How Big is too Big

[BobbyLummus1]

I have many 1350 + lb cows . Some closer to 1500 lbs . 50 momma cows at least half of these are 1350lb+ . Would I be more profitable stocking more 1050-1200 lb cows? Now its taking time and lots of culling to get where I'm at now . Being as I have a relatively small operation who thinks it would be best to cull off half my herd on account of their excess weight ?

- the calves are sold at sale-barn

- Im in Fescue country with mild winters and feed very little hay most years

-No grain unless I'm catching

- These cows in question breed back and raise biggest calves on farm no question

Thanks for opinions in advance

 

[Kingfisher]

Where are you located? What breed of cows? You might do a search here as I know this topic has been discussed with some interesting math done on what your asking. Sorry I don't have a link for you

 

[Nesikep]

Wow, this is something that's been :deadhorse:.. From what I think your situation is, I wouldn't go culling otherwise perfectly good cows because they're big, but perhaps choosing bulls for your future replacements that would give you a smaller animal would be the way to go about it. I have a lot of big cows too, but I can say not all small cows are efficient either, so I am trying not have any big giant cows anymore (I have a couple over 1800 lb), but I am not anally retentive about a maximum mature weight of 1200 lb either.
It sounds like what you have is working for you, and I wouldn't go messing about too much with them. I don't consider 1350 lbs all that big.. I'd say big is when they get over 1500, and it also depends on their build... I'd rather have a smaller framed meaty cow with a big belly that weighs 1400 lb than a giant leggy framed one that's 1400 lb.

I think there was a good thread on this a couple months back.

 

[branguscowgirl]

I second what Nesi said.
I do not have a problem with big cows that are healthy and efficient raising good calves. No worries!

 

[Lazy M]

Agreed. As long as they're producing don't over think things. If they stop producing big cows equal big salvage values.

 

[KNERSIE]

It's more about type than just about weight, I don't want a frame 6 cow that weighs 1200lbs, but wouldn't mind having a frame 4 that weighs 1200 lbs. If you can have frame 5s weighing 1350 lbs you'll have a much more efficient cowherd than frame 5s that weigh 1000 lbs.

 

[Rafter S]

I agree with the others. I wouldn't cull a cow for being too large if she's otherwise doing well. If you want smaller cows I'd recommend making the change gradually, either by getting a smaller bull if you raise your own heifers, or by buying smaller replacements. Let the large cows work themselves out of your herd gradually.

 

[cmf1]

I have many 1350 + lb cows . Some closer to 1500 lbs . 50 momma cows at least half of these are 1350lb+ . Would I be more profitable stocking more 1050-1200 lb cows? Now its taking time and lots of culling to get where I'm at now . Being as I have a relatively small operation who thinks it would be best to cull off half my herd on account of their excess weight ?

- the calves are sold at sale-barn

- Im in Fescue country with mild winters and feed very little hay most years

-No grain unless I'm catching

- These cows in question breed back and raise biggest calves on farm no question


Thanks for opinions in advance

That 1050-1200 lb range is said to be, year in year out, the most efficient range to be in.
Personally, I've found that up to 1500 lb, while not the most efficient, is not horribly inefficient. Especially if your getting a higher weaning wt.
And if they are otherwise good cows, I'd have a hard time justifying culling them.
My preference would be 1400 and under in good condition, and that's what I shoot for, but personally I don't consider them too extreme till closer to 1600 and up for what I'm doing.

 

[Lucky_P]

I was on the 'cows are too big' bandwagon for 3-4 years. Not sure it's anything other than a marketing ploy from folks who specialize in those 2-3 frame Angus cattle. I'm not convinced that, in our limit-feeding program, that a 1000 lb cow eats significantly less than a 1200 lb cow.
Looking back, my cows were not that big; yeah, there were a few that were above 1400, but most were 1200 or less.
Used a well-known 4-frame Angus AI sire with very high $EN epd for about 3 years; he really downsized them - was ending up with 2-yr old cows that weighed less than 900 lbs when they calved - and their calves had no grow. Has taken years to recover from that deal; still have some of the daughters he sired out of larger cows, but they've been so ugly that it's been hard to look at them 'til they get to be 5-6 years old.

Probably won't go there again.

 

[Nesikep]

I think a lot of the cow size and the cow's productivity capacity that will work for you will depend on your grass.. If you have lush grass, you will need cows that milk really well, and it's no use having good milking cows if they're bred to a bull that doesn't have the growth (and frame) potential to use it... Also, poor milking cows on lush grass means they'll just get pig fat, and that can cause reproductive troubles... Meanwhile, if they are on dry bunchgrass, big heavy cows will never get a belly full, will get skinny trying to produce large amounts of milk for the calf, and likely have difficulties breeding back as well.

Again, I don't consider a 1400 lb cow a very large cow, I consider that medium, and for me I think that's about the perfect mature size. I was really happy with what the Gelbvieh bull in my avatar picture did for me, Some of my giant cows still had calves I could tell were going to be much bigger than I wanted, but on the more moderate large cows I found I was getting heifers that were what I would consider perfect for me.. I'm going to estimate that most of the replacement heifers from him are 13-1400 lb mature weight, and they pack the weight without being too tall,.. Unless you have a market for your large cows that would allow you to buy what you exactly want, I'd keep them as long as they were producing.. A bird in the hand is always better than 2 in the tree.