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<blockquote data-quote="Engler" data-source="post: 1177679" data-attributes="member: 4110"><p>What is the plan for the steers and the heifers that end up in the not good enough pen? Are you going to feed them, sell as calves, yearlings? Where are you going to sell them? With that what sells well at that barn? Do you have your heart set on making your own replacements in house?</p><p></p><p>I like what all 3 of your selected breeds and I think they all bring something to the table. Like several people have said the right bull of the "wrong" breed is going to do you way more good than the wrong bull of the "right" breed. Assuming all thing equal if I was handed your herd, with your goals I think I would go with a homo black, homo polled Gel bull, bring them down a little, keep them solid color, add some milk and hopefully fix the bags. I think that a Sim would be just a little bigger, but not an all bad option for a terminal sire. Additionally in this senerio all the calves (both replacements and terminals) should be solid black and there should be less sort at the barn=bigger groups=more per lb=bigger check. I love Herfs for what they are and what they can do, but when you bring in the chrome and the recessive red gene are you opening yourself up for more sort at the barn?</p><p></p><p>Another option if you don't have your heart set on making your own replacements is to buy in either straight bred Brangus or F1 females them come over the top with a terminal sire. With 70 head you're going to be replacing 10ish females every year. How many pounds are you leaving on the table (steer calves) by using a maternal or balanced trait bull? Could those 30 cows be making you more money by being bred to the high grow Sim, Char or Limi bull? Furthermore do you have the time, space and management to develop those heifers to their genetic potential. While my family's operation is smaller than what you have to work with we have gone to using a char bull over all the black cows and selling all the calves at weaning then buying back bred heifers/young cows. This works for us as we have a good outfit, close to home that breeds several hundred heifers a year that we can dip into for our replacements.</p><p></p><p>Is AI an option? If so you could Sync a group of cows, breed them to your maternal bull then kick out your terminal sire for clean up. </p><p></p><p>Before any of this will pay you need to figure out who's working for you, and it sounds like you know that. There are a bunch of people on here that have catchy tag lines about being grass managers and the like, and they're right. Do you have total control over the herd or is dad, grandpa, uncle Jim or sister Jane going to be sitting there knocking every decision you make with the "well, we've done this for the last 30 years and it's worked. Why do you need to go changing it?" Sounds like you have a good idea of where you're at and where you want to go, now you just need to get there. And don't get frusterated, it's a marathon not a sprint.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Engler, post: 1177679, member: 4110"] What is the plan for the steers and the heifers that end up in the not good enough pen? Are you going to feed them, sell as calves, yearlings? Where are you going to sell them? With that what sells well at that barn? Do you have your heart set on making your own replacements in house? I like what all 3 of your selected breeds and I think they all bring something to the table. Like several people have said the right bull of the "wrong" breed is going to do you way more good than the wrong bull of the "right" breed. Assuming all thing equal if I was handed your herd, with your goals I think I would go with a homo black, homo polled Gel bull, bring them down a little, keep them solid color, add some milk and hopefully fix the bags. I think that a Sim would be just a little bigger, but not an all bad option for a terminal sire. Additionally in this senerio all the calves (both replacements and terminals) should be solid black and there should be less sort at the barn=bigger groups=more per lb=bigger check. I love Herfs for what they are and what they can do, but when you bring in the chrome and the recessive red gene are you opening yourself up for more sort at the barn? Another option if you don't have your heart set on making your own replacements is to buy in either straight bred Brangus or F1 females them come over the top with a terminal sire. With 70 head you're going to be replacing 10ish females every year. How many pounds are you leaving on the table (steer calves) by using a maternal or balanced trait bull? Could those 30 cows be making you more money by being bred to the high grow Sim, Char or Limi bull? Furthermore do you have the time, space and management to develop those heifers to their genetic potential. While my family's operation is smaller than what you have to work with we have gone to using a char bull over all the black cows and selling all the calves at weaning then buying back bred heifers/young cows. This works for us as we have a good outfit, close to home that breeds several hundred heifers a year that we can dip into for our replacements. Is AI an option? If so you could Sync a group of cows, breed them to your maternal bull then kick out your terminal sire for clean up. Before any of this will pay you need to figure out who's working for you, and it sounds like you know that. There are a bunch of people on here that have catchy tag lines about being grass managers and the like, and they're right. Do you have total control over the herd or is dad, grandpa, uncle Jim or sister Jane going to be sitting there knocking every decision you make with the "well, we've done this for the last 30 years and it's worked. Why do you need to go changing it?" Sounds like you have a good idea of where you're at and where you want to go, now you just need to get there. And don't get frusterated, it's a marathon not a sprint. [/QUOTE]
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