Back fat and misc. ramblings

[Anonymous]

The weather we're having, snow and cold, reminds me of why we try to avoid the bulls that reduce backfat very much. Of course, this is a personal theory so probably nobody will agree. I like the cows, even at BCS 5.5 to 6 to have about 3/8s to 1/2 inch of back fat. When they are sanding around and the snow is piling up on their backs and not melting it shos (to me anyway) that they have enough insulation that they aren't shedding heat. It seems that the less back fat cows always eat a lot more during this kind of weather. Just went out and groped a coming two year old heifer, her udder and up in her arm pits shes still toasty warm, she has about 3 inches of snow piled on her back. Love the easy keeping cows. This is just one reason why there is no one perfect breed or type of cow. In the desert and on range we also prefered some Brahman influence to take advantage of their heat tolerence buty also their natural feeding traits of covering a lot of ground. Here, while they may not be a disadvantage, I still don't think they would do as well in winter as these non-Brahman influenced cows do. Just babbling, what else is there to do, it's still snowing to hard to even go plow the drive way.

dun

 

[Anonymous]

with your opinion where you really have problems with snow, but in deep South Texas and Northeast Mexico where mostly we never have snow and in summer it's as hot & humid as Hell we are please with Brahamn influence, that is why we have crossbreeds of almost every white pigmented English or Continental Breed with 3/8 Brahman.

Imagine we rarely have temperatures of 32 degrees/day in Winter.

> The weather we're having, snow and
> cold, reminds me of why we try to
> avoid the bulls that reduce
> backfat very much. Of course, this
> is a personal theory so probably
> nobody will agree. I like the
> cows, even at BCS 5.5 to 6 to have
> about 3/8s to 1/2 inch of back
> fat. When they are sanding around
> and the snow is piling up on their
> backs and not melting it shos (to
> me anyway) that they have enough
> insulation that they aren't
> shedding heat. It seems that the
> less back fat cows always eat a
> lot more during this kind of
> weather. Just went out and groped
> a coming two year old heifer, her
> udder and up in her arm pits shes
> still toasty warm, she has about 3
> inches of snow piled on her back.
> Love the easy keeping cows. This
> is just one reason why there is no
> one perfect breed or type of cow.
> In the desert and on range we also
> prefered some Brahman influence to
> take advantage of their heat
> tolerence buty also their natural
> feeding traits of covering a lot
> of ground. Here, while they may
> not be a disadvantage, I still
> don't think they would do as well
> in winter as these non-Brahman
> influenced cows do. Just babbling,
> what else is there to do, it's
> still snowing to hard to even go
> plow the drive way.

> dun

[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

The snow missed us here in southern Oklahoma. But we had two inches of rain Sunday night and Monday, plus 25 MPH north winds and 32-35 degree temperatures. It's been pretty miserable. But today it's clear and sunny and a projected warm 44 degrees. My kind of Christmas weather. I agree with you that those cows need some backfat. And a hard working bull needs some fat reserves to get him through the breeding season. There was a good article in Drovers a while back about targeting YG 1 steers. Feeders said they were more likely to get sick and less efficient in the feedlot. Others said the cows that produced YG 1 steers were less likely to breed back on time and didn't stay in the herd as long. BTW, I can't access the cattle pages site. Is it my ISP, or is it just not working? And I'm curious as to how you're going to operate that snow shovel with one arm in a sling? Happy Holidays!!

[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

Didn't see that article in Drovers, I thought I was just the oddball in all of this. Of course they probably did a major subsidized study, I just observed. Probably cost the same amount either way. It's going to get almost all the way up to freezing today, hot ziggies. The tractor is how I', going to handle the shovel, it's a real pain with one arm, but I've been putting out hay this way so I figure I can do the snowplow deal. If not my long suffering wife will yell at me. The whole site is down, looks like it's their host that has the problem. Bask in the sun, we will.

dun

> The snow missed us here in
> southern Oklahoma. But we had two
> inches of rain Sunday night and
> Monday, plus 25 MPH north winds
> and 32-35 degree temperatures.
> It's been pretty miserable. But
> today it's clear and sunny and a
> projected warm 44 degrees. My kind
> of Christmas weather. I agree with
> you that those cows need some
> backfat. And a hard working bull
> needs some fat reserves to get him
> through the breeding season. There
> was a good article in Drovers a
> while back about targeting YG 1
> steers. Feeders said they were
> more likely to get sick and less
> efficient in the feedlot. Others
> said the cows that produced YG 1
> steers were less likely to breed
> back on time and didn't stay in
> the herd as long. BTW, I can't
> access the cattle pages site. Is
> it my ISP, or is it just not
> working? And I'm curious as to how
> you're going to operate that snow
> shovel with one arm in a sling?
> Happy Holidays!!

 

[Anonymous]

Has the snow stopped over there?

The article in Drovers is "Targeting optimal yield grade" by Suzanne B. Bopp. You can probably find it in the archives.

And here's a link to an article in the Noble Foundation newsletter. They're trying to establish the value of preconditioned calves versus non-PC and bulls. <A HREF="http://www.noble.org/ag/Forage/SpringGrazeoutYear1/index.htm" TARGET="_blank">http://www.noble.org/ag/Forage/SpringGrazeoutYear1/index.htm</A>

[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

I'm not as full of crap is some people think. Great aricle.

dun

> Has the snow stopped over there?

> The article in Drovers is
> "Targeting optimal yield
> grade" by Suzanne B. Bopp.
> You can probably find it in the
> archives.

> And here's a link to an article in
> the Noble Foundation newsletter.
> They're trying to establish the
> value of preconditioned calves
> versus non-PC and bulls.
> <A HREF="http://www.noble.org/ag/Forage/SpringGrazeoutYear1/index.htm" TARGET="_blank">http://www.noble.org/ag/Forage/SpringGrazeoutYear1/index.htm</A>

 

[Anonymous]

Dun I have been following your writing on this site for months,nearly everything you write is to the point,and correct.., at least to my thinking.. But you know what they say about opions....alf

[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

I'm fortunet tht I don't half an education to get in the way, just observations and experiences from 40 plus years with both our own cattle and a bunch of other herds I've worked with over time. The only two real prejudices I have (I think), and they're based on the same observations and experiences are that I haven't had much positive experieinces with Charolais and Limousins. I've pulled way to many charolais calves and fought way to many limousins. I know there are folks that have positives about both breeds, they have just been too few and too far inbetween for me. In years gone by, Simmenthals were all considered "heifer killers", now there are enough proven Simmenthal bulls available that you can select away from that trait and still get the positives of the breed. I haven't seen the same success in Charolais or enough of a correction of the disposition problems with Limousin. For docility Hereford, angus RED or black, Gelbvieh /Simmenthal, Brahman in that order have been year in and year out the top breeds. Yet the cow that decided she would kill me a couple of weeks ago was a Gelbvieh Red Angus F1 that just went nuts. That was an isolated incident and not the norm, either for the cross in general or for that cow. But her temporary insanity has been corrected, she made great hamburger. Because of the heat I take regular on the subject, just thought I would sum up why I don't like Charolais and Limousins.

dun

> Dun I have been following your
> writing on this site for
> months,nearly everything you write
> is to the point,and correct.., at
> least to my thinking.. But you
> know what they say about
> opions....alf

 

[Anonymous]

Hey Dun! You're right on track! Experience and real-time cattle management is a valuable lesson that no advanced education can touch. And, nothing wrong with advanced education...lol. ANYHOO...seriously agree that ANY bovine that becomes a problem or a "killer" usually always makes good ground beef! As breeders, we have a moral obligation to dispose of any animal that has a temperament problem and to not breed him or her again (or in the first place). I once had a fairly nice looking Longhorn (no outstanding pedigree to be sure) that developed an attitude and loved to crash fences...she became history. Keep up the good work Dun and think most of viewers on this site respect your experience and opinions. Bill.

[email protected]