How can you have a 3 year old heifer?

[mtwheatley]

Looking at ads for cattle. I saw one that listed, "3 year old Holstein heifer used to raise calves. Bred AI to Angus bull"

I know what a heifer is. . . . .or I thought I did------are they saying this particular bovine has never calved yet has been used as a nurse cow? How does that work?

 

[1982vett]

Don't believer everthing you read in an add

 

[Taurus]

Maybe the seller meant she is young cow. 3 years old cow is young.

 

[jerry27150]

cows are not fully mature til they are 5, hence heifer, 1st calf heifer and 2nd calf heifer

 

[Taurus]

cows are not fully mature til they are 5, hence heifer, 1st calf heifer and 2nd calf heifer

:nod:

 

[kjonesel]

Would this be the same as when you hear a young man who has a young wife say he has an old lady?

 

[backhoeboogie]

Looking at ads for cattle. I saw one that listed, "3 year old Holstein heifer used to raise calves. Bred AI to Angus bull"

I know what a heifer is. . . . .or I thought I did------are they saying this particular bovine has never calved yet has been used as a nurse cow? How does that work?

They have pitchman terms these days. Heifer to cow is the same as filly to mare in all my 52 years, until I came to this forum. Jake (I think it was) talked about an 18 year old once and coined her a "last calf heifer" and I spit my coffee everywhere. Great pun. There are long threads on this. By the way, not many folks call brindles a brindle anymore. The sale barns still use the brindle abbreviation code on your ticket. You won't see any cow called a heifer on your ticket.

I wouldn't buy from a horse trader. 3 year old is all the description I'd need.

 

[TexasBred]

Actually it's pretty common around here to hear the term "first calf heifer" etc. Not trying to mislead anyone, but just something people say. Doesn't matter one way or the other. She's apparently had only one calf and you know she's 3 years old....buy her and you can call her what you want. People will know what you mean.

 

[Brute 23]

Actually it's pretty common around here to hear the term "first calf heifer" etc. Not trying to mislead anyone, but just something people say. Doesn't matter one way or the other. She's apparently had only one calf and you know she's 3 years old....buy her and you can call her what you want. People will know what you mean.

Yup. Heifer until her second calf.

 

[Taurus]

Actually it's pretty common around here to hear the term "first calf heifer" etc. Not trying to mislead anyone, but just something people say. Doesn't matter one way or the other. She's apparently had only one calf and you know she's 3 years old....buy her and you can call her what you want. People will know what you mean.

Yup. Heifer until her second calf.

Heck I even called my 3yrs old cows 'second calf heifers" as I keeps forget that they are not heifers anymore but they are not fully mature.

 

[herofan]

Related to this, how many years does a beef farmer usually keep a cow under ideal conditions? When is a cow considered too old to take a chance on having another calf?

 

[Taurus]

Related to this, how many years does a beef farmer usually keep a cow under ideal conditions? When is a cow considered too old to take a chance on having another calf?

A good, fertile, docile cow may live to 15-20 years old and still producing the calves.

 

[cow pollinater]

As far as heifers are concerned, the dairies here have heifer pens and heifer pens. :lol: Usually the dairyman will give you a clue like adding the word virgin or wet but the term heifer almost always includes the first lactation.
As far as beef is concerned, most ranches here cull at nine-eleven years as that's usually where cows here start to fail and it's more cost effective to cull before they fail than it is to wait until they fail and then cull.
On soft grass and easy country there is no reason why a cow can't go into the teens and still produce well but you need to be right there to decide when enough is enough or you're losing money.

 

[Stocker Steve]

As far as beef is concerned, most ranches here cull at nine-eleven years as that's usually where cows here start to fail and it's more cost effective to cull before they fail than it is to wait until they fail and then cull.
On soft grass and easy country there is no reason why a cow can't go into the teens and still produce well but you need to be right there to decide when enough is enough or you're losing money.

Fail to breed or fail to raise the calf?
If they fail to bred you catch them with a preg check, or are these rough country ranches not doing that check?

 

[Taurus]

As far as beef is concerned, most ranches here cull at nine-eleven years as that's usually where cows here start to fail and it's more cost effective to cull before they fail than it is to wait until they fail and then cull.
On soft grass and easy country there is no reason why a cow can't go into the teens and still produce well but you need to be right there to decide when enough is enough or you're losing money.

Fail to breed or fail to raise the calf?
If they fail to bred you catch them with a preg check, or are these rough country ranches not doing that check?

I believe CP is talking about fail to breed AND fail to raise the calf. When the cows are get older, they may have trouble to be bred again, the calf is slowly growing or the milk quit working.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I believe CP is talking about fail to breed AND fail to raise the calf. When the cows are get older, they may have trouble to be bred again, the calf is slowly growing or the milk quit working.

These are usually the problems I have with heifers...

 

[Taurus]

I believe CP is talking about fail to breed AND fail to raise the calf. When the cows are get older, they may have trouble to be bred again, the calf is slowly growing or the milk quit working.

These are usually the problems I have with heifers...

And it is common problem in old cows in their teens too. Of course very few good cows that made to their teens without get culled out for few reasons. Behavioral issues, health problems, fertility problems or droughts etc.

 

[jerry27150]

most here generally cull between 9 & 11 also, at this age you still get a good price for your

 

[backhoeboogie]

Related to this, how many years does a beef farmer usually keep a cow under ideal conditions? When is a cow considered too old to take a chance on having another calf?

I start checking their teeth regularly(at working twice a year) as they get older. Clean hay up off of the ground helps. My soil is sandy.

Breed makes a difference. When their calves start getting lighter, it's time.

 

[Massey135]

When their calves start getting lighter, it's time.

This is the best answer you'll get. Age is irrelevant.