Cow raising twins

[James T]

James T,

What kind of commercial cow/calf operation are you referring to as a potential failure? All of them?

Yes, all of them.

The goal of any cow/calf operation, from gene selection to finished product at the slaughterhouse is to produce fat ( marbling ) which produces USDA Prime beef ( aka restaurant quality beef ) which pays a premium price.
Or as close to prime as they can to maximize their return.
A cow/calf operation not only breed for quantity they also breed for quality.

For a commercial cow/calf operation to inject genes into a herd which produces lean beef would be equal to cutting their own throat and I don't see that happening.

Nor do I see a sufficient demand for lean beef to create a new and separate pipeline to those few consumers who want lean beef as they can already buy lean beef in most any grocery store.

Then there are all the negative health issues associated with an animal that does not have a reserve of energy (fat) to be dealt with.

MW

I guess only seedstock Angus herds are going to survive...

:lol: Yea, forget that there are other breeds that actually get a premium due to their niche market and are growing. But, if you think about it, without the ignorance, without the investigation and recognition of the facts....their would be no such niche markets that a small producer could prosper in! So, those producers actually owe a debt of gratitude towards medicinewoman and those that believe the same.

 

[ANAZAZI]

Nor do I see a sufficient demand for lean beef to create a new and separate pipeline to those few consumers who want lean beef as they can already buy lean beef in most any grocery store.

Then there are all the negative health issues associated with an animal that does not have a reserve of energy (fat) to be dealt with.

MW

First, there are "separate pipelines" already in place, and why produce beef, when you can buy it in the store? :dunce:

Second, Piedmontese, blonde, limousine, and the likes CAN store fat, and will, but they put on little fat while growing.

Third, :bday:

 

[piedmontese]

there are several buyers that will pay a premium for piedmontese and pied x cattle.lauras lean is one and theres also a buyer in montana.also one in illinois.as long as u hav a potload they pickup for free.i have several pied cows and used to have alot more but i culled several for lack of milk.i have crossed them quite a bit with salers and its a good cross,also with shorthorn and angus.we have butchered several pied cattle and hav enjoyed the beef from them.i dont know if i like it better than traditional or not.all of them were grass only.currently hav a pied x steer on corn getting ready for slaughter.

 

[Victoria]

Just in answer to the original post which may be old now - not sure forgot to check date. Anyhow, we've always expected our cows that have twins to breed back and rarely give them any extra food - unless it is a patch job and she takes a twin for us that wasn't born to her. We have one cow that is now 7 and has had twins 4 times (never with a problem). Never had to feed her extra and she breeds back for first heat every time. As far as keeping a twin as a bull - if he is a great bull do it. We've used a twin as a bull - a fantastic bull and sold a twin as a bull. Not sure if your breed does it - for the Red Angus up here it states right on the papers that it is a twin.

 

[medicinewoman]

Older cows, cows carrying twins or cows with Brahman (Bos indicus) ancestry are more prone to having vaginal prolapses.
http://www.uaex.edu/Other_Areas/publica ... A-3102.pdf

 

[James T]

Just in answer to the original post which may be old now - not sure forgot to check date. Anyhow, we've always expected our cows that have twins to breed back and rarely give them any extra food - unless it is a patch job and she takes a twin for us that wasn't born to her. We have one cow that is now 7 and has had twins 4 times (never with a problem). Never had to feed her extra and she breeds back for first heat every time. As far as keeping a twin as a bull - if he is a great bull do it. We've used a twin as a bull - a fantastic bull and sold a twin as a bull. Not sure if your breed does it - for the Red Angus up here it states right on the papers that it is a twin.

As it should be, Victoria! Let the consumer decide. The seller should not make the decision for them by not disclosing, no matter how good the bull looks. Odds are, the bull is just fine but you never know what perceptions the buyer has so, deal with it. Show the EPD's, the BSE, any track record he may have. This reveals part of the sellers integrity and the buyer will have more confindence in the purchase.

 

[James T]

Older cows, cows carrying twins or cows with Brahman (Bos indicus) ancestry are more prone to having vaginal prolapses.
http://www.uaex.edu/Other_Areas/publica ... A-3102.pdf

Except for the Bos indicus part (according to the associate professor) which is absurd, what's your point?

 

[Taurus]

Who is this medicinewoman???

 

[regolith]

Who is this medicinewoman???

Sir Loin decided to go public with his sex change ambition. I don't quite know how to break it to him that he doesn't 'pass'.