Great looking calf KY. You got something there, with your homegrown bulls and the Herf/Ang/Simm blend you are developing. Two hard and fast rules I believe in, and offer as advice to people 1) Don't raise replacements, heifers or bulls. sell the calves and buy a cow. Or bull. and 2) There should only be grade geldings and steers. Breed to the best registered stallion or bull you can afford. Well, here you come with your program that just shoots my ideas in the head! :)
You have put a lot of thought, and effort in developing your program, and it shows.
Thank you Warren. Up until a few years ago, I had the same philosophy about using my not registered bulls. My first real venture into cattle was with registered cattle, so I heard all the sales pitches and so forth and bought into the idea.
I’ve always believed in keeping back some heifers for replacements though. None of its fool proof there’s going to be problems and culls with any direction you take. I’ve always had the mindset of retaining heifers from the best cows or from heifers out of those. I just feel like I know a little bit more about them, than I would something purchased and that’s the same for registered or commercial.
It’s kind of like how do you know what you are producing if you don’t see how they perform. I reckon though that is the goal if you are breeding for strictly terminal cattle, which is completely legitimate, but I just enjoy the hope of seeing progress on a new generation.
A few years ago I was in a deal where I bought heifers and sold them as bred heifers. Ran registered Angus bulls and was having to put out more money than I needed to be to keep that going, so I bought some registered Angus females to raise my own bulls. That worked out just as good as buying them. I ended up growing the cowherd and eventually getting out of the bred heifers sales.
I had a registered Angus bull and a purebred Hereford bull that I was going to build our cow foundation on.
Ended selling the Hereford to concentrate on the Angus bull, but he got hurt. That where the BWF bull came in, he was sired by that Angus and his mother by the Hereford. I had my eye on him since he was a calf as a possibility for a spare bull. He worked his way up to being the main bull.
As time goes on I’m able to see weaknesses and areas that need improving.
