How long do cows live?

[Cormac]

I just bought an older cow (10 years) from a friend that is a great looking, productive cow, excellent EPD's and a bloodline (EXT) I wanted. Because of her age, he sold her to me for what equates to sale bar pricing. She has always and will continue to be exposed to good North Texas pastures, with plenty of grass. Can I get 2, 3, 5 calves out of her in North TX? In other words, how long does/can the average cow live?

 

[Mahoney Pursley Ranch]

She might be good for several more calfs. Ten is not all that old but is gettin up there.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I can show you several in there 20's still producing, secret is grass and teeth.

 

[backhoeboogie]

I can show you several in there 20's still producing, secret is grass and teeth.

That is exactly what came to mind a while back when I saw your elevated hay cradles Caustic. I have been trying to emulate those with trampoline frames. Anything I can do to keep my gals from eating off of the sandy/loamy dirt should pro-long their life span.

A ten year old cow with a decent udder who can still produce calves is a money maker. If she has lived that long without being culled she was doing something right. She knows the ranch routines too.

 

[Txwalt]

Besides longhorns, any particular breed live longer than others?

Walt

 

[msscamp]

She might be good for several more calfs. Ten is not all that old but is gettin up there.

We had several that were 15, 16 years old and still going strong. The guy that bought our herd bought them right along with the younger ones. I do not believe it is a bit unreasonable to expect to get 5 more calves out of a 10 year old cow.

 

[plbcattle]

I have a cow that is 17 years old. She is off the charts on frame score and she weighs a little over 2200lbs. She is the most proven donor cow in the Brangus breed. She has progeny sales over $350,000 and over 150 calves on record. She is still healthy as an ox and still producing embryos about 6 times a year. She is feed a little to much , but she has earned her keep and when she dies, she will be buried at the entrance to my ranch with a tombstone. She has meant that much to our breed and my program

 

[ga. prime]

That's quite a cow, plb. Will that be marble or granite for the tombstone?

 

[novatech]

Brahman or brahman influnced.

 

[plbcattle]

Ga. she has earned what ever she prefers. To bad she can't speak. I will post a pic of her and you won't believe she is 17 years old. She is one that doesn't come around very often in any breed

 

[ga. prime]

If I had a cow with $350K in sales from, I'd get her a tombstone too. Put it right in the pasture under her favorite shade tree. 8)

 

[Cowdirt]

I just bought an older cow (10 years) from a friend that is a great looking, productive cow, excellent EPD's and a bloodline (EXT) I wanted. Because of her age, he sold her to me for what equates to sale bar pricing. She has always and will continue to be exposed to good North Texas pastures, with plenty of grass. Can I get 2, 3, 5 calves out of her in North TX? In other words, how long does/can the average cow live?

We all have those old gals that have done a superb job for us, however, if a person has a herd of 10 yr. olds, aside from brahman and longhorn influenced, I don't believe over 50% will still be adding value at age 15. Seems that one thing or another just has a way of taking it's toll. JMO.

 

[BAGTIC]

Beltd Galloways have a rep for long breeding life. Apparently 15 is not uncommon and some breeders report 20 year olds that have never missed a calf.