In-law lost a cow

[bandit80]

Leaving for the lake this weekend, and checked on all my girls before work this morning. I have 10 head at my father in-law's place with his cattle. Found one of his dead, and she had been dead for a couple days. Looks like she laid down and got her feet uphill. She was one of his many older cows, and evidently couldn't get situated right to get up. Guess if we could check every day, could have saved her. I only check mine about once a week.

Father-in-law is also a lawyer. (OK, don't laugh. A lawyer with a banker son-in-law. Kind of like two evils, huh?) Anyway, he has gotten very lax in his managment the last 4-5 years, and hasn't been culling and replacing like he should. Last fall he had 6-8 cows that I thought he should cull, this was one of them. He never had his cows pregged last fall, and 5 of them were open when we gave spring vaccinations, having never calved. He finally sold them then. He is the type of cattlemen that is my pet peeve. Doesn't manage his herd to get it to be the most profitable possible, and then complains about all of the "bad" luck he has. Almost all of it is self inflicted.

I think this is his last year, as he is down to 15 cows now. Guess I might get to expand next year.

 

[bigbull338]

you cant prevent loses like that.sounds like she layed down on uneven ground.got her feet out from under her an couldnt get up.as for the management.why dont you see if will let you manage his herd.an you can cull them an replace them as you see fitt.

 

[bandit80]

as for the management.why dont you see if will let you manage his herd.an you can cull them an replace them as you see fitt.

I would rather he just sell his cows and let me manage my own on his pasture!!! ;-)

That is probably what will happen for 2009.

 

[TexasBred]

Bandit...sounds like your "attorney father in law" needs to quit making so much money...that way he won't need the cattle as a tax write off. :nod:

 

[bandit80]

Bandit...sounds like your "attorney father in law" needs to quit making so much money...that way he won't need the cattle as a tax write off. :nod:

You might say that jokingly, but it's the truth. He didn't blink at building 1 mile of new fence on his place this year to better utilize some of the grass, ot about replacing the existing old fence a little at a time. I don't think he minds showing a "loss".

 

[TexasBred]

Bandit...encourage him to replace all that rundown fence...then encourage him to get out and let you enjoy it. :cowboy:

 

[bandit80]

Bandit...encourage him to replace all that rundown fence...then encourage him to get out and let you enjoy it. :cowboy:

That's the plan!! :cboy:

I heard that cuz anytime you show a loss it is a tax write off.

But sometimes we show a loss when we didn't intend too. :cry2:

 

[TexasBred]

I heard that. Either way it is a tax write off. Luckily my cpa is a farmer and grew up on a dairy farm so he knows about this kind of thing.

TN..yep you NEVER build NEW fence...for tax purposes the money is always spent to repair the old. :lol:

 

[Workinonit Farm]

you cant prevent loses like that.sounds like she layed down on uneven ground.got her feet out from under her an couldnt get up.

I had one do that back in March (if my memory is correct). My older Jersey, the nurse cow. She most definitely was not the cow I would have chosen to cull. She was fine the evening before, and found her dead the next morning. It happened sometime during the night. The only way I could have prevented it was to (1) stay with the cows 24/7 or (2) kept her in a lot that was completely flat,which I don't have.

Katherine