Is have a "best cow" a good thing?

[angus9259]

I hear a lot on these boards about losing "my best cow". I have a "best cow" myself. Great udder, always has the best calf, etc etc etc...

But isn't having a "best cow" an indication that there's something wrong with the rest of the herd? Why can't I (we) raise daughters and do breedings and such so that all the cows are that good? I realize that's always the "goal", but why is it a seemingly unachievable goal?

Maybe there are others on this board for whom every cow is consistently that good?

 

[tater74]

There are so many things that make up a "best" cow. Some of them are not physical.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

Some of my best cows came from the bottom end of my herd... A cow no matter how good she is,,is only good as the bull you use... So I don't look at it as there's something wrong with the cow, but my bull selection

 

[angus9259]

There are so many things that make up a "best" cow. Some of them are not physical.

I'm only referring to physical characteristics.

 

[angus9259]

Some of my best cows came from the bottom end of my herd... A cow no matter how good she is,,is only good as the bull you use... So I don't look at it as there's something wrong with the cow, but my bull selection

Do you not have have a cow that no matter what bull you put on her delivers a great calf? Or that when using the same bull consistently has better calves? Perhaps I'm alone here...

 

[dun]

I think what makes a best cow is one you like that dies before her time. That automaticly elevates them to "best".

 

[ALACOWMAN]

Some of my best cows came from the bottom end of my herd... A cow no matter how good she is,,is only good as the bull you use... So I don't look at it as there's something wrong with the cow, but my bull selection

Do you not have have a cow that no matter what bull you put on her delivers a great calf? Or that when using the same bull consistently has better calves? Perhaps I'm alone here...

well not to run around your question... One of my ugliest cows has some of my best calves, I pray every year she has a heifer... I have one cow that raises great bull calves, but her heifers are just average. Kept one but she turned out a disappointment...cow is 23 years old and been a producer....but just as a meat maker

 

[Nesikep]

I think what makes a best cow is one you like that dies before her time. That automaticly elevates them to "best".

Yeah, that definitely seems to do it.. Like my best cow I lost this spring to a uterine tear/infection.
So what made her the best? well, she worked WITH you, a halter and you could lead her easily, she had tons of milk, good conformation, and her calves were good...

I've had some "best" cows that lived to old age too.. Rosie had 16 calves, trouble free, have a few daughters, granddaughters and great grand daughters that are all doing well..

I have some great cows, but they just have some flaw somewhere that drives you nuts... from one family, EVERY one of them will stretch your fences to heck.. you put them in a new pasture and 10 minutes later they've already got their head through the fence... great producers, but cause me too much aggravation

 

[ALACOWMAN]

Had 2 full sister's years ago, the older one raised twice the calf,her sister did, you'd think they would at least be simular...I raised both, but if I were to not know the cows I'd pick the younger (she was just younger by a year)

 

[FlyingLSimmentals]

Some genes just line up better than others and are expressed better than others. Many people's idea of a best cow is very different. My best cow is Merry. What makes her my best is her calves. I like a calf with some style while keeping the performance with the perfect structure. Think the Dream On Simmental Bull made a name for himself doing that. Merry seems to do that with each and every bull she is bred to so far. Her heifers and bulls are always first to go. Got a young daughter looking like she might have calves just as good. Breeze a full sister to Merry is good but adds a little more leg to her calves and not as consistent making them as stylish as I like.

 

[WalnutCrest]

I think in order for one to improve the consistency of ones herd one must keep bull calves out of their best cows and use them extensively, and keep those daughters, culling for temperament and fertility.

Rinse.
Repeat.

After a handful of generations, the cows will resemble the best cows.

... the trick is to make sure your best cows are really your best cows ... and you're really keeping the best sons out of the best cows.

 

[angus9259]

well not to run around your question... One of my ugliest cows has some of my best calves, I pray every year she has a heifer...

exactly the point of my question not run around... you have one cow that makes the best calves - as do I - why is it so hard to end up with a herd of those "type" such that you can't look at your group and pick out that one or two?

 

[True Grit Farms]

Well I'm not pasture blind, I know I can buy a better bull than I can raise. Using a good bull is the trick to making good cows. That's the advantage of using proven AI bulls. In all reality you don't know what a bull brings on the the maternal side for 5+ years and the your still guessing on longevity. Putting the beef on the ground is a easy a quick endeavor, producing a best cow is a life long endeavor for most of us.

 

[Rafter S]

But isn't having a "best cow" an indication that there's something wrong with the rest of the herd? I disagree. They are animals, not machines, so they can't be identical. Just because one is best that doesn't make the others bad. Why can't I (we) raise daughters and do breedings and such so that all the cows are that good? See above.

 

[Nesikep]

I have ugly cows that make good calves. .. I have nice cows that don't. .when you get both in the same animal and the temperament and everything else is also good.. THAT is what makes an exceptional cow... of course you try and keep more heifers and perhaps bulls from those lines, which is why I'm experimenting with a bit of linebreeding. .. it absolutely is a lifelong endeavor, and the better you start off the better you end up, and the quicker the progress

Here is the daughter and double granddaughter of the old cow I mentioned earlier... I have high hopes for her but we'll see how she turns out

 

[ALACOWMAN]

I have ugly cows that make good calves. .. I have nice cows that don't. .when you get both in the same animal and the temperament and everything else is also good.. THAT is what makes an exceptional cow... of course you try and keep more heifers and perhaps bulls from those lines, which is why I'm experimenting with a bit of linebreeding. .. it absolutely is a lifelong endeavor, and the better you start off the better you end up, and the quicker the progress

Here is the daughter and double granddaughter of the old cow I mentioned earlier... I have high hopes for her but we'll see how she turns out

You can get a exceptional bull calf from those lower Enders,, but a big chance of throwback calves... Which is why I like to stick with proven genetics from a good cow man... I could never be a seed stock producer, I'd only have two cows and be looking hard at one of em :lol:

 

[dun]

We have a 12 year old cow that raises a dandy calf and her daughters (so far at7-8) have held up well and raise good calves. The 12 year olds rear udder support broke down this yar and her front teats ballooned. But she is still raising a helluva good calf. Even tempered, neither a leader or follower, just kind of around and easy to deal with. A few years ago I would of classified her as one of our best cows, now with the udder she's the worst.

 

[Nesikep]

I have a large portion of my herd that's only there to make calves, they're just terminal... I find some cows can make exceptional steer calves, every time, but every heifer calf is average at best, no style, not butt, just nothing to them.