I need a sounding board/confirmation; she was cystic!
Mar 23, 2023 10:18:53 GMT -5
westxgrl13, katie k, and 1 more like this
Post by katie k on Mar 23, 2023 10:18:53 GMT -5
I have a butcher date this weekend for Truly, my Jerseyx hereford who is coming on 3. I am pretty sure I am making the right call, but I am feeling sad and so badly wanted to have an animal that lasts for many years. I wonder if I am too quick to cull.
The cons (reasons I am butchering her)
She isn't bred back. I use AI, have the best tech in the east according to all sources. I know I nailed the timing the first time, and thought she took, only to see blood 3 months later. Maybe she slipped it. The next 2 times, I know I was a little late, and a little early, but tech said she felt pretty firm/ready. I could have put her in with a neighbors rented bull, but he has a super trashy pasture and Truly is a junk eater. Kicking myself now. I upped her mineral intake, and felt confident I could get her with AI. At this point, I would wait a few months for a spring calf, so my cost to keep her til next calf, just in hay, would be about $1000.
The beef freezer is empty. It will cost me at least $1300 to get an animal to fill it.
She is a beast to milk still. Even with Kick Stop. Even with songs, gentleness, routine, whacking/discipline. Even when she did not have her calf for the first 3 months. Even after I went to calf sharing. She just deeply resents being milked. We hand milk, and it does not matter who, she hates us all. It is unpleasant every. single. day... Getting about 1 gal a day. I milk A.M, calf gets her P.M. for supervised nurse. She is 11 mos fresh.
She has something subclinical/highish cell count. I never tested b/c I was not going to change anything, I am comfortable using the milk. Tastes fine, keeps fine. A few small clumps show on filter, milk runs through a little slower than it ought. 2 qtrs show up trace occasionally on CMT.
We are in dairy land, finding a replacement is likely not super hard.
Pros:
She was born here, I love her despite the stinkies. She knows the drill, is halter trained/leads.
She has perfect hand milking teats.
She raised a huge, gorgeous calf (taped at 950 lbs 9mos old). Before I gave her the calf , I was getting 5 gal a day (first lactation).
A bird (cow) in the hand (barn) *might* be worth 2 in the bush??
I think when I type this all out, butchering makes sense but I've got these darn emotions in the way. It certainly makes sense from the $$ standpoint. I know for a fact if she was not so stinky, I would keep her and try AI again. What would you do?
The cons (reasons I am butchering her)
She isn't bred back. I use AI, have the best tech in the east according to all sources. I know I nailed the timing the first time, and thought she took, only to see blood 3 months later. Maybe she slipped it. The next 2 times, I know I was a little late, and a little early, but tech said she felt pretty firm/ready. I could have put her in with a neighbors rented bull, but he has a super trashy pasture and Truly is a junk eater. Kicking myself now. I upped her mineral intake, and felt confident I could get her with AI. At this point, I would wait a few months for a spring calf, so my cost to keep her til next calf, just in hay, would be about $1000.
The beef freezer is empty. It will cost me at least $1300 to get an animal to fill it.
She is a beast to milk still. Even with Kick Stop. Even with songs, gentleness, routine, whacking/discipline. Even when she did not have her calf for the first 3 months. Even after I went to calf sharing. She just deeply resents being milked. We hand milk, and it does not matter who, she hates us all. It is unpleasant every. single. day... Getting about 1 gal a day. I milk A.M, calf gets her P.M. for supervised nurse. She is 11 mos fresh.
She has something subclinical/highish cell count. I never tested b/c I was not going to change anything, I am comfortable using the milk. Tastes fine, keeps fine. A few small clumps show on filter, milk runs through a little slower than it ought. 2 qtrs show up trace occasionally on CMT.
We are in dairy land, finding a replacement is likely not super hard.
Pros:
She was born here, I love her despite the stinkies. She knows the drill, is halter trained/leads.
She has perfect hand milking teats.
She raised a huge, gorgeous calf (taped at 950 lbs 9mos old). Before I gave her the calf , I was getting 5 gal a day (first lactation).
A bird (cow) in the hand (barn) *might* be worth 2 in the bush??
I think when I type this all out, butchering makes sense but I've got these darn emotions in the way. It certainly makes sense from the $$ standpoint. I know for a fact if she was not so stinky, I would keep her and try AI again. What would you do?