Menu
Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
New posts
New media
New media comments
New profile posts
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Members
Current visitors
New profile posts
Search profile posts
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles and first posts only
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Forums
Cattle Boards
Beginners Board
A new way to study cow profitability?
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Help Support CattleToday:
Message
<blockquote data-quote="forageconverter" data-source="post: 618535" data-attributes="member: 6466"><p>Probably, but there again, all size cows would be bred to the same bull. Assuming all the cows are the same age, and assuming the smaller cow was incapable of having the same size calf as the larger cow; then could the larger cow rival the smaller cow in terms of percentage weight weaned?</p><p></p><p>In regards to weaning weights and yearling weights, my understanding that weaning weights are a 40% heritable trait while, while yearling weights are a 60% heritable trait. So I would say the growthier bull would affect the yearling weight more so than the weaning weight. But my question is could the larger cow's ability to feed a calf be better realized if her calf had a greater growth potential due to genetics from a growthier bull than the smaller cow could handle? </p><p></p><p>I have a mostly Angus herd, with some Gelbvieh-angus cows, and a lot of Simm-angus cows,(and even I have some of those red cows with a white face, but don't tell anyone). I use predominately Angus bulls, but have a couple of Simmental bulls. The Simme bulls will typically give me a larger calf. But large calves are like large cows. They eat more and require more to stay in good condition.</p><p></p><p>So like Nova says, it comes down to feed efficiency; and like Knersie says it still comes down to matching the type of cow to your operation.</p><p></p><p>Having said that, I think larger cows, as in 1500lbs, could probably be AS feed efficient as smaller cows, if the larger cows were stocked at the proper rate and bred to the right bull. But even though it may be possible to raise the same total pounds of beef for a given amount of input no matter what the size of cow, it also still comes down to the second part of Knersie's statement pertaining to the type and size of calf the market demands.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>I don't know how to measure the efficiency of individual cows, but if the cows were divided into same-size herds, then you could take the total cost of a herd divided by the pounds of beef produced by that herd and compare to your other 'cow-size' herd(s).</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>This is also a very good point to consider.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="forageconverter, post: 618535, member: 6466"] Probably, but there again, all size cows would be bred to the same bull. Assuming all the cows are the same age, and assuming the smaller cow was incapable of having the same size calf as the larger cow; then could the larger cow rival the smaller cow in terms of percentage weight weaned? In regards to weaning weights and yearling weights, my understanding that weaning weights are a 40% heritable trait while, while yearling weights are a 60% heritable trait. So I would say the growthier bull would affect the yearling weight more so than the weaning weight. But my question is could the larger cow’s ability to feed a calf be better realized if her calf had a greater growth potential due to genetics from a growthier bull than the smaller cow could handle? I have a mostly Angus herd, with some Gelbvieh-angus cows, and a lot of Simm-angus cows,(and even I have some of those red cows with a white face, but don’t tell anyone). I use predominately Angus bulls, but have a couple of Simmental bulls. The Simme bulls will typically give me a larger calf. But large calves are like large cows. They eat more and require more to stay in good condition. So like Nova says, it comes down to feed efficiency; and like Knersie says it still comes down to matching the type of cow to your operation. Having said that, I think larger cows, as in 1500lbs, could probably be AS feed efficient as smaller cows, if the larger cows were stocked at the proper rate and bred to the right bull. But even though it may be possible to raise the same total pounds of beef for a given amount of input no matter what the size of cow, it also still comes down to the second part of Knersie’s statement pertaining to the type and size of calf the market demands. I don’t know how to measure the efficiency of individual cows, but if the cows were divided into same-size herds, then you could take the total cost of a herd divided by the pounds of beef produced by that herd and compare to your other ‘cow-size’ herd(s). This is also a very good point to consider. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Forums
Cattle Boards
Beginners Board
A new way to study cow profitability?
Top