Calves 2013

[lithuanian farmer]

One farmer said that using crossbred bull in crossbred herd is worthless, because calves will look more like dairy than like beef. We used crossbred bulls for two years and are happy about calves and they don't look like dairy for sure.
So here's all this year calves we'd by crossbred bull.
Heifers:
6 months old.

Almost 5 months old( 3 days left).

Almost 5 months old( 4 days left).

5 months old.

5,5 months old.

5,5 months old.

4,5 months old.

1 month old( out of young heifer).

1,5 months old.

Bulls:
Almost month old( 9 days left).

3 months old.

Almost 5 months old( 4 days left). An orphan calf.

5 months old.

4,5 months old.

1,5 months old.

2,5 months old.

Almost 2 months old( 9 days left).

4 months old.

5,5 months old. The fast growing bull this year. Weigh ~772lbs.

One pic with me and my heifer.

 

[AllForage]

When pounds are the only thing that matters then I am sure it works, but when consistency, meat quality, feed efficiency, and replicable replacements become important it may start to fall apart.

 

[lithuanian farmer]

When pounds are the only thing that matters then I am sure it works, but when consistency, meat quality, feed efficiency, and replicable replacements become important it may start to fall apart.

We think to leave all these heifers for breeding. In our market the most important things are weight, muscularity and carcass yield. Meat quality isn't important.
We count 10 hay bales for one adult cow for winter, so don't know if our cows eat alot or not. :roll:

 

[ALACOWMAN]

When pounds are the only thing that matters then I am sure it works, but when consistency, meat quality, feed efficiency, and replicable replacements become important it may start to fall apart.

We think to leave all these heifers for breeding. In our market the most important things are weight, muscularity and carcass yield. Meat quality isn't important. We count 10 hay bales for one adult cow for winter, so don't know if our cows eat alot or not. :roll:

:shock:

 

[inyati13]

Sam, as I told you on FB, mine are gentle but you cannot get on them. But in regard to that statement,"One farmer said that using crossbred bull in crossbred herd is worthless, because calves will look more like dairy than like beef." Tell that farmer he should run for President of the United States. Even as stupid as he is, he may still be over-qualified for the job. :lol:

 

[inyati13]

When pounds are the only thing that matters then I am sure it works, but when consistency, meat quality, feed efficiency, and replicable replacements become important it may start to fall apart.

AllForage, I think I know what she means. 95% of the calves sold in Mason County, Ky go to a sale barn, are purchased and hauled to a feeder lot. The only thing the buyer can evaluate is the color of the hair, frame, size, form, and maybe the reputation of the producer. He is not sitting in the stands with knowledge of the quality of the meat. When my calves go to the sale barn, no one knows how they were fed or what kind of system they came out of. The guy who hauls mine tells them only that they are weaned and vaccinated calves. I don't know if that matters! Quality of meat is not an empirical judgement. There is no way to judge it unless the buyer has devine powers. Right, what am I misssing?

 

[lithuanian farmer]

When pounds are the only thing that matters then I am sure it works, but when consistency, meat quality, feed efficiency, and replicable replacements become important it may start to fall apart.

We think to leave all these heifers for breeding. In our market the most important things are weight, muscularity and carcass yield. Meat quality isn't important. We count 10 hay bales for one adult cow for winter, so don't know if our cows eat alot or not. :roll:

:shock:

Yes, that's true. As I've mentioned we've grades for muscularity and fatness. It's good when cattle are muscular and are not too fat, but not too lean. Meat factory will pay you for what you've sold and it's your problem how to get the golden middle, but usually buyers are cheating with weight or grades, sometimes with both. But no more requirements like marbling or so.
Here you can sell either for live weight either for carcass.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

We think to leave all these heifers for breeding. In our market the most important things are weight, muscularity and carcass yield. Meat quality isn't important. We count 10 hay bales for one adult cow for winter, so don't know if our cows eat alot or not. :roll:[/quote] :shock:[/quote]
Yes, that's true. As I've mentioned we've grades for muscularity and fatness. It's good when cattle are muscular and are not too fat, but not too lean. Meat factory will pay you for what you've sold and it's your problem how to get the golden middle, but usually buyers are cheating with weight or grades, sometimes with both. But no more requirements like marbling or so.
Here you can sell either for live weight either for carcass.[/quote].... not familiar with you'r dishes over there or how you prepare your meat...

 

[AllForage]

In my opinion it comes from intimate knowledge of your cattle. Either by self consumption, selling into a private label, or direct marketing where the end product makes or breaks you.

There was a time when cattle were mostly close bred and "line" could be counted on for certain qualities.

Your experiment would be a lot more fun taking some to the plate. Like I said might change some doctrines.

 

[Gators Rule]

that orphan calf looks like he's been stealing from some other udders! He sure grew off well...

 

[Taurus]

"One farmer said that using crossbred bull in crossbred herd is worthless, because calves will look more like dairy than like beef."

That if the crossbred cattle has dairy or hatchet azz (Longhorn, Wagyu, Corriente) in them...all just depends on what breeds inside these crossbreds.

 

[lithuanian farmer]

that orphan calf looks like he's been stealing from some other udders! He sure grew off well...

At first one cow let him to nurse, but wasn't very happy( dam of 2nd heifer). Now I see that all calves goes around all cows, even the smallest sometimes tries to nurse big heifers, but they don't have any milk yet.

 

[glacierridge]

Looks like a nice calf crop.

Would you mind tracking them and taking pics again in a few months?

 

[lithuanian farmer]

"One farmer said that using crossbred bull in crossbred herd is worthless, because calves will look more like dairy than like beef."

That if the crossbred cattle has dairy or hatchet azz (Longhorn, Wagyu, Corriente) in them...all just depends on what breeds inside these crossbreds.

And how much bull has beef blood. We've used two bulls, both had 7/8 beef blood. Both 1/2 Angus, but the first 3/8 Limousine, the second 3/8 Charolais.
I guess it's important how bull, bull's dam and sire look too and what they give for calves.
I think it's very important to choose the right bull for right cows. When we've used bull with Limo blood, the best calves gave cows which have BB blood, Limousine cross cows and one Angus cross cow. We've used bull with Charolais bull last year, so in my oppinion the best calves gave cows with BB blood, Limousine cross cows and Charolais cross cows.

 

[lithuanian farmer]

Looks like a nice calf crop.

Would you mind tracking them and taking pics again in a few months?

Of course. It's interesting for me too how they'll look later. Maybe will take pics when we wean calves.

 

[lithuanian farmer]

When pounds are the only thing that matters then I am sure it works, but when consistency, meat quality, feed efficiency, and replicable replacements become important it may start to fall apart.

AllForage, I think I know what she means. 95% of the calves sold in Mason County, Ky go to a sale barn, are purchased and hauled to a feeder lot. The only thing the buyer can evaluate is the color of the hair, frame, size, form, and maybe the reputation of the producer. He is not sitting in the stands with knowledge of the quality of the meat. When my calves go to the sale barn, no one knows how they were fed or what kind of system they came out of. The guy who hauls mine tells them only that they are weaned and vaccinated calves. I don't know if that matters! Quality of meat is not an empirical judgement. There is no way to judge it unless the buyer has devine powers. Right, what am I misssing?

Right. We sell straight to the meat factory where cattle are slaughtered and after a couple weeks we get a bill where are written bulls weight, carcass weight, grades, price for kilogram of meat of every bull, what amount we get for each bull and total amount. After month all money are in our account in the bank.

 

[lithuanian farmer]

Sam, as I told you on FB, mine are gentle but you cannot get on them. But in regard to that statement,"One farmer said that using crossbred bull in crossbred herd is worthless, because calves will look more like dairy than like beef." Tell that farmer he should run for President of the United States. Even as stupid as he is, he may still be over-qualified for the job. :lol:

:lol: I have tried to sit on cows too, but they don't let to sit the way I can sit on calves. Just partly. But I'm going to try again and again. :nod:
I think not just he him so. Here pedigree cattle are valuable very much, while crossbred not. Maybe it's because that beef cattle here are just for 17 years. I don't know, but that's sad.

 

[inyati13]

Sam, as I told you on FB, mine are gentle but you cannot get on them. But in regard to that statement,"One farmer said that using crossbred bull in crossbred herd is worthless, because calves will look more like dairy than like beef." Tell that farmer he should run for President of the United States. Even as stupid as he is, he may still be over-qualified for the job. :lol:

:lol: I have tried to sit on cows too, but they don't let to sit the way I can sit on calves. Just partly. But I'm going to try again and again. :nod:
I think not just he him so. Here pedigree cattle are valuable very much, while crossbred not. Maybe it's because that beef cattle here are just for 17 years. I don't know, but that's sad.

Sam, I could get on my Bull. He never gets excited unless there is a cow in heat. Then, I clear out of his way. I can kneel in front of him on one knee. He sets the tip of his jaw up on the top of the knee I am not kneeling on. Then lets me scratch him on the jaw line. I think I could get on him but I am afraid I would make one of the clips in The Funniest Home Videos. Here he is a year ago at two years old. He is bigger now in fact I noticed yesterday, he has put on condition in the last month. Maybe the vegetation is getting more potent.

 

[glacierridge]

When pounds are the only thing that matters then I am sure it works, but when consistency, meat quality, feed efficiency, and replicable replacements become important it may start to fall apart.

AllForage, I think I know what she means. 95% of the calves sold in Mason County, Ky go to a sale barn, are purchased and hauled to a feeder lot. The only thing the buyer can evaluate is the color of the hair, frame, size, form, and maybe the reputation of the producer. He is not sitting in the stands with knowledge of the quality of the meat. When my calves go to the sale barn, no one knows how they were fed or what kind of system they came out of. The guy who hauls mine tells them only that they are weaned and vaccinated calves. I don't know if that matters! Quality of meat is not an empirical judgement. There is no way to judge it unless the buyer has devine powers. Right, what am I misssing?

Right.
Or a judge.
As the Carcass contest following the local fair shows EVERY YEAR... The live animal "champions" are almost never the carcass champions. My nephews who had their two red calves raised at the farm, were told their calves needed more time on feed in the ring, yet they both placed above the grand champion live steer in the carcass rankings.

 

[Chuckie]

How is the meat of a Belgian Blue compare to a Piedmontese? With the double muscling, I would think it would be the same. The Piedmontese beef cuts with a fork and has little fat.
I ate a Piedmontese crossed with 1/2 Jersey and I don't remember what the other half was now, but it was some fine eating.
Your cattle don't look like dairy animals.
The third picture up from the bottom is a fine calf.