Skinny Cow 2nd Year

[Soggy Bottom]

I have a cow that is on her 3rd calf this year. She is a brangus cow out of good stock that gets really skinny when she has her calf. Last year the same thing happened. I pulled the calf at around 350lbs last year and sold it. She eats fine and walk fine. I see nothing swollen around her mouth/neck area. The whole herd was recently wormed with safe guard wormer cubes. The rest of the cows are fat and in good shape. Her calf this year looks healthy. He's only around 100lbs right now. Any ideas what can be causing this?

 

[1982vett]

If all looks well with her and she doesn't show signs of being weak or sickly, then I'd say it's just who she is. I've had a few that just wouldn't get fat. They raised a decent calf but just always looked thin. The would get to looking pretty good then drop a calf and look malnourished. As long as the calf isn't suffering and she isn't weakening, probably no reason to be to concerned.

That said. I usually look for an opportunity to send those on their way before the get much older. I'd do the same if she were rolling fat but raised a small calf.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Some cows milk too much. Does not sound like that.
Some are lower capacity cows that can not consume enough. Does not sound like that.
Some have bad teeth. Does not sound like that.
Some don't get culled soon enough. Sounds like that may be it.

 

[callmefence]

Like vette said some are just naturally skinny. Just like people. If she weans a good calf and stays knocked up I wouldn't give it a thought.

 

[Soggy Bottom]

Thanks for the input. I think I will sell her when this calf gets big enough. Her bag is small also. I think she just wasn't cut out to be a mama cow. She was given to me as a heifer so I don't have much in her thankfully.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Good plan.

The skinny kind can raise of few calves, but they are under more stress then other cows, and thus more likely not to breed back or to abort.

 

[NonTypicalCPA]

I've got a first calf momma that's gotten pretty skinny nursing her bull calf, but she has the nicest bag in my small herd and her calf is growing like a weed.

 

[TexasBred]

I have a cow that is on her 3rd calf this year. She is a brangus cow out of good stock that gets really skinny when she has her calf. Last year the same thing happened. I pulled the calf at around 350lbs last year and sold it. She eats fine and walk fine. I see nothing swollen around her mouth/neck area. The whole herd was recently wormed with safe guard wormer cubes. The rest of the cows are fat and in good shape. Her calf this year looks healthy. He's only around 100lbs right now. Any ideas what can be causing this?

Is she true brangus or just brangus type?? Many "brangus type" have much more brahman in them than we're aware of and will often look skinny.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

I've had some of those hard working momas like that...one in particular, raised a great calf , always bred back on time..and looked like a hand slung chitlin.if she hadn't of had a vaginal prolapse she would still be here..

 

[bird dog]

I also have one. Paid to much for her back in 2014 when things were good. She gets down to about 750 lbs after calving and before green up. When shes "fat" she weighs 875.

I guess you could argue that she's very efficient. She milks well and weans a black hided calf that is about 525 lbs at 7 months.

She wouldn't bring anything at the sale barn, so she sticks around but one late calf and we may have to reconsider her value.

 

[wbvs58]

I find that cows that do it a bit tough on their first couple of calves will do a lot better on their 4th or 5th calf if they get to stay around that long by breeding back OK.

Ken

 

[ALACOWMAN]

I also have one. Paid to much for her back in 2014 when things were good. She gets down to about 750 lbs after calving and before green up. When shes "fat" she weighs 875.

I guess you could argue that she's very efficient. She milks well and weans a black hided calf that is about 525 lbs at 7 months.... if they do every thing a fleshy one does, "" just look ugly doing it" .can't argue with that..

 

[snoopdog]

I have one , same , Brangus type , just weaned a good 3rd calf, but she's on the cull list for behavior if nothing changes .

 

[TCRanch]

Like vette said some are just naturally skinny. Just like people. If she weans a good calf and stays knocked up I wouldn't give it a thought.

X2! One of my best cows, now 8, was always a little thin & really drew down on her first couple calves. But she raised a nice one and is always one of the first to breed back. 2 years ago I weaned her intact bull calf at 6 months, sold him private treaty at 7 months and baby boy clocked in at 820 lbs. She now prob averages 1400 lbs & still draws down but definitely not as much.