What would you do

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Santas and Duhram Reds

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Story:

Older cow, around 13 years old, great flesh. Calf crushed in bale ring. Calves every year, decent calf. Cow goes back to best bull my dad ever had. Have one cow that is her daughter (only heifer she ever had) but would like another. Do you feed her all winter and hope to get another heifer out of her someday since she has proven herself in the past? Do I just keep the cow out of her and sell her before feeding her and while she is all nice and fat? What would you do?
 
keeping her is up to you.but her calf getting killed by a hay ring isnt her falt.so id say throw the dice on her again.
 
I'd cull and it'd be easy based on 1. 13 yrs old and 2. "decent" calf. Those things considered I'd probably throw some dice on something that'd give me chance at a "great" calf every year. For me not to cull an open cow with cull prices what they are today, it has to be perfect in EVERY regard. If cull prices were off, I'd wait on that particular cow.
 
I think the smart money would be on culling her. Assuming of course this was a very young calf and the cow hasn't even been bred back yet.

But since I'm not really known to be that smart I would probably keep her if feed supplies were plentiful.
 
Her calves are decent, her daughters calves are stellar (but again no heifers for the next gen. May just have to use a bull calf some day to keep the line alive). A couple of other things 1. she is horned in a mostly polled herd; 2. She has always been more protective of her newborns than the rest of my herd; 3. She is not rebred yet as the calf was very young; 3. She is earlier than the rest of my herd calving wise (won't start calving for another 2 1/2 months on the early ones). Gosh she is fat though and shows no signs of her teeth going bad.

I am leaning towards culling her b/c I am trying to stay objective, but she is an old standby around here and is a reflection of some older stock I used to have which is coming harder and harder to come by anymore.
 
Santas and Duhram Reds":1wyi8dvq said:
Her calves are decent, her daughters calves are stellar (but again no heifers for the next gen. May just have to use a bull calf some day to keep the line alive). A couple of other things 1. she is horned in a mostly polled herd; 2. She has always been more protective of her newborns than the rest of my herd; 3. She is not rebred yet as the calf was very young; 3. She is earlier than the rest of my herd calving wise (won't start calving for another 2 1/2 months on the early ones). Gosh she is fat though and shows no signs of her teeth going bad.

I am leaning towards culling her b/c I am trying to stay objective, but she is an old standby around here and is a reflection of some older stock I used to have which is coming harder and harder to come by anymore.
Would it be possible to buy a calf to graft on her to raise? At lest this way she'd be raising a calf for you and the groceries you'd be feeding her?
Valerie
 
Santas and Duhram Reds":jxoqnw62 said:
Gosh she is fat though and shows no signs of her teeth going bad.

13 is young if she has ear. Get a look at those teeth. You might keep her another 10 years. Based on your description, she is likely good for another 5 calves hands down.

If you decide to cull her, what's your asking price? Bet you'd find some takers.

Edit: If you're asking what I'd do with her, my answer is make several more nickels off of her while she still maintains a good BCS
 
backhoeboogie":22q8ctue said:
Santas and Duhram Reds":22q8ctue said:
Gosh she is fat though and shows no signs of her teeth going bad.

13 is young if she has ear. Get a look at those teeth. You might keep her another 10 years. Based on your description, she is likely good for another 5 calves hands down.

If you decide to cull her, what's your asking price? Bet you'd find some takers.

Edit: If you're asking what I'd do with her, my answer is make several more nickels off of her while she still maintains a good BCS
I agree with the boogie man. I was in your situation last year and sold. Regretted it ever since.
 
One problem with keeping her is the fat/fertility issues. If she's fat now she's gonna be all that much fatter come spring breeding season. That could lead to fertility issues, either faliure to settle or late to settle
 
Í would cull her and spend the hay on those cows that produce something. The cow can not be held responsible for an accident, but open cows brings no money to the owner if they stay alive. Be thankful that she had a daughter you could keep, and keep the culled cow in your memory among the other cows that served you well.
 
My black cow raised a nice bull calf this yr but vet isn't sure she is bred. I need some decent weather to preg test her again. She is my only black & she throws blacks.

I don't have a chute yet.

I keep Scottish Highlands.
 

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