# How long to keep a cow?



## farmerjon (Jan 7, 2009)

I was just wondering how long I should keep my beef cows? Do I just wait until she is done producing calves? Do I sell her while she is worth something as a bred cow? Do I keep her til she dies? Dog food? I don't have any now that are near this, but it was just a thought. I have 3 cows now and a heifer. I would like to build the herd up into the 20's over time...a long time. 

Also I have a cow who has produced two bull calves in 2 years....Sounds dumb but will she more than likly always throw a bull?


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## randiliana (Feb 22, 2008)

Generally, we keep beef cows around as long as they are either raising a calf or are pregnant. If they don't get bred, or can't/don't raise a calf we cull them out of the herd. 

As far as your cow that has had 2 bull calves in a row, your guess is as good as mine. We have cows that have only had bull or heifer calves, some that alternate every year, some that will have several years of the same sex and then have the opposite.....


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## francismilker (Jan 12, 2006)

I keep my beef cows until they fail to breed or get to the point where their calving intervals are greater than 13 months. Sometimes they go when they start having udder problems or get extremely thin while raising a calf. If I see one get too thin and too smooth in the mouth, I usually wein her calf off when it's time and then sell her as a bred cow. Lots of folks in my area by broken mouth cow/calf pairs at the sale barn to turn a profit on the calves before selling mama as a slaughter cow.


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## SuperDog (Mar 16, 2005)

The sex of the calf is determined by the bull. Females offer the XX chromosome, and males offer the XY. So it depends if the X, or the Y, sperm fertilize the egg.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

I agree with the other posters. As long as she readily breeds back and stays in good flesh and health and has no obvious genetic defects keep her.

As far as what to do with her, it depends on age and condition. Some first calf heifers never breed back. Make a "heiferette" out of her, in other words fatten her up and butcher her or sell her as fat beef. 

If she is older but still in good flesh (with some fat) make hamburger out of her (tell the butcher to save the tenderloins).

If she is old and bony, ship her and take what you can get.


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## rancher1913 (Dec 5, 2008)

when her teath start to go if you can not give her a proper mixed ration that she can digest with out chewing she should go. if she is fed mostly silage her health will start to go before her teeth. I've got some cows that are 16 years old and have given me a calf every year but this year they will go to market.


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## ksfarmer (Apr 28, 2007)

All of the above give good advice. Age isn't that important, reproductive performance and health is what you look at. However, the one thing everyone is overlooking is what kind of calf does she raise? Some cows just never seem to raise a calf as robust as the other cows do. Cull her, even if she is fat and healthy and bred. Replace her with a cow, maybe not as "pretty", but who will raise a calf that meets your expectations.


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