How Important is Cow Longevity? It Depends on Who You Ask!

John F. Grimes, OSU Extension Beef Coordinator

Age and time can certainly change one’s perspective on many things. Longevity is a subject that has an evolving meaning to me. I suppose that has something to do with the celebration of this author’s 50th birthday this year. Longevity, as defined in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is a long duration of individual life or long continuance. How does longevity apply to the cattle business? It depends on who you ask.

In cattle terms, longevity would be the age at which a cow dies or is removed from the herd due to her lack of productivity. Assuming normal conditions and a minimal amount individual stresses on a cow, it is not unusual to expect a beef cow to be productive up to 8 – 12 years of age. As we all know, cows can be Continue reading