Buying Pairs vs. Buying Bred Cows

[VanC]

I really want to work it out so that I can get some smokey calves.

Angus bred to your Char bull will usually give you smokies. Lots of people swear by that cross.

 

[George Monk]

I started in '96 with bred heifers at a bred heifer sale. I am more than pleased as we are now aggressively building our herd and many of those original '96 cows are still producing. On the other hand my son bought a registered cow calf pair 2yrs ago for $1750 showed the bull calf at the county fair and then sold that bull for $2000. take your pick. I think my son beat me though

 

[Cobbkid]

If u are in the business to make money. I would buy bred cows ages 4-5 and then wait till they have calfs and then bred them back and then sell them bred and with a calf. It works for us..

CobbKid

 

[csutton]

here's a site that has some pairs and bred cows http://www.cattlerange.com/



csutton

 

[Frankie]

I don't think it has been pointed out, but if you buy at the sale barn, be sure your fences are in good shape.

Tuesday morning we had a nice Limi cross cow w/black calf in our yard. We shut her up in the corral and started calling around. Her owner, "Joe," showed up right after lunch. He had bought her heavy bred at the sale barn over a month ago. She had disappeared from his place and he just figured she was gone. He said, thanks, loaded her up and drove off.

Thursday morning we headed out to visit my mother in law. As we drove over the first hill, there was the cow and her calf in the road. We called Joe and let him know.

Thursday evening Joe stopped by the house. He said he'd hauled that cow and calf into his pasture and let them out in the middle of his herd of cows. She walked right through the herd and went to the woods. Apparently, she found the first hole in the fence and kept going.

He just wanted to say thanks again and let us know if we saw that cow on the road, not to call him. He had taken her to the sale barn. I know his fences aren't the best, but new cows will probably test your fences and, it seems to me, that once one finds she can get out, it's hard to keep them in.

 

[Caustic Burno]

True statement on fences but I will take it a little further from someone who buys at the barn. First put the cattle in a corral that will hold them for five or six days before releasing them, let them calm down and figure out its home.

 

[jersey lilly]

One step further than caustic takes, put em in a lot for a few days, and then throw in a couple of your own herd after about a week, (after you've vaccinated the new cow) let em stay in there a few more days, then that new cow is more apt to stay with the other two or three when turned out on pasture.

 

[dcara]

Another risk of buying bred's at the sale barn is you probably don't know what they've been bred to. Even more risk if they're hefers. A neighbor bought 3 bred sale barn cows a few years back. All 3 died in labor. Vet said they were aparently hefers that had been bred to a beefmaster and calves were just to big.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Another risk of buying bred's at the sale barn is you probably don't know what they've been bred to. Even more risk if they're hefers. A neighbor bought 3 bred sale barn cows a few years back. All 3 died in labor. Vet said they were aparently hefers that had been bred to a beefmaster and calves were just to big.

Well someone learned Cattle 101 salebarn aint for rookies that think they know what they are doing.
Good buys to be had at the barn and lots of money to be made by a Cattleman you can lose your butt there also. Its like playing the stock market on Wall Street don't invest what you can't stand to loose.

 

[D.R. Cattle]

Another risk of buying bred's at the sale barn is you probably don't know what they've been bred to. Even more risk if they're hefers. A neighbor bought 3 bred sale barn cows a few years back. All 3 died in labor. Vet said they were aparently hefers that had been bred to a beefmaster and calves were just to big.

We've had plenty of heifers bred to Beefmaster bulls. Never seen the least of problems.

 

[WORANCH]

Another risk of buying bred's at the sale barn is you probably don't know what they've been bred to. Even more risk if they're hefers. A neighbor bought 3 bred sale barn cows a few years back. All 3 died in labor. Vet said they were aparently hefers that had been bred to a beefmaster and calves were just to big.

We've had plenty of heifers bred to Beefmaster bulls. Never seen the least of problems.

I've used Beefmaster bulls on heifers for the last 15 years ,no problems.

 

[Central Fl Cracker]

True statement on fences but I will take it a little further from someone who buys at the barn. First put the cattle in a corral that will hold them for five or six days before releasing them, let them calm down and figure out its home.

If I brought in 10 bred cows with a calf on the side what size corral would you suggest?