stages at auction?

[Hillary_Indiana]

OK, another sale barn question. Sometimes when they bring cattle out they say that they are "stage 1" or I have heard them say "stage 2".

What does this mean?

 

[J Baxter]

Stage 1 = bred 1 to 3 months.
Stage 2 = bred 4 to 6 months.

Pregnancy in cattle is divided into trimesters, just like humans.

JB

 

[Michelle Pankonien]

I believe that they are referring to the trimester of pregnancy, Statge 1 first 3 mo
Stage 2 second 3 mo
Stage 3 last 3 mo

Be aware that the people they have palpating at the sale barn are often way off in calling the lenth of gestation

 

[Anonymous]

What about when they say this one has a row of teeth? I am pretty sure it applies to age, but what age does it mean?

 

[dun]

What about when they say this one has a row of teeth? I am pretty sure it applies to age, but what age does it mean?

I've never heard that particular term. Normally they are classified by age based on their teeth, or SS-short and solid, meaning an older cow, too old to age by the teeth, or BM-broken mouth, meaning they're starting to loose their teeth and are old.

dun

 

[J Baxter]

If your talking about cows - I would guess short and solid- say a seven year old.

 

[Jake]

What about when they say this one has a row of teeth? I am pretty sure it applies to age, but what age does it mean?

I've never heard that particular term. Normally they are classified by age based on their teeth, or SS-short and solid, meaning an older cow, too old to age by the teeth, or BM-broken mouth, meaning they're starting to loose their teeth and are old.

dun

The only problem with Broken Mouth is a 2 or 3 year old that had a tooth knocked out somehow is classified as an old cow then. Look at their appearance some to see if that happened. We've been docked for that before.

 

[dun]

What about when they say this one has a row of teeth? I am pretty sure it applies to age, but what age does it mean?

I've never heard that particular term. Normally they are classified by age based on their teeth, or SS-short and solid, meaning an older cow, too old to age by the teeth, or BM-broken mouth, meaning they're starting to loose their teeth and are old.

dun

The only problem with Broken Mouth is a 2 or 3 year old that had a tooth knocked out somehow is classified as an old cow then. Look at their appearance some to see if that happened. We've been docked for that before.

Tooth wear isn't really all that reliable, but you gotta go with what you got. Cows can be SS when they're a couple of years old from eating sandy gritty range forage, seen that with cows we knew from birth.
Our old granny cow was classified as 7 years old 5 years ago. Every year she was the same, 7 years old, till last year. She isn't BM yet, but all of a sudden she was aged at 12-14. Same vet has done the tooth checking every year.
We check teeth each fall to hopefully catch a cow before she starts to loose condition.

dun