Culling Considerations for Dairy Cattle

Deciding when to ship a cow can be a difficult decision. Remember that while her milking career as a milk cow is ending, her job as a beef cow is just beginning. Guaranteeing she will provide safe and wholesome beef products is equally important as ensuring she produced quality milk during her time in the milking herd.

In today’s regulatory world of milk and meat residue testing, it is critical to make sure you are being vigilant about the quality of animals you are sending to market and when you are marketing those animals.

Historically, dairy cull cows and bob veal have accounted for the most meat residue violations in animal agriculture. Producers have made a lot of improvements over the years, and the percentage of dairy cull cow meat residue violations has decreased. According to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) 2024 National Residue Program Quarterly Report, dairy cull cow meat residues were at less than 0.03 percent of dairy animals tested that were sent to slaughter. While this statistic is small, the consequences of having a meat residue violation are severe and long-lasting. With the stakes so high, it’s important to make good choices when culling an animal.

Cull Cow Quality
The regulatory tolerances for milk and tissue residues vary depending on the drug and whether the drug was found in milk, muscle (meat), liver, or kidney. The withdrawal times are only valid if a drug is used according to the label directions and in the class of animal listed on the label.

Making the best culling decisions is more than just following drug withdrawal times. Certain animals that are not suited for transport, like animals that are too weak, fatigued, or could become non-ambulatory, are at higher risk of being red-flagged once they arrive at the processing plant.

USDA FSIS has two types of meat residue sampling programs. The first type samples a percentage of carcasses using a random testing program. The second type of residue testing is inspector-generated testing. In this system, a USDA inspector identifies carcasses for testing based on qualifying characteristics, such as carcass defects like an injection site blemish on the neck. Cattle marketed with shortcomings like mastitis, metritis, or lameness may also be targeted for testing.

According to the National Dairy Farmers Assuring Responsible Management’s “Considerations for Culling and Transporting Dairy Animals to Market” poster, the following conditions are unlikely to pass preslaughter inspection and can include, but aren’t limited to:

Cancer in the eye
• Blindness in both eyes
• Fever greater than 103˚F
• Drug residues
• Peritonitis (any infection or inflammation, around the abdomen)
• Lameness 3 or greater (based on the locomotion scale of 1 – 4 with 4 being severely lame), or fractures
• Cows with unreduced prolapses
• Cows that are calving or have an elevated chance of calving during hauling
• Distended udders causing pain and ambulatory issues
• Suspected central nervous system symptoms
• Visible open wounds

If you are on the fence about culling an animal, consult with your veterinarian. If the animal has been treated with drugs, your vet may recommend that you extend the label withholding time. Even if the dosage and route of administration of a drug are followed, sick or dehydrated cows may not clear drugs out of their system as quickly or effectively as healthy animals.

When it comes to treatment records, be sure you are recording the following:

• Date
• Medicine name
• Purpose of treatment
• Dose and route
• Length of treatment
• Withdrawal time for milk
• Withdrawal time for meat

Treatment records should be checked before shipping an animal to market and should be kept on file for a minimum of two years. Keeping good health records, as well as sale records will help you determine if your protocols are working and can lessen the chance of a residue violation. The Center for Dairy Excellence offers free copies of the Animal Care Protocol Record-Keeping Book to Pennsylvania dairy producers. You can view the book online or request a copy at https://www.centerfordairyexcellence.org/request-book/.

Responsible culling practices not only benefit the welfare of the animal but also contribute to better quality beef, helping to meet consumer expectations.

If you have any questions or would like additional information, contact Daniela Roland at 717-809-2194 or djr6158@psu.edu.