big stomach

[Anonymous]

i have noticed some cows are (what seems to me to be) extra big thru the middle.. and look almost bloated.. all the time. an example.. i bought a medium bred charlois cross cow thru the sale a few months back.. she calved fine but still looks as big as the heavy bred cows that i have..even 3 months later.. she's the only one like that.. and i have noticed others thru the sale like this before.. is this a breed thing or is there some deficency in diet or something that causes this? maybe it's normal.. i don't know. her diet during the time i've had her has been pasture up till winter, then hay and a little ground corn and cotton seed mill.. and minerals and salt as needed.



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[Anonymous]

It sounds like you are describing a cow with lots of capacity. THAT'S GOOD! A cow should be able to fit a 50# drum in her stomach. If not, she will be a harder keeper than one with capacity. Remember, she needs room for a full grown calf (60#-90#) inside of her and also enough room to eat enough roughage (hay/grass) to maintain her requirements. I would be looking for more cows with this "condition". Jeanne
> i have noticed some cows are (what
> seems to me to be) extra big thru
> the middle.. and look almost
> bloated.. all the time. an
> example.. i bought a medium bred
> charlois cross cow thru the sale a
> few months back.. she calved fine
> but still looks as big as the
> heavy bred cows that i have..even
> 3 months later.. she's the only
> one like that.. and i have noticed
> others thru the sale like this
> before.. is this a breed thing or
> is there some deficency in diet or
> something that causes this? maybe
> it's normal.. i don't know. her
> diet during the time i've had her
> has been pasture up till winter,
> then hay and a little ground corn
> and cotton seed mill.. and
> minerals and salt as needed.

Simme Valley in NY
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