2018 Fifth Calf - Cowboy - YIKES

[Bright Raven]

Dam: Twister - raised here.
SIRE: Cowboy Cut
Due: 9/5/2018
DOB: 9/2/2018
Bull calf.
Weight 94. Unassisted

Comments: 94 is a lot for a Cowboy Cut. But this cow averages 90 pound or higher BW on her calves. I expected something in the 85 pound range. Shows how much influence she had on the BW.

 

[Bright Raven]

Comment: the above cow is very similar to this HPF Optimizer heifer that just delivered a Cowboy calf a couple days ago. Both were raised here and are half sisters out of my Hudson Pine/Rocking P cow.

 

[Bright Raven]

Gestation and BW numbers:
1. Broadway Heifer: 279, 97 lbs.
2. W/C Lock N Load 1143Y Bull: 279, 78 lbs.
3. Cowboy Cut Heifer: 277, 70 lbs
4. HPF Optimizer Bull: 280, 88 lbs.
5. Cowboy Cut Bull: 282, 94 lbs.

 

[callmefence]

This is great. I purpose everyone here strart a thread on every calf born.

 

[Bright Raven]

This is great. I purpose everyone here strart a thread on every calf born.

Some might find it more interesting than threads about young girls hitting on old men. :lol: (Probably only a few, but I never discriminate against the minority)

Seriously, there are a couple folks on here
that ask me to keep them coming. Afterall, it is about cattle.

 

[True Grit Farms]

I find it very interesting myself, wish I could be so dedicated, and such a meticulous record keeper. Good job Ron, please keep reports coming. I'll keep pointing out what I see and think, not that it matters any.
Just for the sake of saying, Cowboy Cut had a 85 lb BW, Uno Mas had a 70 lb BW. Which one do you think would be the best to use on a first calf heifer?

 

[Bright Raven]

I find it very interesting myself, wish I could be so dedicated, and such a meticulous record keeper. Good job Ron, please keep reports coming. I'll keep pointing out what I see and think, not that it matters any.
Just for the sake of saying, Cowboy Cut had a 85 lb BW, Uno Mas had a 70 lb BW. Which one do you think would be the best to use on a first calf heifer?

Thank you. I know Fence is poking me in humor. So don't take that serious. I think that 94 pounds is due to the cow. Uno Mas will guarantee you a smaller calf. I bet if I check my records - my average Uno Mas has been in the 70s. That is low for my herd. And he does make some good calves but between me and Fire Sweep, most are going to have low weaning and yearling weights. I would use either one.

 

[True Grit Farms]

The pictures of your herd show you pay attention to the top line of a cow, the bottom line is more important IMO.

 

[Bright Raven]

The pictures of your herd show you pay attention to the top line of a cow, the bottom line is more important IMO.

The profit potential has been captured. It will be converted to cash when I sell the farm and disperse the herd. My farm was undeveloped and neglected when I bought it. I purchased a 2005 Cat D3G LGP dozer, gave the farm a face lift, and sold it for $500 less than I paid after putting 1600 hours on it. Best capital purchase I have made in the entire enterprise. I have invested in fences, buildings and facilities. I had the farm appraised last year. It has tripled in value. I have grown the herd. There is value on the hoof that can be converted to cash at dispersal assuming there is not a catastrophic loss of some kind.

Annual profits are impossible because of the amount of investment I can depreciate on an annual basis. But in the end, the IRS is going to get a nice capital income tax windfall.

 

[True Grit Farms]

The pictures of your herd show you pay attention to the top line of a cow, the bottom line is more important IMO.

The profit potential has been captured. It will be converted to cash when I sell the farm and disperse the herd. My farm was undeveloped and neglected when I bought it. I purchased a 2005 Cat D3G LGP dozer, gave the farm a face lift, and sold it for $500 less than I paid after putting 1600 hours on it. Best capital purchase I have made in the entire enterprise. I have invested in fences, buildings and facilities. I had the farm appraised last year. It has tripled in value. I have grown the herd. There is value on the hoof that can be converted to cash at dispersal assuming there is not a catastrophic loss of some kind.

Annual profits are impossible because of the amount of investment I can depreciate on an annual basis. But in the end, the IRS is going to get a nice capital income tax windfall.

We're talking about two totally different things, I'm talking cows your talking investments. The top line of all your cattle look great. You've post a couple of pictures of udders "bottom line" that didn't look good to me through the years.

 

[Bright Raven]

The pictures of your herd show you pay attention to the top line of a cow, the bottom line is more important IMO.

The profit potential has been captured. It will be converted to cash when I sell the farm and disperse the herd. My farm was undeveloped and neglected when I bought it. I purchased a 2005 Cat D3G LGP dozer, gave the farm a face lift, and sold it for $500 less than I paid after putting 1600 hours on it. Best capital purchase I have made in the entire enterprise. I have invested in fences, buildings and facilities. I had the farm appraised last year. It has tripled in value. I have grown the herd. There is value on the hoof that can be converted to cash at dispersal assuming there is not a catastrophic loss of some kind.

Annual profits are impossible because of the amount of investment I can depreciate on an annual basis. But in the end, the IRS is going to get a nice capital income tax windfall.

We're talking about two totally different things, I'm talking cows your talking investments. The top line of all your cattle look great. You've post a couple of pictures of udders "bottom line" that didn't look good to me through the years.

Ok. I gotcha. I do have a couple with ugly udders. Everyone does. I got one that I am selling after she calves this fall. I got a couple more that every calf, the udder gets a little worse.

 

[wbvs58]

Ron I am thinking this one must be at the top of your limit for lifting and peering over it to read those bathroom scales. I know my weight limit is going down each year so I now run them in on the big scales unless they are small.

Ken

 

[Bright Raven]

Ron I am thinking this one must be at the top of your limit for lifting and peering over it to read those bathroom scales. I know my weight limit is going down each year so I now run them in on the big scales unless they are small.

Ken

You got that right. I was thinking how I will do this in another year. I have a sling and a sling scale but that is a PITA compared to using the bathroom scales. 100 pounds is getting awful heavy for my size and age.

 

[kentuckyguy]

The pictures of your herd show you pay attention to the top line of a cow, the bottom line is more important IMO.

The profit potential has been captured. It will be converted to cash when I sell the farm and disperse the herd. My farm was undeveloped and neglected when I bought it. I purchased a 2005 Cat D3G LGP dozer, gave the farm a face lift, and sold it for $500 less than I paid after putting 1600 hours on it. Best capital purchase I have made in the entire enterprise. I have invested in fences, buildings and facilities. I had the farm appraised last year. It has tripled in value. I have grown the herd. There is value on the hoof that can be converted to cash at dispersal assuming there is not a catastrophic loss of some kind.

Annual profits are impossible because of the amount of investment I can depreciate on an annual basis. But in the end, the IRS is going to get a nice capital income tax windfall.

We're talking about two totally different things, I'm talking cows your talking investments. The top line of all your cattle look great. You've post a couple of pictures of udders "bottom line" that didn't look good to me through the years.

I’m curious what you find wrong with this cows bottom line?

I would say the udder on that cow looks better than 90% of the cows in my area.

I realize there is room for improvement in pretty much any of them but I see no real problem here.

 

[bird dog]

So what is that on those blocks, Your scales?

 

[True Grit Farms]

The profit potential has been captured. It will be converted to cash when I sell the farm and disperse the herd. My farm was undeveloped and neglected when I bought it. I purchased a 2005 Cat D3G LGP dozer, gave the farm a face lift, and sold it for $500 less than I paid after putting 1600 hours on it. Best capital purchase I have made in the entire enterprise. I have invested in fences, buildings and facilities. I had the farm appraised last year. It has tripled in value. I have grown the herd. There is value on the hoof that can be converted to cash at dispersal assuming there is not a catastrophic loss of some kind.

Annual profits are impossible because of the amount of investment I can depreciate on an annual basis. But in the end, the IRS is going to get a nice capital income tax windfall.

We're talking about two totally different things, I'm talking cows your talking investments. The top line of all your cattle look great. You've post a couple of pictures of udders "bottom line" that didn't look good to me through the years.

I’m curious what you find wrong with this cows bottom line?

I would say the udder on that cow looks better than 90% of the cows in my area.

I realize there is room for improvement in pretty much any of them but I see no real problem here.

There's nothing at all wrong with that cows udder, but through the years Ron's had a few udder issues. IMO
A milk cow udder isn't needed or desired on a beef cow. Big udder equals a harder doing cow, it takes a lot of protein and energy to create milk.

 

[Bright Raven]

We're talking about two totally different things, I'm talking cows your talking investments. The top line of all your cattle look great. You've post a couple of pictures of udders "bottom line" that didn't look good to me through the years.

I’m curious what you find wrong with this cows bottom line?

I would say the udder on that cow looks better than 90% of the cows in my area.

I realize there is room for improvement in pretty much any of them but I see no real problem here.

There's nothing at all wrong with that cows udder, but through the years Ron's had a few udder issues. IMO
A milk cow udder isn't needed or desired on a beef cow. Big udder equals a harder doing cow, it takes a lot of protein and energy to create milk.

I have too much milk in my herd. Lots of Simmental breeders that I exchange information with Express the same issue. Some Angus breeders have the opposite problem - not enough milk and their calves don't have good weaning weights without feeding.

The cow in this picture is fine. I do have some that produce too much milk. The problem is compounded by having very good forage and a climate with reliable precipitation.

 

[NonTypicalCPA]

Keep the calf threads coming! I enjoy seeing your cattle.

 

[Bright Raven]

So what is that on those blocks, Your scales?

Bathroom scales. I built a platform that supports the scales on uneven and soft ground.

 

[Nesikep]

We're talking about two totally different things, I'm talking cows your talking investments. The top line of all your cattle look great. You've post a couple of pictures of udders "bottom line" that didn't look good to me through the years.

I’m curious what you find wrong with this cows bottom line?

I would say the udder on that cow looks better than 90% of the cows in my area.

I realize there is room for improvement in pretty much any of them but I see no real problem here.

There's nothing at all wrong with that cows udder, but through the years Ron's had a few udder issues. IMO
A milk cow udder isn't needed or desired on a beef cow. Big udder equals a harder doing cow, it takes a lot of protein and energy to create milk.

If I looked at the udders of the cows in my area I'd never have a reason to improve them

Udder size has little to do with milking ability.. I had a couple cows that as 4 year olds going through the winter you couldn't even see their teats, but they raised some of the best calves.. I big udder can STORE more milk though.. What I consider about perfect for a beef cow is the udder at the same level as the navel with cylindrical teats the size of my thumb.