How long do cows live: average duration at home, table by year

Cows are kept and raised for milk and meat. For farm animals, it is productivity that determines how long they will live. Naturally, this period is much shorter than the biological one. How to find out how long a cow lives in a private household and on a production farm, what determines its life expectancy and whether or not it can be increased.

What determines the life of a cow

The life expectancy of cattle is affected by several factors at once. Breed, size, milk production - these are genetic factors that are laid down by nature and breeders.The rest - feeding, conditions of maintenance and care, he alth status - depend primarily on the owner. If a cow is well looked after and fed, she will be able to live longer than an animal kept in poor conditions.

Climatic conditions affect the lifespan of livestock, cattle are best suited for a temperate climate, with an average temperature of 10 ˚C. Cows do not tolerate heat and humidity, drafts. In regions with a harsh climate and poor vegetation, livestock live less.

What is the life expectancy of cattle

Since many factors affect how long a cow will live, you need to consider each of them separately.

By country

Not all countries where cows are kept have the same longevity. Life expectancy is affected by climate, the peculiarities of keeping animals, the attitude of people towards them and how much milk and meat they want from livestock.

Country	Life span (years)
Russia	10- 12
USA	15-20
Israel	30
India	35

India is in a leading position because cows are not raised for meat, and they have the opportunity to live as long as nature intended for them. Of course, not every individual can live 35-40 years (species life expectancy of cattle), but many exceed the period that an average cow can live.

Depending on breed

All breeds of cattle are divided into dairy, meat and meat and dairy. Animals from which milk is obtained live as long as they can maintain milk yield at the required level for years. Beef cows live until they grow up and gain enough mass for slaughter. Breeding animals left for breeding live longer. Meat and dairy occupy a middle position, since they receive milk from them, but, if necessary, they are sent for slaughter.

Meat3-5 Meat and dairy10-12

Breed	How long do they live (by years)
Dairy	15

Home and farm

It is believed that cows that live at home in rural areas can live longer due to the fact that they are able to graze, move, breathe fresh air and receive portions of sunlight. If there is one cow, she gets more attention than several, which also increases the lifespan.

In good conditions, an animal can live 15-17 years, which by human standards corresponds to old age. At the same time, it remains he althy and productive.

Cows are kept on production farms as long as they are profitable. As soon as milk yields begin to decline, or the female cannot bear calves, the animals are transferred to fattening and slaughtered. On average, they live up to 12 years, which is the average age.

7-12 (breeding bulls 5-10 years old)

Containment Conditions	Lifespan
Private farm	15-17
Farm

In nature

On their own, without human supervision, cows do not live in nature. Someone must be holding them. But, by biological standards, these animals can live 30 years, the maximum is 35. At the same time, bulls live less than females.

Specific duration	Gender
30-35	25- 30 (Cows)
	15-20 (Bulls)

Phases of a cow's life

After birth, the calf stays with its mother or is fed with milk or its substitute for up to 6 months. From 1.5-2 months he is accustomed to solid food. Sexual maturity occurs, on average, at 7 months. For the first time, young heifers happen at 1.5 years old, breeding bulls - at 2 years old.The bearing of a calf lasts 9-10 months, during which time the body of the heifers continues to grow. It is finally formed by the age of 4.

Cows happen every year so that every year they have a calf. The duration of lactation is 10-11 months. If the cow did not become pregnant and remained single, it happens the next year. Proper milking can prolong lactation even in females that have gone dank. After 4 years, the animal is considered an adult and lives as long as it is economically profitable to keep it.

Can life be extended

A cow is a living being, her body responds to both good and bad content. If you provide cattle with a spacious, bright, clean, warm room, properly feed, walk and treat for diseases, it will be possible to extend their life as much as possible.The best results were noted in stall-pasture housing, when cows have the opportunity to graze and move on pastures, and under adverse conditions they can be indoors without being exposed to them. Nutrition is of great importance. Cattle that get all the nutrients they need in the right amounts will be able to live longer.

If animals are malnourished, eat monotonous or low-quality food, their lifespan is reduced.

Diseases significantly reduce the life potential of animals. There are many diseases that undermine the he alth or even end in the death of animals. Prevention of diseases - vaccination against infections, disinfection of premises and equipment, veterinary examinations and quarantine measures - will help keep diseases under control.

In dairy cows, postpartum pathologies are not uncommon - diseases of the reproductive organs, inflammation of the udder.To prolong the life of a cow and its productive use, it is necessary to monitor the state of her he alth during this period. The timely detection of the disease and the treatment carried out make it possible to avoid further problems, culling the animal due to its unsuitability for use.

Cleanliness is the key to he alth, so you need to clean the stall and change the bedding every day. Clean the skin of the animal, massage the udder before milking and wash it. Make sure that the cow does not lie on the cold floor.

As for calves, the first days of their life, when they receive colostrum, determine how further development will go, the strength of immunity and possible productivity. This is followed by a suckling period, when the calves must be fed with milk. If they don't get enough of it, it affects their development, shortens their lifespan despite their genetic potential.

How to find out the age?

Determining the age of a cow may be necessary when buying. In animal husbandry, the age of animals is determined by their teeth. This method of detection works especially well with herbivores, whose teeth wear out from eating roughage by a certain age.

By the nature of measurements, you can calculate how old a cow is to within a year, and for calves - up to a couple of months. In calves, age is determined by the change of milk teeth to permanent ones. The calf is born with 4 incisors, which are sharper and thinner than the permanent ones. Within a week, he may have 8 teeth (the edges begin to erupt). They complete development by 3-4 months. At six months, a calf has 4 molars.

In one-year-old calves, the enamel on the toes is erased, by the age of 2 they fall out. Then, in their place, permanent ones erupt and grow. By 2.5 years, the middle incisors fall out, by 3 years new ones grow. The margins are replaced by permanent ones by the age of 4, by the age of 4.5 they are fully developed. In adult cows, the set of teeth changes completely by 4 years. In the next six months, the incisors begin to wear out (except for the edges).The upper edge of these teeth is erased by the age of 5, gaps appear between the incisors.

At the age of 6, changes are visible on the surface of the edges, hooks and middle incisors are erased. By the age of 7, the enamel on the tongue part of the hooks is practically erased, by the age of 8, their rubbing part becomes square. At the age of 9, the enamel of the edges disappears, at 10, the incisors shorten and become thinner. The teeth take the shape of a square.

At 11-12 years old, the toes are rounded. In the next 2 years, the enamel is erased on all incisors, by the age of 15-18, stumps remain from them. After that, it becomes difficult to determine the age of the cattle. Yes, this is not necessary, since these are already old animals and unsuitable for economic use.

You can also determine the age by the horns (in horned breeds). In calves, the rudiments of horns appear 2 weeks after birth. Horns erupt at 2 months, grow at the same rate, adding 1 cm every month.

In cows giving birth, the age can be calculated by the number of rings on the horns. They form after childbirth. If we take into account that for the first time a cow brings a calf at 2.5-3 years old, you need to add 3 to the number of rings - the resulting figure will be the desired number. However, this method will only be correct if the cow has calved annually, since single individuals do not form rings.

The lifespan of cows depends on the genetic potential and conditions of care and maintenance. If you properly feed, water, walk, clean, monitor the cleanliness of the room and the air in it, prevent and treat diseases, a cow at home can live a long time. All this time she will be able to thank for the care with milk and calves. With proper organization of rearing and breeding, the maintenance of livestock can be very profitable.

Recommended