What to do with an old cow?

[spraguefarms]

I am relatively new to keeping cattle, as I have only been doing this as a side business for the past year and a half. I don't post here often, but do read this forum quite a bit.

My problem is that I have an old cow that I purchased last year in a group 5-6 y/o of cow-calf pairs. Late last summer, she looked really thin and was having difficulty maintaining BCS, so I had the vet out to look at her and another calf that was having some unrelated issues. The vet informs me that the cow was likely much older due to wear on the teeth. The vet palpated the cow and stated that she likely had some tumor growth and that she was short bred at the time. She also took some blood for testing. The cow came back positive for bovine leukosis virus (BLV), and it was the Vet's opinion that she likely has an advanced case due to the presence of tumor growth. I don't know what to do with this cow.

The man that sold me the cow has made things right by providing a replacement at no charge, so I am good on that end. At the time, since she was short bred, he suggested that I keep her to see if I got lucky with a calf from her, but otherwise didn't want anything to do with the infected cow or her potential offspring. I kept her around to see if she would carry the calf full term. She aborted her calf about three weeks ago, and I am just now getting around to asking for some advice.

My understanding is that a cow with advanced leukosis and tumor growth is unfit for human consumption, so I would think that I can't send her to the sale barn due to her condition. At this point, she is another mouth to feed on the limited pasture space I have available, so I need to move her on.

Here are my options as I see them:
1. Sell her for non-human consumption - I don't even know if this is possible? Are condemned carcasses made into dogfood?
2. Put her down
3. Keep her until she dies on her own

Are there any other options here? What am I missing? I don't have any issues putting her down, but I would sell her as long as I could clear $125 for the cost of hauling and selling. However, I want to be open and clear about her condition, and am interested in full disclosure with any buyer. Whatever she may bring at the sale barn is not worth more than any future reputation I may have/build.

Thanks for your advice.

 

[dun]

Have someone with a backhoe dig a deep hole and put her down and bury her

 

[TCRanch]

Last year we had a cow that was a couple weeks from her due date suddenly start to lag, lose interest in eating & then developed a limp in her right hind leg, temp was 105.8. When our vet came out he didn't do a blood test but was confident she had Lymphosarcoma. He couldn't tell much about the calf, her tumor was so large & our options were a C-section, not even knowing if the calf was still alive, or to put her down. I wouldn't sell her, even as slaughter only, because they deteriorate rapidly. As hard as it is, I would urge you to put her down, the sooner the better - it's actually worse seeing them suffer.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

Have someone with a backhoe dig a deep hole and put her down and bury her

:nod: :nod: :nod:

In my opinion, this is the ideal solution.

 

[spraguefarms]

Thanks for the replies and advice.

I'll put her down, as this is the solution I am most comfortable with. I just wanted to make sure there isn't some other unknown alternative.

 

[Robin Lewis @ PBF]

We have an old girl too. She is our herds grandma. It will be our first time to figure out what one does with an older cow too. She has done her job carrying babes but it's time to let her go somehow. We are losing money on our feed and are not sure what the best route is. It costs a lot more to Slaughter an older cow where we are but we would feel right in finding her a home for the end of her days. Where could we go for that? Anyway. You sound like you'll make the right decision ... Keep us posted.