Aaron
Well-known member
Stocker Steve":2v7ldi1m said:Aaron":2v7ldi1m said:This was a topic of conversation on another site I am on about a year ago. I crunched the numbers and the average age of my culls is 7.5 to 9.25 years of ago. But I say anything that makes it past 12-13 is old. A cow can't be claimed as exceptional until she is at least 10 years of age.
A lot of guys brag about the young age of their cowherds (heck I was talking to a guy yesterday that said his cows were TOO OLD), but I also notice a pattern of where their REAL INCOME comes from. The guys that I know that make a living off cows want them to live well into their teens (when they actually are making money for the commercial man) and don't require to keep back such a large amount of replacements.
What percent of your heifers do you retain for your replacements Aaron?
Do you sell bred heifers? (dairy guys with low cull rates used to make good $ selling springers but sexed semen and high feed prices changed that)
It varies a little bit, but it's high.
I won't know for a while how the 2012 crop will go, but right now 74% of the heifers for sure will have some male companionship in the future. It could go as high as 100% - I am watching these fall calves develop and I am on the fence on a few.
2011 was 78%
2010 was 76%
2009 was 43% (very bad year for calves in general - lost 25% of the calves)
2008 was 67%
2007 was 33%---------------
2006 was 64%------------------
2005 was 32%-------------------- BSE Years. Just kept enough to try to maintain the cowherd.
2004 was 23%-----------------
2003 was 54%--------------
2002 was 28% (sold 1/4 of the cow/calf pairs to fellow who only wanted heifer calves)
2001 was 78%
So I guess the answer would be around the 70% mark for retention.
I've only sold a few single heifers to a few people. Each one turned out to be a heck of a foundation cow for them and they are keen for more, but I haven't offered them. I demand a hefty premium for the breds because I guarantee the heifer to wean a 500 lb calf at 205 days or your money back.
A lot of people tell me I should breed the ones I don't want as replacements and sell them. I know people that do that and I find it just disgusting to see people chase a dollar out of others for something that isn't worth it. These same people won't sell their top end (even for top dollar) because they say they "can't replace them". That's when I question as to whether they are breeding for quality or just having dumb luck producing some decent heifers.