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Thread: Kudu cow size and age
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05-12-2020, 12:27 #11
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Re: Kudu cow size and age
Treeman. As stated, in a group it gets easier. When standing on their own kudu cows are difficult to judge. As I am farming with cattle and sheep as well a sense has developed over the years to notice the proportions of female animals compared to other body parts. If a group of cows (cattle) stand together the younger ones can be as big as the old cows but they are "pretty" compared to the old ones. Still easy to discern. When the same cows are spread out the older ones and bigger ones can be noted. The backline sags a bit. The belly area starts hanging. The face gets longer. The cheeks start sagging. Ears hang more. The tuft of hair on the tailtip looks different than the youner ones. Deepness of body looks different. Agreed, when studying cattle one are close and also know ones herd by individuals. But even when driving past herds on the road the older ones can be spotted even when standing on their own.
With kudu the same. (With humans also. How do you judge a 20 vs 55 years old lady when standing on their own and at a distance? You just know....) With kudu cows the more dropped ears (difficult to describe), longer face and higher hump together with broader rump and sagged out belly region give them away for me. On my own farm the youngsters are also always lighter in colour.
For the average hunter doing an annual hunt and zipping past a few cattle next to a road now and then these pointers will definitely not help or sort it out for him. Take that same hunter and put pressure on him because time is constraint and he wants to fill his quota and very surely there will be youngsters that gets shot.
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05-12-2020, 17:02 #12
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Re: Kudu cow size and age
The head generally is more elongated in older cows. This plus a few other traits are generally a good starting point. Very old cows will be easily distinguished due to condition. Hair color is a give away but is area specific.
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05-12-2020, 19:16 #13
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05-12-2020, 22:44 #14
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06-12-2020, 09:24 #15
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Re: Kudu cow size and age
Now that is an interesting question regarding the mother in law scenario,
I always try to shoot the older ones for biltong and droewors. The youngsters still have a life of breeding in front of them. The old fat cows are normally the ones not breeding anymore but still has excellent meat. If they get really old and thin (end of life, no more teeth etc") I just leave them to be. (Or those are the ones that gets shot for the mother in law...)
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06-12-2020, 13:00 #16
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06-12-2020, 23:11 #17
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07-12-2020, 07:32 #18
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07-12-2020, 17:20 #19
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