A RANCHMAN'S RECOLLECTIONS 



spring, as are many other classes, subject to a second 

 look-over in the fall for cows with one eye, spoiled 

 bags or other physical defects. Age of course is a 

 factor to which we give careful attention, but it does 

 not eliminate a cow if she is a "doer" and a "re- 

 peater" with no definite limit. A really ill-looking 

 cow is rarely kept. A rather old cow with an out- 

 standing calf is apt to be given another year as 

 against one of the same age with even an average 

 calf. 



I was asked once where I placed "get" in the cull- 

 ing problem. I replied first, because it is the final 

 test in realization. We rarely cull anything in the 

 calf period except distinct ne'er-do-wells. All calves 

 from two-year-old heifers go out, as it is impossi- 

 ble to avoid having some yearling heifers get in 

 calf, and all calves at foot with culled cows not old 

 enough to winter go. An average term of years 

 will find about 5 per cent of the total drop going as 

 veal for these causes. 



The main cut in the breeding herd is made in the 

 fall, in the yearling heifer class. It is about 10 per 

 cent. This is followed in the two-year-old period by 

 cutting anything missed as a yearling or not making 

 proper development, which brings the herd up to the 

 three-year-old or over class, when they take pot luck 

 in an annual cull, running rarely less than 7 nor 

 more than 10 per cent. In steers the cut, running 

 through from calves to yearlings, will average about 



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