OLD cow nutrition

[MurraysMutts]

So recent events have me wondering.
I have zero experience with this, but I do have at least one cow I plan on keeping forever. Personal reasons and all that...

I realize all animals are different and some may or may not ever look presentable once they reach a certain age. I have a horse people friend, and they kept a horse for like 30 years. They did the horse right. He did his job for them when kids were growing up etc. So they did right by him. It got to the point they were having to mash his feed twice a day. He never looked bad, but he never looked fantastic either. I knew nothing of horses. A friend came to visit with me one time and made comment about that horse. When he learned of his age, he was amazed. Said he looked great! Anyway...

BUT!
When a cow gets very old, what does a person do to keep her in good shape?

 

[FungusProudKY31]

I would first have to know why you are keeping her? More calves hoped for?

 

[MurraysMutts]

Just personal reasons.
May seem silly but....
She is our first cow. Raised from a 400 pound calf. Wife swears she gets to live her life out here.
She feels like its owed to the cow. Lol
Female emotions and all that...

Regardless of how it happens tho, just makes a guy want to know how to take care of that kind of animal.

 

[FungusProudKY31]

Energy is going to be a need to keep her warm in winter more than she needed as a young cow.

 

[SBMF 2015]

So recent events have me wondering.
I have zero experience with this, but I do have at least one cow I plan on keeping forever. Personal reasons and all that...

I realize all animals are different and some may or may not ever look presentable once they reach a certain age. I have a horse people friend, and they kept a horse for like 30 years. They did the horse right. He did his job for them when kids were growing up etc. So they did right by him. It got to the point they were having to mash his feed twice a day. He never looked bad, but he never looked fantastic either. I knew nothing of horses. A friend came to visit with me one time and made comment about that horse. When he learned of his age, he was amazed. Said he looked great! Anyway...

BUT!
When a cow gets very old, what does a person do to keep her in good shape?

I think we all have at least one cow that has earned to die on the place. My old working girls get to winter and summer with the bred/ 1st calf hfrs. They get extra nutrition.
Something else I was told once is that you should breed those really old grandma cows to a low birth weight bull so they don't have to struggle during calving.
Good Luck

 

[MurraysMutts]

Well I've got a quite a long time to go b4 she is really old.
Shes only 8 now. Lol
But like many of us, I like to plan ahead!

I love the idea on the bull plan. Thank you!

I suppose once a cow is old and has less teeth, mashing the feed would work, just like my buddies old horse eh?

 

[SBMF 2015]

Exactly. All their teeth wear, but what really wears out are their front teeth. When their fronts wear off they can't pull / graze grass as efficiently as young full mouthed cows.

 

[farmerjan]

What we call our "grandma cows" get corn silage in the winter, so more energy from the corn.... and usually are in with or get fed the same as the 1st calf fall heifers. They will also get some grain on top of the silage. A 5 gal bucket for every 5-8 cows 2-4 times a week all according to their condition and if they have fall calves. We try to not breed old cows to calve in the fall, but do buy some of the one and done types that inevitably have fall calves. Have buried a couple of "good old girls" over the years and they got a little bit extra grain/pellets in the winter. Mostly they would get arthritis and when they have trouble getting up and down, and the cold, it is time to not make them suffer through another cold winter.