embros

[Anonymous]

Rockin Rod --- that sounds like some real good and useful insight that Frankie and txag have just given you. I'm just a little part-timer but I spend a lot of time reading, going to sales, visiting seedstock operations, etc. Some of that time, as bizarre as it may seem, is what I do for a vacation from office work and some is more for the direct benefit of my developing herd operations. I recall reading a post by Blackpower to the effect that only about 8% of U.S. beef cattle are sired via AI. I have no reason to doubt the accuracy of that number, and you can bet that a large part of that 8% is by other seedstock operations. Look at how very long the Sitz family has been in the seedstock business developing not only great stock but a nationally recognized REPUTATION. Same for Vermillion, Conneally, etc. Or in my breeds (Brangus & Beefmaster) there is Camp Cooley/Brinks, Steiner, Lasater, etc. It takes a LONG time to get where they are. Only a relatively very few reputation ranches and bulls make it into big time semen sale business. And only a few can sell bulls and ET candidate cows at their annual production sales for the really high dollar amounts. These days a commercial cattle guy can go to a sale (or private treaty) and for $2,000 to $4,000 can get a darn good looking bull with a big-time named sire and grand sire, good ADG on test figures, good SC, good EPDs, etc. When I look at a bull I definitely have some interest in who the sire and grandsire is but most of my thought process is based on visual appraisal and the birth weight, ADG, EPD, etc. numbers for that particular bull --- and I think most commercial buyers are that way. But good luck to you, whichever way you go. Arnold Ziffle

 

[Rod]

Thanks for the input frankie and txag. You did make a good point. I myself have never seen cows and bulls actually sale for those catolog prices, and especially not around here locally. It all looks good @ those big ranches and I dont expect that I would ever get anywhere close to those kind of prices. I've bought a few eggs to just dabble in it a bit to get some good seed stock started, but agian as you said , I dont really expect to get a whole lot more out of them than I do any of my commercial cattle. God bless!