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Are the 1150-1200 pound cows reality or myth ?
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<blockquote data-quote="WarEagle73" data-source="post: 957526" data-attributes="member: 19171"><p>While it is taught that the size of the parents determines the slaughter weight of calves, I have found in my travels that this is not <u>exactly</u> true. The post weaning management seems to have nearly as much impact as parentage. </p><p></p><p>Calves from bigger cows(1350lbs+) can be sent straight to the feedlot after weaning and finish in a range that will produce a carcass the industry wants. You are correct that calves from smaller cows can not follow this same pattern, but if you stocker these smaller framed calves you will allow them to grow to their full structural potential (using cheap gains as well), then send them to the feedlot and finish them out at close to the same finish weight as those bigger calves.</p><p></p><p>So I think that the idea that small cows are bad for the industry as a whole is a null point. Anything that increases efficiency is great for everyone, and while these smaller calves will take longer to finish, the cheap gains in the stocker phase and less gain needed in the feedlot phase could result in overall more cost effective production.</p><p></p><p>Now, that being said, this is just what I have gathered in my time in school and traveling around the country looking at different operations. Dun, I am positive you have more practical experience than I, so if you have seen this to be otherwise I really can't argue. I just offer a counter point. I think the beauty of our industry is there are many ways to skin a cat so to speak, unlike to poultry and pork industries of today.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="WarEagle73, post: 957526, member: 19171"] While it is taught that the size of the parents determines the slaughter weight of calves, I have found in my travels that this is not [u]exactly[/u] true. The post weaning management seems to have nearly as much impact as parentage. Calves from bigger cows(1350lbs+) can be sent straight to the feedlot after weaning and finish in a range that will produce a carcass the industry wants. You are correct that calves from smaller cows can not follow this same pattern, but if you stocker these smaller framed calves you will allow them to grow to their full structural potential (using cheap gains as well), then send them to the feedlot and finish them out at close to the same finish weight as those bigger calves. So I think that the idea that small cows are bad for the industry as a whole is a null point. Anything that increases efficiency is great for everyone, and while these smaller calves will take longer to finish, the cheap gains in the stocker phase and less gain needed in the feedlot phase could result in overall more cost effective production. Now, that being said, this is just what I have gathered in my time in school and traveling around the country looking at different operations. Dun, I am positive you have more practical experience than I, so if you have seen this to be otherwise I really can't argue. I just offer a counter point. I think the beauty of our industry is there are many ways to skin a cat so to speak, unlike to poultry and pork industries of today. [/QUOTE]
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