  BeefTalk:
Have a Plan to Get Rid of Freeloading Cows
By Kris Ringwall, Extension Beef Specialist,
NDSU Extension Service
If the current shortage of moisture and feed continues, cattle producers must
face up to the fact that not all the cows in the herd can be maintained at an
adequate state of nutrition to produce at a level that would justify buying
feed. In general, producers react to drought by focusing on feed resources,
using previous years needs as their bench mark. When purchasing feed, the check
book should force us to ask, "Are all these cows really worth
feeding?"
In this situation, cattle producers must keep in their herds those cows that
are expected to return a profit and not increase the debt load. In other words,
it’s time to get rid of the freeloaders.
Faced with the prospect that cattle numbers must be reduced, first do the
obvious and eliminate all open cows, cows that lost calves, and structurally
unsound or emaciated cows from the herd. After the obvious choices are gone, it’s
time to check the calving records to make the second cut.
Find the point in the calving book where the mature cows started to calve.
Provide a reference point: find the second mature cow that calved. Draw a circle
on that day and count down 45 days from the date she calved and draw a second
line. Sell all the cows below the second line. This will eliminate late calving
cows with a high probability of not breeding back because of nutritional stress.
This also eliminates cows that will be cycling when bulls may have lower
fertility because of late summer heat stress.
Heat-stressed bulls have reduced fertility for up to six weeks following
exposure to intense heat. Cows cycling late in the breeding season will also
have reduced chances of conceiving a calf for next year. The third cut should be
based on age. Sort off cows that are 10 years old or older.
At this point, evaluate the feed situation. If the situation is still
uncomfortable, sort the remaining cows on the basis of performance records and
sell the bottom 20 percent. These should be cows that weaned lighter calves
based on 205-day adjusted weaning weights or that have low MPPA (producing
ability) values as calculated by the North Dakota Beef Cattle Improvement
Association CHAPS program, or some other reputable program.
After this cut, the only cows remaining in the herd are those that calve
early and produce good calves. Given the likely cost of buying cows back next
year, try to save this core group of cows by buying additional feed. If this is
not feasible, sell two-, three- and four-year-old cows that did not calve in the
first 21 days of the calving season. At this point, if feed remains short, plan
on early weaning the calf crop and place them on feed to reduce cow herd feed
intake to the minimum. After weaning, the cows can tolerate marginal feed since
they are not lactating.
Replacement heifers should not be sold until the decision is made that the
core cow group can’t be maintained after early weaning the calves. Replacement
heifers are the first females bred, are not raising calves, are genetically
superior to the current cows and hold their market value longer.
Obviously there comes a point when orderly marketing is difficult, and the
steps can very with individual situations. The cow is a valuable item. Remember
to have a plan, keep a level head and inventory resources frequently so you can
implement the plan if resources continue to fade.
May you find all your ear tags.
Your comments are always welcome at www.BeefTalk.com.
For more information, contact the North Dakota Beef Cattle Improvement
Association, 1133 State Avenue, Dickinson, ND 58601 or go to www.CHAPS2000.COM
on the Internet. In correspondence about this column, refer to BT0099.
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Source: Kris Ringwall, (701) 483-2427, kringwal@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu
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Graphic from above --
A Priority List for Reducing Demand on Feed Resources
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First Cut -- open, unsound or emaciated cows
and cows without calves
Second Cut -- late-calving cows (45 days from
start of mature cows calving)
Third Cut -- cows 10 years old or older
Fourth Cut -- poor performing cows
Fifth Cut -- young cows not calving within
21 days from start of calving
mature cows
Sixth Cut -- early-wean all remaining calves
Seventh Cut -- mature cows
Eighth Cut -- replacement heifers
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