buying breds

[trappersteve]

Was going to try to find some good commercial cows that were already bred and have a few questions. Can you find good cows at the salebarn? Im a little cautious of salebarn breds because im Leary of why they were there in the first place (I don't really want someone else's junk) . Or would I be better off buying heifers about breeding age and getting them tamed down a little before breeding them. (I've heard it's easier to tame down a heifer than a mature cow) .

Here the prices are almost the same between a 6 weight heifer as a bred cow.

The upside I see to buying cows is you will get your money back quicker if she has a healthy calf.

The upside to buying heifers is you can breed to the bull of your choice and you know exactly how old she is and hopefully retain her for many years . The downside is it will take almost 2 years before she will produce any income.

Your thoughts?

 

[Stocker Steve]

Depends on what good cows mean to you.
Cows from a complete herd dispersal have the lowest production risk.
Small sales barn heifers have the highest production risk. Not a good place to start.

 

[Deepsouth]

My cousin told me he had the best cow at the sale the other day. I asked why he sold her. He said he was tried of chasing her and watching her go over or through fences. He said he could just ride out into the pasture and she would run to the farthest fence from him. She probably looked good in that sale pen though and someone probably thought they getting a good deal.

 

[Angus Cowman]

There is more Bred cows bought thru the sale barn each and every week than there ever is bought private treaty
if all that sold at salebarns were junk then sale barns wouldn't have buyers or sellers so therefore they wouldn't be in business

just know what your doing and what to look for when buying cows if you don't know then find someone that does

 

[trappersteve]

Thanks guys. The reason im asking is I plan on buying some in another month or so and a buddy bought 2 heavy breds last year the first was a little cow about 900 pounds kinda skinny but he said she turned out to raise the best calf on the place, the second a beauty of a baldie weighed about 1300 had the poorest calf. He said you could milk her for 6 months and said you might have filled a mountain dew bottle up.

Definitely a gamble either way!

 

[piedmontese]

Most times if they come in the ring and act all worked up you don't want them. Yea I know sometimes they're just worked up due to there circumstances but I stay away for
Them. A lot of good cattle can be bought at the sale barn. Take someone with you that knows a little bit.

 

[WalnutCrest]

Most times if they come in the ring and act all worked up you don't want them. Yea I know sometimes they're just worked up due to there circumstances but I stay away for
Them. A lot of good cattle can be bought at the sale barn. Take someone with you that knows a little bit.

Or go on a day that's not a sale day, talk to the guy running the place, explain what you're looking for and have him (or someone on his team) call you when it looks like what you're looking for is under his roof.

A friend of mine has used this approach with much success over the years --- he's a smaller-time guy looking for off-breeds of a particular type, so when he's in the market, he'll no longer needs to explain what he's looking for as the guy knows now ... anyhow ... I think you get the point.

 

[Hook]

It's a gamble any way you look at it unless you know the back ground. We've bought a few that were fence pushers on smaller land but just fine on a bigger piece, a few that got real thin with a good calf, and a few that didn't raise a good calf. And a few that died. The percentage of bad cows is lower than I initially thought it would be. I figured on culling 50% but it's more like 15%. As some cows will just make you real glad you bought them.

 

[fitz]

Was going to try to find some good commercial cows that were already bred and have a few questions. Can you find good cows at the salebarn? Im a little cautious of salebarn breds because im Leary of why they were there in the first place (I don't really want someone else's junk) . Or would I be better off buying heifers about breeding age and getting them tamed down a little before breeding them. (I've heard it's easier to tame down a heifer than a mature cow) .

Here the prices are almost the same between a 6 weight heifer as a bred cow.

The upside I see to buying cows is you will get your money back quicker if she has a healthy calf.

The upside to buying heifers is you can breed to the bull of your choice and you know exactly how old she is and hopefully retain her for many years . The downside is it will take almost 2 years before she will produce any income.

Your thoughts?

Lots of times around here sale barn will advertise in the paper of a larger group of bred cows with calves or bred heifers coming from the same farm. Some good reputable farms. I'd look for that.

fitz

 

[Black and Good]

Just remember that selling culls is what sale barns are there for. I would look for special cow sells. And even at that, I will try and buy the cows from the farmers I know something about. Also, always be leary of a single or just a couple of cows brought in from a farm. B&G

 

[wacocowboy]

its a gamble buying cows out of sale barn you buy at your own risk trust your gut if it says no don't bid