Buying short bred cattle... starting out.

[Stocker Steve]

More than half of the sales barn cows have a problem, but that does not mean they won't work in your system.
Kind of like an equipment consignment auction. You need to buy them right, and cut your losses on occasion.

 

[NoRest Farm]

Maybe I missed the reason to start with Herefords but I would be hard pressed to advise anyone to start that way.
There are a lot of people who buy sale cattle and resale on Craigslist. I've went and looked at some and called the guy out before. Advertising they were cutting back while I could see the glue from a tag on one old cow.
I don't understand the dislike of salebarn cattle. I buy a lot and it's just a matter of judging what you want in cattle. I always figure if they have a solid mouth, uniform bag and no hoof problems I'm probably okay. I have definydone better buying older cows compared to four or five year olds. But if you can buy a full mouth cow and have theee or four calves and get the same money back out of her that's a win in my book.

 

[MillennialRancher]

Maybe I missed the reason to start with Herefords but I would be hard pressed to advise anyone to start that way.
There are a lot of people who buy sale cattle and resale on Craigslist. I've went and looked at some and called the guy out before. Advertising they were cutting back while I could see the glue from a tag on one old cow.
I don't understand the dislike of salebarn cattle. I buy a lot and it's just a matter of judging what you want in cattle. I always figure if they have a solid mouth, uniform bag and no hoof problems I'm probably okay. I have definydone better buying older cows compared to four or five year olds. But if you can buy a full mouth cow and have theee or four calves and get the same money back out of her that's a win in my book.

Any reason I shouldn't start with Hereford?

I know Hereford, that's all we've ever had along with baldies. Theyre docile and make good milkin' mommas.
I can cross them with any mainstream breed and produce a calf that the markets want to buy. From my viewpoint they make a great foundation breed to build a herd that can go in any direction.

With that said I'm 100% open to other breeds. Just haven't been convinced otherwise.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Maybe I missed the reason to start with Herefords but I would be hard pressed to advise anyone to start that way.
There are a lot of people who buy sale cattle and resale on Craigslist. I've went and looked at some and called the guy out before. Advertising they were cutting back while I could see the glue from a tag on one old cow.
I don't understand the dislike of salebarn cattle. I buy a lot and it's just a matter of judging what you want in cattle. I always figure if they have a solid mouth, uniform bag and no hoof problems I'm probably okay. I have definydone better buying older cows compared to four or five year olds. But if you can buy a full mouth cow and have theee or four calves and get the same money back out of her that's a win in my book.

Any reason I shouldn't start with Hereford?

I know Hereford, that's all we've ever had along with baldies. Theyre docile and make good milkin' mommas.
I can cross them with any mainstream breed and produce a calf that the markets want to buy. From my viewpoint they make a great foundation breed to build a herd that can go in any direction.

With that said I'm 100% open to other breeds. Just haven't been convinced otherwise.

I think that's a great choice IMO .
I prefer a red cow I can change the bull and produce a uniform calf crop the buyer wants.
Black bull black baldies Brangus Red or Black makes Super baldies.
Char and you get yellow baldies.
With a black cow your stuck secondly I can buy the red cow cheaper and still produce a black calf.
Your selling pounds and hybrid vigor is the free gift from God.

Look up herd improving the herd genetics by Dr. David Riley.
That might not be the exact title should be close.

 

[skyhightree1]

Maybe I missed the reason to start with Herefords but I would be hard pressed to advise anyone to start that way.
There are a lot of people who buy sale cattle and resale on Craigslist. I've went and looked at some and called the guy out before. Advertising they were cutting back while I could see the glue from a tag on one old cow.
I don't understand the dislike of salebarn cattle. I buy a lot and it's just a matter of judging what you want in cattle. I always figure if they have a solid mouth, uniform bag and no hoof problems I'm probably okay. I have definydone better buying older cows compared to four or five year olds. But if you can buy a full mouth cow and have theee or four calves and get the same money back out of her that's a win in my book.

Any reason I shouldn't start with Hereford?

I know Hereford, that's all we've ever had along with baldies. Theyre docile and make good milkin' mommas.
I can cross them with any mainstream breed and produce a calf that the markets want to buy. From my viewpoint they make a great foundation breed to build a herd that can go in any direction.

With that said I'm 100% open to other breeds. Just haven't been convinced otherwise.

I think that's a great choice IMO .
I prefer a red cow I can change the bull and produce a uniform calf crop the buyer wants.
Black bull black baldies Brangus Red or Black makes Super baldies.
Char and you get yellow baldies.
With a black cow your stuck secondly I can buy the red cow cheaper and still produce a black calf.
Your selling pounds and hybrid vigor is the free gift from God.

Look up herd improving the herd genetics by Dr. David Riley.
That might not be the exact title should be close.

My personal experience is hereford's eat a lot less and maintain bcs great off less. Angus are eating machines like holsteins.

 

[MillennialRancher]

Thanks Sky and CB, good info I'll have to take a look at that book.

Another reason is because I'm on an island surrounded by a sea of black hides. Not that it makes a hill of beans difference, but I don't want to be another jack leg raising black just because black.

 

[skyhightree1]

Thanks Sky and CB, good info I'll have to take a look at that book.

Another reason is because I'm on an island surrounded by a sea of black hides. Not that it makes a hill of beans difference, but I don't want to be another jack leg raising black just because black.

My baldies did just as good as my pure Angus. And sim Angus. Norestfarm is a personal friend of mine I love him to death but still not sure why he keeps hoarding cattle. Lol

 

[NoRest Farm]

Now is the time to buy! Sky you will be wishing you had listened to me when I'm getting rich after this market comes back in a few years!
I've watched a buddy who has had Herefords and it just seems even with a good black bull about 5% of his calves get docked because they look too much like a Hereford. And then he also has more trouble than I with cancer eye, pink eye and prolapse. Maybe it's just his cattle but he has bought cows from multiple sources.
I've culled all but three Hereford cows out of my herd but I still have a lot of black baldies. My favorite cow is a charolais angus cross. Grow a big calf and don't get docked as much as a Hereford. But that's just from personal experience.

 

[skyhightree1]

Now is the time to buy! Sky you will be wishing you had listened to me when I'm getting rich after this market comes back in a few years!

I hope you do get rich .. I also hope you have a great back up plan just in case. Goats sheep and pigs are making me good money weekly. I have just enough cows to add aggravation to my life. imo when cattle prices do go up you still won't be ahead of the game. I personally see these prices staying this way for a good 5-7 years more. I hope I'm wrong. Imo the way to get ahead is diversify the animals you raise reach out to different markets. Waiting 15 months to make $200.00 just isn't my cup of tea.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Now is the time to buy! Sky you will be wishing you had listened to me when I'm getting rich after this market comes back in a few years!
I've watched a buddy who has had Herefords and it just seems even with a good black bull about 5% of his calves get docked because they look too much like a Hereford. And then he also has more trouble than I with cancer eye, pink eye and prolapse. Maybe it's just his cattle but he has bought cows from multiple sources.
I've culled all but three Hereford cows out of my herd but I still have a lot of black baldies. My favorite cow is a charolais angus cross. Grow a big calf and don't get docked as much as a Hereford. But that's just from personal experience.

This above post is :bs:
I ran a herd of registered Hereford's for decades. Quality is quality and crap is crap.
I watched truckloads of black cattle out of Missouri and Arkansas in 2012 go through ring down here. The majority had pinkeye which is a management problem that being pi$$ poor management.

 

[farmerjan]

We have as much pinkeye problems in the black as we do in the herefords if you figure it on a percentage. We don't have alot of herefords, and most have been sale barn or herd dispersal cattle. We can buy them for 100 to 400 less than a black cow. Since we have all black bulls except one, we just make sure they don't go with the red bull and 85% or more will have a bwf calf. Once i awhile we will see a red calf. Have one bull that didn't throw any red calves the first 2 years, then got 3 one year. So it is in the genetics.... a couple of recessives get together on occasion. See it with the ones a couple of generations out that have dairy in them too. Sometimes that fawn color of the jersey will catch a red recessive and throw a reddish black.
We cull cows for pinkeye resistance. Had a couple of families that seemed to always have calves that were prone to it. Have gotten rid of most all of them . Try to keep mineral with a higher dose of Vit A and D....

 

[NoRest Farm]

Now is the time to buy! Sky you will be wishing you had listened to me when I'm getting rich after this market comes back in a few years!
I've watched a buddy who has had Herefords and it just seems even with a good black bull about 5% of his calves get docked because they look too much like a Hereford. And then he also has more trouble than I with cancer eye, pink eye and prolapse. Maybe it's just his cattle but he has bought cows from multiple sources.
I've culled all but three Hereford cows out of my herd but I still have a lot of black baldies. My favorite cow is a charolais angus cross. Grow a big calf and don't get docked as much as a Hereford. But that's just from personal experience.

This above post is :bs:
I ran a herd of registered Hereford's for decades. Quality is quality and crap is crap.
I watched truckloads of black cattle out of Missouri and Arkansas in 2012 go through ring down here. The majority had pinkeye which is a management problem that being pi$$ poor management.

There are types of cattle in your area that would be fine but would be docked heavily in our area. I'm sure there is a place for everything but around here strong Hereford traits don't do well at a sale. It's just the market.