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Post by 1982vett on Jul 5, 2019 12:19:01 GMT -6
When we had to cull, after I got where you are I went for the “problem” cows next. Trouble makers and the skittish.
I also trimmed pairs and long bred that needed more nutrition going into a hot summer. Short breds were mostly going to slaughter at the time. Played the odds drought relief would show up by the time they calved. The last cull I made was the ones with the longest postpartum interval average. Early on, after age and unproductive problem makers, color and breed were a criteria to bringing uniformity to the herd. Even here, several that had lineage back to my first mama cow were spared. However they were productive cows in their own right. Still have several with one about 13 years old now.
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Post by okie on Jul 5, 2019 12:47:04 GMT -6
I don't suppose this is very relevant to most of us but in the West there's something to be said for this: When I had to cull down due to drought I sold my younger cows. That way I kept the older, well proven cows. They knew how to use my country(which was extremely rough) and I got a nice paycheck on the younger cows as they got shipped out and put to work in greener pastures. Then when it was time to rebuild I would have had(I sold out and left before I got to this point) replacements from my better, proven cows. I know of one ranch that sold the oldest half of his herd, about four hundred, and he has yet to fully recover because the younger cows will go through and eat the heart of a pasture and never have learned to get out and push like his older cattle did.
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Post by ufbeef on Jul 5, 2019 19:32:05 GMT -6
We cull open cows with their second miss first, bob tails and ear/tag mark on first miss, they come again open they gone. Next we mouth everything, depending on how hard we need to cut depends on where we draw the line on missing teeth. If we ever had to go further we'd wait until everything had calved and ride the less desirable pairs out and evaluate the pairs and go from their. We will cut on a group of keeping heifers 4-5 times before putting a bull out or breeding them, basically just culling on phenotypical traits.
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Post by chocolatecow on Jul 9, 2019 10:27:26 GMT -6
Okie.. I did the same thing when we went through a drouth 2012-14. I sold all my young cows and kept my older females. I've never regretted doing it. My young stuff was by high $B bulls and they couldn't survive in those conditions. I used some of the money to buy yearling replacement females from several maternal breeders. It's been a good decision all way round.
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