When is it time to buy more cows?

My herd has been producing for ten seasons. We have a Hereford bull who probably has the biggest rump roast in the county. The cows consist of a classic Black Angus and a Dairy mix. There have been a few birthing problems, but over time we have lost only two calves. A brood cow can produce for 12-15 years but reliability falls off after 10 years.

Our bull is not showing signs of slowing down. He is a one-eyed, 11-year-old Hereford who still gets the job done. Statistics show an older bull will service 25-40 cows, while a young bull will successfully service 10-20 cows over the same period of time.

Brood cows’ and the servicing bull’s longevity depends mostly on good nutrition, but genetics and stress are also factors that can affect productivity. In most herds, the bull would have been replaced after a few seasons to keep introducing new blood lines and improving characteristics. But not in ours.

I have not allowed the heifers to become part of the breeding herd.  Instead, I have been selling the heifers and butchering the steers at two years old, and using the proceeds to buy hay. It is with great hesitation that I think to replace my bull or any of the cows. They are a part of my every day life. We have developed a relationship and a trust that makes managing these animals easier. But the time has come to refresh the herd.

My best bet is to cull the bull and move to artificial insemination for ease of management.  The price of cows has come down recently, which allows small farmers like myself to have an opportunity to build my herd at reasonable prices.