Cull cows, bulls and cull dairy cows make up about 20 percent of the beef available for consumption in the United States. About half of this group, or 10 percent of the beef supply, comes from cull beef cows. The USDA market news service reports on four classes of cull cows (not destined to be replacements). Learning a bit more about these classifications can impact overall herd profitability as cull cow weight and cull cow price are rated in the top five factors impacting herd profitability.
Source: Drovers CattleNetwork, October 18, 2016.
The four classes are divided primarily on fatness. The highest conditioned cull cows are reported as “Breakers”. Then moderately conditioned “Boner” cows followed by “Leans” and “Lights”. Producers that sell cull cows should pay close attention to the market news reports about the price differentials of the cows in these classes.
INSIGHTS: Also see: Culling open cows effectively, Animal Health Digest, October 8, 2016 and Cull cows early and often, Animal Health Digest, September 23, 2016.