As livestock producers, profit isn’t high enough on our list of priorities. While we have a lot of fixed costs there are some things that we can do to increase profitability. Culling can be one of the most important practices you do on your farm. We tolerate too much. Implementing a strict culling program to remove any animals that fail to perform well in your production system will gradually improve our cattle’s efficiency. Either an individual performs, or it doesn’t. Period.
There are two types of culling; one based on physical characteristics and the other based on performance. Physical characteristics are clues, not the final verdict. Performance has the final say on which cattle are the most efficient and thrive best in your system. It’s important to focus on selecting a balanced animal versus selecting for a single trait. When we focus on single traits, bad things happen.
Before I go any further, it is important to point out that just because a cow doesn’t work on your operation, it doesn’t mean she is a bad cow. She could be the top producer in a different environment or for a producer with different goals or management practices. An example of this is a cow that calves outside of your breeding season; she could fit perfectly in someone else’s herd due to a later calving window.
Culling guidelines-
1. Cows without the potential to wean a calf. Only cows that have the potential to wean a calf should stay in the herd. This means non-pregnant cows or cows that lost their calves at calving should be culled.
2. Cows that are poor mothers have unsound udders, teats, feet and legs, bad disposition, and other physical problems. Older cows that are being considered to be retained in the herd should be checked carefully to ensure they have a sound mouth and are likely to be productive for at least a year or two.
3. The least productive cows. Identify the productive and nonproductive females. Look back at your individual records to identify cows that have consistently weaned calves that rank in the bottom 10-25% of your herd. Look two to three years back and see whose calf ranked low in both years. They should be a candidate for culling.
4. Cows with a poor disposition. Let’s face it, ‘beauty is as beauty does’. It is no fun to handle high-strung cattle and can be very dangerous.
5. Cows that calve outside your desired calving window. She either took more breeding attempts to conceive or didn’t return to estrus as quickly as the rest of the herd.
6. Cows that lose weight faster than their peers. Not all cattle are going to perform on Kentucky-31 and if that is your desired forage, choose cattle that are adapted to those conditions.
Cows that don’t meet your cull criteria have no business on your farm if your goals are to make money. If it is a pet for your kid or grandkid, you have different goals. Culling is a great opportunity to make your herd better. Cull sales make up on average 15-20% of cow herd income. Don’t overlook this opportunity to market high-value cull cows at the right time.
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