Would you cull her?

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tom4018

Dumb Old Farmer
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This cow is coming 11 years this spring. Usually weans a 600# plus calf. Trying to decide if I want to cull her now or try for one more calf out of her, hoping slaughter prices to be better next year. I feel her udder and feet are her weak points. The calf is this years calf and she is 7 months. Or am I being too picky on the culling?

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The calf looks pretty darn good. She doesn't look like any teats have blown out, so I'd keep her since she has been raising calves like that. I guess I should ask this too: did the calf have any creep feed?
 
I'd keep her if she's be a good producer. I like the calf.

If you do want to cull her, why not wait until the spring - when you could sell as a bred cow - that way she would potentially be bought by a cow/calfer instead of going to the pack house.
 
Depends on your situation. If you've got the hay/pasture, then no. But if somebody has to go, I'd consider her.
 
greatgerts":f39yey9j said:
The calf looks pretty darn good. She doesn't look like any teats have blown out, so I'd keep her since she has been raising calves like that. I guess I should ask this too: did the calf have any creep feed?
Calf has had a little feed the last month or so.
 
I would keep her,......I have a couple with worse looking bags than that,.....but the good calves keep comin, that's what we are in it for. Get a few more replacements raised and I suppose I'll haul em off.
 
I always wonder why folks consider toss these older cows - that are in good shape - calve out with no problem - raise a good calf - always breed back - do not cause any field trouble and always manage to maintain condition.

She is only middle aged and is the type of cow that should be kept for a few extra years - she is the cheaper and easier keeper - she is the cow that knows how to stay out of trouble - she is the cow that never loses her calf to predators and the beat goes on. She might even manage to hang on until she is close to 20 years of age.

I would rather 50 of her than 50 first calf heifers.

Bez+
 
If she is on top of your cull list then you have a herd to be proud of.

I would think her teeth are still sound judging by her condition and how she has raised the calf
 
my cows are in their prime at 11. but i dont like the way she stands. i'd keep her around.
 
Unless she has some kind of behavour problem, as long as she raised a calf like that Id keep her.
 
CattleHand":20vrhw0f said:
correct me if im wrong but what are her teeth like? or is that not a concern?

I need to get her up and check her teeth again, last year they looked good but I failed to look at them this spring.
She has a calving interval of 353 days, average ww of 616@210 days on her calves, avg. bw of 86.
Sometimes she worries me about how she gets around, seems tenderfooted on hard and frozen ground.
 
tom4018":qe6hoc6o said:
CattleHand":qe6hoc6o said:
correct me if im wrong but what are her teeth like? or is that not a concern?

I need to get her up and check her teeth again, last year they looked good but I failed to look at them this spring.
She has a calving interval of 353 days, average ww of 616@210 days on her calves, avg. bw of 86.
Sometimes hse worries me about how she gets around, seems tenderfooted on hard and frozen ground.
thats the part that concerns me. she is slightly roach back. but she's standing like she got problems..
 
tom4018":15x6kh1p said:
She has a calving interval of 353 days, average ww of 616@210 days on her calves, avg. bw of 86.

Her udder isn't horrible. Teats are still in fairly good shape, lacking a little suspension. But hey, that happens to a lot of females. I think her stats above speak for themselves. She isn't falling apart yet. 11 is getting up there, but she seems to carry herself fairly well. Worried about the way she stands and her topline, but unless your other cows are better than her, I would keep her until she can't maintain her condition or she is open.
 

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