A
Anonymous
About three years ago I bought 16 Hereford heifers. They were about a year old. My plan was to build a herd of about 30 herefords cows with leased bulls and then breed them to an angus bull; and then build a herd of 30 black baldies to breed with another brand of bull. I would have two different herds and could breed my own replacement black baldie heifers; and breed my replacement hereford heifers, as needed, with leased bulls. I had always heard black baldies grow fast and sale good and a black baldie crossed with another breed grow even faster. Good plan, huh?
Well, to make a long story short. Two heifers got bred early by a neighbor's bull and died. The hereford bulls I leased the past two years (with low birth weight EDPs) were queer or lazy and produced calves that weighed from 65 to 120 pounds. (three more heifers died giving birth to the large calves) I got three heifers that haven't bred, the oldest virgins in the county. Anyway, I now have 11 cows ( three are actually heifers), three one year old heifers (two half blind from pink eye), a one year old bull (I need to sale) and six new calves born the past few weeks. (three calves died this year). Of course, this is a short version of my luck. I could on and on. Good plan, huh?
Well, there is a question here. When you sell calves at the market, does it really make a difference what breed or cross breed they are? Is it worth the money, time and trouble to build a good quality herd? Are you going to be better off at the market?
I've just about decided to buy full mouth cows with calves, regardless of the breed, a good young bull and just have a herd of mixed cows. Good plan, huh?
Well, to make a long story short. Two heifers got bred early by a neighbor's bull and died. The hereford bulls I leased the past two years (with low birth weight EDPs) were queer or lazy and produced calves that weighed from 65 to 120 pounds. (three more heifers died giving birth to the large calves) I got three heifers that haven't bred, the oldest virgins in the county. Anyway, I now have 11 cows ( three are actually heifers), three one year old heifers (two half blind from pink eye), a one year old bull (I need to sale) and six new calves born the past few weeks. (three calves died this year). Of course, this is a short version of my luck. I could on and on. Good plan, huh?
Well, there is a question here. When you sell calves at the market, does it really make a difference what breed or cross breed they are? Is it worth the money, time and trouble to build a good quality herd? Are you going to be better off at the market?
I've just about decided to buy full mouth cows with calves, regardless of the breed, a good young bull and just have a herd of mixed cows. Good plan, huh?