see me post for awhile, you can assume I caved in and stole it and got caught! lol

 

[msscamp]

And, sheesh, what is wrong with these people that won't provide basic care for their animals??

Damned if I know! I've been trying to figure that one out for years.

Even if they don't have a heart they are saving pennies and losing dollars. There is a starved and neglected pig that I have to drive past every day. Bugs the be nice out of me. If you don't see me post for awhile, you can assume I caved in and stole it and got caught! lol

You go girl! Catch me on a good week, and I'll post bail!

 

[MoGal]

Wonder if they could take that owner and add some central bankers and have an updated movie, "Fried Green Tomatoes, Part II"

Seriously, she has the genetics, if the price was right, I'd take a chance. You're going to have to be aggressive about worming and I'd add electrolytes about once a week for 4 weeks and then watch the old girl bloom.

 

[msscamp]

... and then watch the old girl bloom.

That's the thing - assuming she was bred to calve as a 2 year old, she can't be older than 4 years. She has the very serious potential to have a lot of productive years left in her.

 

[milkmaid]

How does she compare to other cows he has? are they all in similar BCS and similar reproductive history? If she's the odd one out then skip her - but if they all are about the same, then her BCS and history aren't so much her fault as her owner's fault and she'd be worth taking a chance on if you can afford the risk.

I know a herd that is never wormed and the cows are actually in excellent condition - so I'm not certain I'd consider that a good excuse for a thin cow unless she's in an overgrazed, overstocked pasture.

 

[MoGal]

I probably shouldn't have said it like that as I figure she's about 4 or 5 (probably closer to 5 y/o ) as well (depending on how old she was when this yahoo bought her and its very doubtful that she bred back for the second calf on a timely basis). It may take some time to get her turned around but if the genetics are there that you desire she could have a bunch of nice calves.

 

[Jogeephus]

If the fella would buy her to me I think I'd consider it but I'd still be scared she might have some funky contagious diesese which is causing her poor shape so his offer to me would have to be quite attractive..

 

[AngusLimoX]

If the fella would buy her to me I think I'd consider it but I'd still be scared she might have some funky contagious diesese which is causing her poor shape so his offer to me would have to be quite attractive..

That was my main worry as well, I'd quarantine her until it was obvious she was on the mend with proper treatment.