Would anyone sell their good heifers?

[Alan]

Most of these points have been made before, but yes, everything I own is for sale at my price. At my place in my cattle program, like Jim stated, what I consider heifers that are better than my current cows stay in my herd the rest go to the sale barn at weaning. So for that reason I don't sell many heifers private treaty, for the sake of building a reputation. I think it is just were you are in your own herd "building" program. This topic was touched on in another thread, buying replacement heifers at the sale barn, I only mention this because it's an interest point of view that comes off at another angle.

Good topic,
Alan

[cowboy43]

I have wondered the same thing about registered bull breeders, how they cull their breeders to sell ? I have never had a breeder to discuss his culling process. Most breeders around here raise them like feed yard cattle and when you turn them in with the cows they fall apart.

[dun]

I have wondered the same thing about registered bull breeders, how they cull their breeders to sell ? I have never had a breeder to discuss his culling process. Most breeders around here raise them like feed yard cattle and when you turn them in with the cows they fall apart.

The idea is to only buy bulls/heifers/cows form someone that has similar managment as yours.

[redcowsrule33]

I have wondered the same thing about registered bull breeders, how they cull their breeders to sell ? I have never had a breeder to discuss his culling process. Most breeders around here raise them like feed yard cattle and when you turn them in with the cows they fall apart.

The idea is to only buy bulls/heifers/cows form someone that has similar managment as yours.

Problem is, the feedlot bulls will always sell better than the bulls that were raised on pasture, because even I admit the sure look purty with all that fat on them. The two bulls I bought this year are well grown, muscled, and were raised in similar circumstances as the rest of my herd. We'll see how they hold up after turn out. But I have to say if they were in a pen of fatter bulls they wouldn't catch my eye the same way. My experiences with bull buyers in the past is the majority around here will turn up their noses at good fit bulls and buy the fat ones, then complain that they fell apart.

As far as heifers are concerned, you will have the best luck approaching someone who is at the size they want to be, as they will be more willing to let go of some good ones and the top of their culls will still be good quality, plus you might be able to get ahold of some good older cows at a decent price as they want to make room for new blood.

[SRBeef]

Isn't there a saying that there's a price for everything? Don't know how someone could say they'd never sell something....

Except for the situation where someone is in dire need of cash, or having a true herd dispersal (rare), I don't know how someone could think there is a dollar "price for everything". Especially having to do with cattle.

Cattle take so long to find good base stock, find the right bull or AI bull, breed the cow, calve the cow, grow the heifer to 15 months, breed the heifer.... And no matter how much money you have or want to spend, there is just no speeding up the process. And if you are trying to build a herd of a certain type of cow you multiply the above by whatever number of generations it takes, less culls.

Here are pictures of my goal in breeding, one is of a 2 year old nursing her 2nd calf (a U070 sired steer). And here is her younger sister, being bred to my Huth U070 bull as we speak. These are the type of Hereford females I want to create a herd of. They will make me and when I'm gone my kids money far into the future. And they are just not for sale, the reason being that they can not be exactly replaced for any amount of money. I know them, I know their dam and sires, they have the long, low, wide body but 12-1300 lb mature size I want. I know they work in the low input system I am working towards in my area of Wisconsin. That can not be replaced.

I will also add a recent picture of my Huth U070 bull they are both being bred to this summer. Their calves should be dandies, at least in my opinion. And yes this is the bull I took a lot of heat on earlier because of his "bad feet". While I do not want to and will not get into that discussion again, I will add that U070's calves have about fallen out of the back of the cows and heifers he's bred so far, they show the same doing ability on grass only that he has and they show the same "beefy" conformation that he has. They also have good feet.

Again this may not be a valid point because I am not in the business of selling stock. However it is a bit surprising to me that there are folks who think that everything in cattle has a price. I think there are many cases, including maybe the breeder who found the calf "dead", where money does NOT buy everything. And given the particulars of raising cattle, in my opinion that should be understandable.

There ARE enough breeders selling good cattle that someone's refusal to sell should be understandable so go on to the next potential source. One often as to settle for less than the perfect heifer but just get the best you can for your conditions and plan and breed up the changes you would like to see. jmho.

Here are two pictures of young stock I would not sell. And fwiw my Huth U070 bull they are being bred to.

U070 has not had a bucket of grain since last winter. I've been told he needs more cows to breed - we are working on that. He has reached his condition mostly on weedy grass. And despite his size (2200 lb) U070 (aka "Shorty") is still a smaller frame size (5.5) and very good with heifers even younger smaller ones.







Jim

[TexasBred]

I sold 14 bred heifers back in the spring there was 16 to choose from the other 2 went back into my herd, so he actually got first choice. Anything not good enough to make a cow was sold after weaning so the were all pretty good heifers. I told him every thing on my place was for sale exept a cow my daughter had shown, some just cost more than others.

I use to know an old dairymen that did that. You call and say you wanted 30 heavy springers...he'd pen 35-40 and tell you the pick 30 and the price for each but be a stated amount across the board. the extra ten would be of such lesser quality so he knew waht you would take and what you would cut. Sold hundreds of cattle every year.

[regolith]

I think when the herd is getting to where it should be genetic-wise, it's time to sell good heifers. In my herd that could be another two generations.
Recently I've been selling heifers at the average price for heifers and I've picked them out. My best don't go anywhere because I want to concentrate on the top 5 - 10% for breeding the future herd. I'm seeing breeders with superior herds selling up to half of their heifers each year - at a price.

[plumber_greg]

Jim pretty much said what I wanted to. The only thing I would add is if everything I had is for sale at my price, what if somesone says, "Ok". The immediate worry is the taxes on the amount you just got for your cattle. Prices are good right now, but even if I wanted to, I couldn't cash in, couldn't afford the taxes. gs

[TexasBred]

Jim pretty much said what I wanted to. The only thing I would add is if everything I had is for sale at my price, what if somesone says, "Ok". The immediate worry is the taxes on the amount you just got for your cattle. Prices are good right now, but even if I wanted to, I couldn't cash in, couldn't afford the taxes. gs

It's much easier to pay taxes on profits than try to operate with ongoing loses.

[1982vett]

Jim pretty much said what I wanted to. The only thing I would add is if everything I had is for sale at my price, what if somesone says, "Ok". The immediate worry is the taxes on the amount you just got for your cattle. Prices are good right now, but even if I wanted to, I couldn't cash in, couldn't afford the taxes. gs

If I had to pay millions in taxes.....just means I made a buttload more.

[Brute 23]

Jim pretty much said what I wanted to. The only thing I would add is if everything I had is for sale at my price, what if somesone says, "Ok". The immediate worry is the taxes on the amount you just got for your cattle. Prices are good right now, but even if I wanted to, I couldn't cash in, couldn't afford the taxes. gs

If I had to pay millions in taxes.....just means I made a buttload more.

Yup

[ALACOWMAN]

alot of good seedstock producer have cow families and lines they want to perpetuate... doesnt mean the heifers their seeling wouldnt work great for you..

[Galloway2]

I have sold seedstock for over 30 years. EVERYTHING is for sale, we only sell as breeding stock what we would use ourselves. I price my heifers for what I THINK they are worth. The last few years, I have struggled to keep any for myself, prices go up.

Some buyers think the price is too high, some don't. We try to sell breeding groups when possible, with heifers and a bull, that aren't too closely related. That is why I need to KEEP certain animals, and can let some go.

[backhoeboogie]

Drought forced me to sell some I did not want to part with. There's one "why".

Seen some awfully good estates go to auction simply because the kids lived elsewhere and had their own lives going - or whatever. They dumped the estate which included some really nice animals - and heifers.

Got some heifers that are decendants of an angus bull who broke in. These are "awesome" heifers according to one guy who bougth them from me. In my opinion their ear was too short for this climate. Some folks call them "A-Plus" and to be they are "Brangus minus". Guess it goes back to the beauty being in the eye of the beholder.

There's probably several more dozen reasons why people sell.

[TexasBred]

Drought forced me to sell some I did not want to part with. There's one "why".

Seen some awfully good estates go to auction simply because the kids lived elsewhere and had their own lives going - or whatever. They dumped the estate which included some really nice animals - and heifers.

Got some heifers that are decendants of an angus bull who broke in. These are "awesome" heifers according to one guy who bougth them from me. In my opinion their ear was too short for this climate. Some folks call them "A-Plus" and to be they are "Brangus minus". Guess it goes back to the beauty being in the eye of the beholder.

There's probably several more dozen reasons why people sell.

Production is what matters. You can breed some of that ear off as well as the excessive sheath adn still have pure bred brangus. I'll try to post some pics is I can get them. Hang on to those "Ultra Blacks" tho. They are great cattle.