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Is small cow size a myth?
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<blockquote data-quote="Dega Moo" data-source="post: 1116601" data-attributes="member: 19930"><p>BRG - your entire argument is based on the contention that you can only run 20% more 1100 pound cows than 1400 pound cows and you support the contention by saying the "industry tells us". You go on using two hypothetical herds based on that contention. Very clearly your hypothetical has 700,000 pounds of the larger cows with the same feed costs as 660,000 pounds of the smaller cows. There may be a few studies that support that contention but I don't believe there is an industry wide acceptance of that contention as fact. </p><p></p><p>First off, it's not intuitive that larger cows are more feed effective for growth, milk production, or body maintenance. It would seem individual animals may be more efficient at converting feed, but I don't for a moment accept the general statements you make. </p><p></p><p>Secondly, I've seen one paper that says larger cows are more efficient but there was no detail, no data provided to allow interpretation or analysis. I've not seen anything generally that supports that hypothesis. I have seen at least some information that would disprove the hypothesis. I would say that at best, this is unsettled science. </p><p></p><p>Thirdly, you say you are not promoting a big cow and they can get too big. That disclaimer flies in the face of statements you made early in your post. Are you saying 1400 pounds does not a big cow make? Does a graph of cow efficiency compared to weight rise as weight goes up to level off or fall at some weight? If there were industry acceptance of this hypothesis I would expect enough studies and data to show where that trend line begins to level. I would expect someone to actually describe that trend line mathematically and if they could support it with studies and numbers, then the industry might accept that hypothesis.</p><p></p><p>In the meantime you've setup an example where holding inputs constant, one gets the not surprising result that 40,000 more pounds of cows increase profitability.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Dega Moo, post: 1116601, member: 19930"] BRG - your entire argument is based on the contention that you can only run 20% more 1100 pound cows than 1400 pound cows and you support the contention by saying the "industry tells us". You go on using two hypothetical herds based on that contention. Very clearly your hypothetical has 700,000 pounds of the larger cows with the same feed costs as 660,000 pounds of the smaller cows. There may be a few studies that support that contention but I don't believe there is an industry wide acceptance of that contention as fact. First off, it's not intuitive that larger cows are more feed effective for growth, milk production, or body maintenance. It would seem individual animals may be more efficient at converting feed, but I don't for a moment accept the general statements you make. Secondly, I've seen one paper that says larger cows are more efficient but there was no detail, no data provided to allow interpretation or analysis. I've not seen anything generally that supports that hypothesis. I have seen at least some information that would disprove the hypothesis. I would say that at best, this is unsettled science. Thirdly, you say you are not promoting a big cow and they can get too big. That disclaimer flies in the face of statements you made early in your post. Are you saying 1400 pounds does not a big cow make? Does a graph of cow efficiency compared to weight rise as weight goes up to level off or fall at some weight? If there were industry acceptance of this hypothesis I would expect enough studies and data to show where that trend line begins to level. I would expect someone to actually describe that trend line mathematically and if they could support it with studies and numbers, then the industry might accept that hypothesis. In the meantime you've setup an example where holding inputs constant, one gets the not surprising result that 40,000 more pounds of cows increase profitability. [/QUOTE]
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