Experimental Shorthorns

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I bought shorthorns like that for the one and done when back on the coast. Better grass and flat ground. Over here I be thinking twice, maybe. But I never buy them that far out from calving. I want a calf relatively soon. One of the advantages to the program is less time feeding the cow when compared to year round ownership of a cow.
I bought 41 cows between February 3 and March 24. I now have 35 calves on the ground. Maybe 36 I haven't been out there yet this morning. Late this week or early next week the calves will get branded and the cows will go to grass. Grazing cost a lot less than hay.
Dave, if u don't mind me asking as i know u have posted prices a time or 2, but what do u have average (dollar wise) in your heavy bred one and done cows?
I know cows are higher this year.
And i certainly agree on grazing rather than haying. Cuts too much profit out when ya gotta buy hay!




I went to check up on em today.
That big red one almost looks like a big ol arse horse out there with the other cows!
🤣

They come right up. Gentle as can be. They were still off by themselves. Haven't melded with the herd yet, u can certainly tell they've been together forever tho. They stay close together.
Gave em a bite or two.
20220424_102740.jpg
 
Dave, if u don't mind me asking as i know u have posted prices a time or 2, but what do u have average (dollar wise) in your heavy bred one and done cows?
I know cows are higher this year.
I am a little over $850 a head on 41 cows. I was at $838 but the kill market exploded and the price on the last 4 pushed my average up. They all weigh over 1,100 pounds and have a big frame. Summer of good grass they should average around 1,250.
 
Whitey is looking good. Did you see that our no-gainer ended up having liver flukes at slaughter? Might be worth a shot at treating…
 
Whitey is looking good. Did you see that our no-gainer ended up having liver flukes at slaughter? Might be worth a shot at treating…
I did not see that.
Thanks for the information! What do you use to treat that?

Red is definitely showing her age. I thought about hitting her with wormer again. I'm afraid to do too much as I don't want to cause an abortion. > antibiotics and what not. She's got a touch of pinkeye in her right eye as well and I'm sure that's not helping!

For now I'm just gonna monitor closely.
 
I did not see that.
Thanks for the information! What do you use to treat that?

Red is definitely showing her age. I thought about hitting her with wormer again. I'm afraid to do too much as I don't want to cause an abortion. > antibiotics and what not. She's got a touch of pinkeye in her right eye as well and I'm sure that's not helping!

For now I'm just gonna monitor closely.
Ours was treated at the processor-but Valbazen looks to be the anti parasite of choice. 27 day withdrawal and can't give in first 45 days of preg are the restrictions I saw. I'll be watching our others and only treat the ones looking puny. No marshy areas around here, for sure!
 
Whitey is coming along pretty good!
Still no calf. But appears to be springing maybe a little. Meh, idk.Red ain't doing as well. Rough coat. Not gaining like I would like her to. This one may not be a winner. Hopefully she gets with the program and gains a little.
View attachment 18436
Whitey is due July 15
Red is due September 15
 
Whitey is due July 15
Red is due September 15
I hope so!!

New kid vet at that sale. And it depends on who stuck their arm in there.
One guy called my buddies cow 2 months. The other guy re checked her and said 5 plus! (He had several checked. Pretty much had a good idea about breeding dates, that's why we rechecked the one)
 
Kid vet's arm is off a ways.
Whitey still ain't spit one out. But she's plenty wide right now. Bag ain't big and tight either.
No pics today.

Bad news tho. We lost Red.
That's gonna put us in the hole guys. Most likely.

Don't hate the player.
Hate the game.

It happens.
 
Read the report. Sorry about Red, (S_ _ t happens.
What I really want to know is. Do you sit in the same seat at the auction?
I guess it comes with the turf.
 
Read the report. Sorry about Red, (S_ _ t happens.
What I really want to know is. Do you sit in the same seat at the auction?
I guess it comes with the turf.
Yeah. I took a chance on her.
I almost sold her when I hauled the other one, Brandy, that was having trouble standing. But I was holding out that this one would come along. Cull prices are down a ways from when I bought this one. Old cows and this heat we have been having ain't good.

Upon reflection, it may have been better to take the hit, than the loss...

How u know where I sit? Perhaps I should sit somewhere else next time. 😆
 
Yeah. I took a chance on her.
I almost sold her when I hauled the other one, Brandy, that was having trouble standing. But I was holding out that this one would come along. Cull prices are down a ways from when I bought this one. Old cows and this heat we have been having ain't good.

Upon reflection, it may have been better to take the hit, than the loss...

How u know where I sit? Perhaps I should sit somewhere else next time. 😆
Some thing to consider... You may see if there is a vet right along your route that you can run by as soon as you get cattle like that. They can palp, check their mouth then you can probably worm, fly, tag, etc all in one shot if all is good.

I know it may cost a tad more but if it saves a train wreck it will be worth it. There is no shame in sending them right back for the sale next week.
 
Some thing to consider... You may see if there is a vet right along your route that you can run by as soon as you get cattle like that. They can palp, check their mouth then you can probably worm, fly, tag, etc all in one shot if all is good.

I know it may cost a tad more but if it saves a train wreck it will be worth it. There is no shame in sending them right back for the sale next week.
I agree. And before the vet quit running on Saturday that's what I'd do on occasion.
When I bought these 2, I almost passed on the red one because she did look in a little poorer shape. Gonna run with that next time and be a touch more selective.

Another thing I've come across about this mess. The new sale barn Vet ain't what the gal before was. She was a much better cattleman.
They were mouthed and what not by the new vet. I have much less faith in this one. And will bid accordingly after watching them run animals thru for the past several weeks now.


Edit to add...
Your info is useful @Brute 23 thank you!
That is why I created this thread originally, was for new folks to learn. Good or bad!!
Not necessarily about the money.

Upon reflection. I went to the sale that day with no real intention of buying anything, but I'm always looking for deals n steals..
I saw the shorthorns back there and looked at em. Just thought, well I'm probly not interested in those. They came thru the ring bred and I changed my mind on a whim. BAD IDEA!
I usually watch any prospective cows I may be interested in run thru the chute while the vet preg checks and checks their teeth for age. I DID NOT do that this time and it may or may not have been a mistake. Tho, I think watching them thru the chute could have the potential for me to catch something. MORE INFORMATION is always good! Remember that, guys n gals.

But stay tuned. Sometimes even a blind squirrel finds a nut.
 
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Sorry about Red. Sometimes they just are too old or too far gone to bring back. Sometimes a little extra grain will get them over the hump and sometimes it is just too expensive to do that. The white one looks real good. The only thing to look at now is if she drops a nice calf, and with the prices coming up, you might get back most of what you had in both...
Got one that raised a crap calf and is nuts... paid 600 and she will bring that now in lb price and calf will just bring a little bit. Got a 1st calf heifer that I paid 450 for... calf is mediocre but they have both done okay... will make a little bit on them. Buried a big nice but old hereford with a decent calf on her... brought them home to wean the calf and sell, then sell the cow... dropped dead. Chances you take on the older ones.
 
I would've certainly liked a better report for this lil experiment, but it is what it is!

Whitey looks pretty decent for what she is. Still no calf today.
Still ain't spent any more money on her aside from grass.

It's terrible. But if she were black, she would most likely bring pretty close to what I have in the 2!
 
Just a lil update and a cute pic or two!
No calf yet, tho she's getting pretty wide in the belly. Appears to be springing a bit, but sometimes I think I make these things up.
20220820_103241.jpg
Her and my lil heifer I'm keeping are besties!
20220820_103425.jpg
I turned 180 (the baldie heifer off Brandy) and Val (Bessies heifer) out over there today on grass for a while. They will be replacing some older cows.
 
Just a lil update and a cute pic or two!
No calf yet, tho she's getting pretty wide in the belly. Appears to be springing a bit, but sometimes I think I make these things up.
View attachment 20316
Her and my lil heifer I'm keeping are besties!
View attachment 20317
I turned 180 (the baldie heifer off Brandy) and Val (Bessies heifer) out over there today on grass for a while. They will be replacing some older cows.
I always liked short horn cattle.
I don't own any but I like the colors.
 

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