Cattle pictures
- Thread starter Grassfarmer
- Start date
Help Support Ranchers.net:
Grassfarmer
Well-known member
Fair comment PureCountry - there is no one size fits all solution. I enjoy debating these things though as others experiences can make you look again at how you do things.
Arthritis has always been my biggest cause of old cows being shipped across many breeds and many years. The wet climate in Scotland caused far greater rates of arthritis than we see in Canada though.
Interesting about the teeth and short grass conditions - I wonder if it is really the sand or short, hard grass that wears the teeth or if it is the mineral and soil type under these grasses that causes the teeth to be more susceptible to wear?
I bought a bunch of 40 commercial red Angus type cows at a dispersal back in 2001 that were at a minimum coming 4th calvers, we still have 7 of them left who will be 13 this spring. We actually had 17 left only a couple of years ago so for 17/40 to reach 11 that is fair longevity in my book. The culls have been about 50% open/50% with arthritis. They were a real good buy as they had been run tough before I got them and I think that had weeded out a lot of the poorer types and also got them past their 1st and 2nd calvings when a lot seem to fail to re-breed.
Arthritis has always been my biggest cause of old cows being shipped across many breeds and many years. The wet climate in Scotland caused far greater rates of arthritis than we see in Canada though.
Interesting about the teeth and short grass conditions - I wonder if it is really the sand or short, hard grass that wears the teeth or if it is the mineral and soil type under these grasses that causes the teeth to be more susceptible to wear?
I bought a bunch of 40 commercial red Angus type cows at a dispersal back in 2001 that were at a minimum coming 4th calvers, we still have 7 of them left who will be 13 this spring. We actually had 17 left only a couple of years ago so for 17/40 to reach 11 that is fair longevity in my book. The culls have been about 50% open/50% with arthritis. They were a real good buy as they had been run tough before I got them and I think that had weeded out a lot of the poorer types and also got them past their 1st and 2nd calvings when a lot seem to fail to re-breed.
Grassfarmer
Well-known member
Meant to add that we don't seem to lose teeth here. Only look occasionally at them but I doubt we have 2 per 100 with worn/missing teeth at any time even with many teenage cows.
Northern Rancher
Well-known member
I've got some older sloppy uddered cows too-I don't raise bulls or keep females off them but they make good feeder cattle. PureCountry's cow is more my style-longevity is certainly good but not the be all and end all. I like those cows that get old without you noticing it.
rainie
Well-known member
I put a couple of bids on that 11,000 dollar bull to but he got out of my price range pretty quick. I was also wondering if he was a genetic fluke and how true to his body type that he would produce. Thank goodness for semen sales 
Keep the conversation going cause I like to learn new things, and I would really like to see more pictures of these Luing cattle Grassfarmer.
Keep the conversation going cause I like to learn new things, and I would really like to see more pictures of these Luing cattle Grassfarmer.