Return to TFB Main Page
Return to Current Edition
Texas Agriculture Archive

July 5, 2002

Drought:
Prioritize cow culling decisions

With another drought shaping up, Dr. Todd Thrift, Extension livestock specialist based in East Texas, offers an eight-point cow culling strategy based on priority. Thrift says, as a general rule, cull open, old and young cows first because they are the least productive.

"Producers should start at the highest priority and cull until they have a herd size they can afford to maintain as the drought continues," said Thrift.

Thrift's culling strategy is: (1) fall calving cows that are open; (2) spring calving cows that are open; (3) replacement heifers that have not been exposed to a bull; (4) young open heifers, (5) thin cows with a body condition score of four or less; (6) bred young and old cows; (7) bred cows with a history of poor productivity; and (8) non-uniform cows.

"Fall calving cows that are open" should be the first to go because they are a long way from returning any income to a beef producer's operation, he advised.

"There is no reason to hang onto a cow that if bred today would be nine months away from calving and another seven to eight months away from weaning a calf. If she is bred anytime between Aug. 1 and Dec. 1, she will produce summer calves, which are very undesirable," Thrift said.

Not so obvious is the second order of culling, spring calving cows that are open, he said.

"Palpate cows the first week of August and keep only those that have been bred at least 60 to 75 days. This not only helps producers reduce forage demands, but it culls off short-bred cows that will have calves in the middle of the summer next year. Similar to open fall-calving females, these cows are 17 months away from returning any income," Thrift said.

Third on Thrift's list are replacement heifers that have not been exposed to a bull.

"Although these heifers do not consume as much forage as a cow, they have high nutrient requirements, and it's hard to meet their needs with drought-stressed forage," he said.

There is one exception. Heifers with truly superior genetics could be sent to a growing yard for development, according to Thrift.

Young open heifers are next in line to be culled.

"Normally this is a group that could be given significant latitude in culling. They are lactating and still growing at a time when shedding their first pair of incisors. However, first-calf heifers wean the smallest calves and are the least productive," Thrift said.

Thin cows, those with a body condition of four or less, are fifth on Thrift's culling list. Although some of these cows may be bred, they are the animals most likely to cause problems. They will calve in poor condition and the chances of their being rebred next year are poor, according to Thrift.

"Unfortunately, many thin cows have low body condition scores because they are heavy milkers and wean good calves. Remember, however, that they will require high-inputs to remain productive. If you must keep thin cows, consider early weaning of their calves. Do this not to reduce forage consumption, but to help these animals regain body condition and be rebred next spring. Weaning calves does little to reduce forage demand," Thrift said.

Bred old and young cows fall in sixth place on Thrift's culling list.

"These cows will be the least productive as compared to cows between four and eight years old. Cull off the older, thin, bred cows because they will be the least likely to rebreed next year," Thrift said.

Bred cows with a history of poor productivity are seventh on Thrift's list.

"I'm talking primarily about cows that have a history of weaning small calves," he said.

Non-uniform cows are the last on Thrift's list of eight culling categories.

"Sell the large and small cows and any cows that do fit to breed type. Keep cows that will produce higher value calves in terms of frame size and genetic type," Thrift said.

At this point all that will be left are cows between four- and eight-years-old that are bred and uniform in type. This will probably represent 20 to 30 percent of the original herd. I hope most producers will not have to cull to this level," Thrift said.