By Dr. Kenny Burdine
While I have heard discussions around the topic, I have never been one to believe that an “optimal” cow size exists. Every farm is unique and operates in a different production and market environment. Whenever this question comes up, I simply reply that I don’t really care what cows weigh, as long as they are weaning enough pounds of calf each year to be profitable. But even that is a fluid discussion as it is impacted by the market. For example, a cow does not have to wean as large of a calf to be profitable in 2025 as she would have in 2022. The reality is that producers make culling decisions each year based on the best information they have at the time.
While record keeping has never been high on the list of things that cow-calf operations enjoy, it is extremely important and should be used to drive these decisions. Well managed cow-calf operations track weaning weights on individual calves and tie each calf back to its dam. By doing that, productivity can be measured for each individual cow. On the other hand, it is nearly impossible to track production costs on an individual cow basis. Producers with good financial records likely have a solid understanding of what it costs them to maintain the average cow in their herds.