By: Lacey Noterman, District Livestock Extension Agent
Historically, cull cow prices will begin to rise in February and this year should be no exception. Cow-calf producers need to closely evaluate their herds to determine which animals should be culled due to price of pasture or rangeland and the prospects of a tight hay supply. When thinking about a reduction in your herd, be sure to consider the following:
- Non-pregnant or open cows should be culled. This also includes cows who have lost their calves during calving.
- Cows that have been identified as poor mothers. Cows that have unsound udders, teats, feet, and legs should be loaded on the truck. If she can’t raise a calf by herself, she will not turn a profit. Be sure to pay attention to the cow’s disposition. If that cow is making you jump the fence, get rid of her immediately. She will never improve. The older she gets the worse she will be.
- Older cows that are retained in the herd must be checked very carefully to insure they have a sound mouth and are likely to sustain productivity for at least one or two years. Watch for physical problems, such as early stages of cancer eye.
- Be sure to identify the productive and nonproductive females in your herd. Use your records to identify cows that have consistently weaned calves in the bottom 10-25% of your herd. Use the last 2-3 years of information collected. If that cow ranks low in both years, they should be a candidate for culling.
- Check cows for pregnancy as soon as possible following the breeding season. Most experienced ultrasound technicians are about 99% accurate on a 30 to 35-day old fetus.
- Evaluate the number of heifers that you need to keep for replacements. Keep in mind, heifers eat a whole lot less than cows, but they require a higher quality feed for growth.
- If pastures and forages are limited, consider early weaning of the calf at 45 to 90 days of age then sell the cow. Early weaned calves are efficient at converting feed to grain. It is more economical and efficient to feed the calf directly than to feed the calf through feeding the cow during drought conditions.
- Be sure to keep an eye on your bulls as well. If they don’t meet your expectations put them on the truck following breeding season.
For more information on culling strategies, contact Lacey Noterman, K-State Research and Extension Wild West District Livestock Agent at lnote@ksu.edu or stop by your local extension office.
