Would you?

[Old Man]

A neighbor stopped this morning telling me about all the bad luck he has had calving first-calf heifers this year. He said the last one the calf's head and one leg out, the other leg was back. He couldn't catch her to pull the calf, so he put her down and took her to the processor to be cut up and he's going to eat her. I guess the heifer had been trying to calve overnight, the air temp is about +10F and her body condition score would be in the area of 5. She had been on long stem hay--no grain. What do you think? Eat her or not?????? I have had others tell me that is what they do too, but I don't know -----------

 

[Workinonit Farm]

I, personally, probably wouldn't. But I'm sure there is nothing wrong with the meat...as long as she wasn't sick or on any medications.

Katherine

 

[Farmhand]

Put her to hamburger.

 

[CattleAnnie]

Agree with Farmhand. Burger, stew meat and sausage would probably be the best option if they're determined to eat her.

I think the packing industry calls them "dark cutters" when you butcher a beef animal that's been stressed. It's not a good thing.

Take care.

 

[jerry27150]

we used to have an old vet that said the hormones around calving time tenderize the meat. i have ate some that way. usually good as long as you don't leave them lay around for a few days before

 

[sidney411]

He couldn't catch her so he just shot her? Sound's like a bad case of mis-management, or just lazy to me.

 

[dun]

He couldn't catch her so he just shot her? Sound's like a bad case of mis-management, or just lazy to me.

Get a few more miles on you before passing judement. There are some that can't be caught without a bullet.

dun

 

[sidney411]

I apoligize if I came across as judgemental. I agree with you Dun *but* I am not trying to pass judgement - I am simply stating my opinion. If an animal is dangerous that is a no-brainer that it should be sold. More then once people have offered options to people with unruly cattle, yes, several of those were to just shoot them, but there have been a lot of other good options also. If they are so nuts you can't even pen them then I would think that would fall into the same cull category. There are more options then just shooting her. Seems to me a waste of money unless you are in a need for meat. Prices are too good at the sale barn right now. IMO

 

[D.R. Cattle]

He couldn't catch her so he just shot her? Sound's like a bad case of mis-management, or just lazy to me.

Get a few more miles on you before passing judement. There are some that can't be caught without a bullet.

dun

This I can relate to. Had one last week it took 24 hours of hooves hanging out before she started giving up. I could then finally get close enough to loop her and pull the dead calf. I was more interested in saving the cow, but Dun has a good point that he obviously has experience with.

 

[jt]

had a tigerstipe 2 years ago that couldnt have her calf... could see nose and 2 feet on and off all day long... as things go, she was one of the wildest in the pasture. vet gone, i dont own a horse, all cowboys in the area i could think of off on some big roping.. couldnt get one until the next day... he came out about 2:30 and tranquillized the cow... this was some 30 hours after i knew she was trying to have the calf. to everyones amazment, the calf was alive and lived... had to tube him about 4-5 days until his tongue went down enough that he could figure out the sucking thing, but he made it.

jt

 

[dun]

This I can relate to. Had one last week it took 24 hours of hooves hanging out before she started giving up. I could then finally get close enough to loop her and pull the dead calf. I was more interested in saving the cow, but Dun has a good point that he obviously has experience with.

Last year we spent a full day trying to catch/herd/coax/corner/ whatever a heifer with feet sticking out. After going through nearly every fence on the place and several corral panels we finally gave up. He waited for 3 days until the heifer was too sick from the dead and rotting calf to get away and roped her and pulled the calf. To make a long sotry short, she ended up dieing from the infection (actaully he shot her when all of the medication just couldn't get her back up and going again.) I was out of the loop by that time and glad to be. He would have been money ahead to have wacked her and ground her when she went through the first couple of fences.

dun

 

[D.R. Cattle]

This I can relate to. Had one last week it took 24 hours of hooves hanging out before she started giving up. I could then finally get close enough to loop her and pull the dead calf. I was more interested in saving the cow, but Dun has a good point that he obviously has experience with.

Last year we spent a full day trying to catch/herd/coax/corner/ whatever a heifer with feet sticking out. After going through nearly every fence on the place and several corral panels we finally gave up. He waited for 3 days until the heifer was too sick from the dead and rotting calf to get away and roped her and pulled the calf. To make a long sotry short, she ended up dieing from the infection (actaully he shot her when all of the medication just couldn't get her back up and going again.) I was out of the loop by that time and glad to be. He would have been money ahead to have wacked her and ground her when she went through the first couple of fences.

dun

I was actually making an effort to push her over to the cowpens, but she got tired too fast and squared off with me. That's when I decided to loop her. I don't keep my horses at the cowpasture and just figured I didn't want to hassle with the trailer and all. After all that, I wonder if the little gal will even rebreed. I'll tell you one thing. I won't be paying that much for bred heifers again. $1400 and it makes you break your own rules on culling.

 

[Ryder]

He couldn't catch her so he just shot her? Sound's like a bad case of mis-management, or just lazy to me.

Get a few more miles on you before passing judement. There are some that can't be caught without a bullet.

dun

In the real world you often have to do the best you can with what you have at the time. Some people this day and time don't understand that, but they will.
I don't think I have ever had an ideal situation for anything I have ever done. If I did I would probably lose interest.

 

[Craig-TX]

I agree with those who say to grind her up and eat her.

Craig-TX

 

[D.R. Cattle]

Agree with cutting your lossess soon, just don't think I'd be very fond of eating a labor stressed cow. Especially since freezer is full of corn fed steer.

 

[dun]

Agree with cutting your lossess soon, just don't think I'd be very fond of eating a labor stressed cow. Especially since freezer is full of corn fed steer.

There is alwasy the option of donating the meat to a charitable organization. We donate excess meat to an organization for battered women and children. It may not be fille mignon, but it beats a pinched belly

dun

 

[docgraybull]

I would've caught her somehow, maybe with a bullet. But at this point, if he is going to butcher her, he should grind her up for hamburger, or slice her thin for beef jerky. What about the veal?

 

[Old Man]

Veal????????????