Empty cows: what to do.

squinn2912

The bane of our lives when you scan cows and there's nothing in there or when a cow loses her calf. What is the best option? Give the good ones another chance rearing a foster calf, sell them on at that, fatten?

stantheman1979

Only one option!! Give them a wave as they go out the gate. Good luck and thank u for you’re effort ladies!!!

squinn2912

Haha a wave or one last cut of a plant?
Would you meal them for a few weeks?

Who2

Get rid of, there isn't enough in them to let them lye there.

patsy_mccabe

That's debated a lot here. Opinions differ. I'm feeding 3 empty cows here at the moment. 2 have calves, the other lost hers last week. Calf born dead.
One cow, a simm, calved late, is stone mad and wouldn't calve a rat without a pull. The other is lovely and quiet but very small pelvic opening. She had a caesarian. All good reasons to cull.
The question is do you keep a good cow. I have in the past because it is so hard to get really good cows.

blue5000

The comic covered all the options a few weeks back when they discovered 22% empty. They decided to get rid.

It really depends on your situation, tightly stocked, ref numbers, shed and feed space, stars and whether or not you are trying to build numbers or have enough replacements coming on.

I'm guilty of keeping a few younger cows as I'm trying to build numbers in a closed herd. But if a cow loses a calf in spring I usually fatten her over the summer and cull her to help cashflow as I wouldn't normally have anything else to sell then.

KatyMac

blue5000 wrote: »

I'm guilty of keeping a few younger cows as I'm trying to build numbers in a closed herd.

Me too. Trying to build numbers here so have kept on the occasional one. I have been known to give another chance if the cow doesn't have a calf due to bad luck - calf dies etc. Working on the basis that the cow you know is better than the one you buy in and don't.

squinn2912

I'd be with you on that, particularly if she takes another calf. I'd try a yellow card system. Maybe I'm a fool. Went to the mart today to look at trade and it was stinkin so I'm going to put a months meal in 3 of them. 2 empty and one great one I injected today. Wild bitch with bad feet

Western Pomise

According to Farming Indo cull cows holding up well in factories,what’s trade like on the ground in marts for them?

squinn2912

Not too bad. Mid weight cattle taking a hammering if anyone had feeding would be well bought