Why Culling Matters
Every animal in a herd consumes feed, labor, and pasture resources, so keeping unproductive cows reduces overall profitability even if each individual cost seems small. A disciplined culling strategy keeps a herd productive and aligned with your breeding goals over time.
Common Culling Reasons
Open cows that fail to breed within a set window, chronic health issues, poor mothering ability, or consistently low weaning weights on calves are frequent culling candidates. Age-related decline in teeth, udder quality, or mobility also affects a cow’s ability to thrive long-term.
Timing Your Decision
Pregnancy checking after breeding season lets you identify open cows early, giving you the option to sell while they’re still in good condition rather than waiting until body condition declines. Market timing matters too, since cull cow prices fluctuate seasonally.
Balancing Emotion and Economics
Culling decisions can be difficult, especially with long-owned animals, but keeping performance records helps take emotion out of the equation and supports consistent, fair decisions across the whole herd.
Replacing culled animals with strong stock keeps your herd moving forward. See our current cattle for sale or learn how to order through our auction process.
