Menu
Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
New posts
New media
New media comments
New profile posts
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Members
Current visitors
New profile posts
Search profile posts
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles and first posts only
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Forums
Cattle Boards
Cattle Sales
Heifer price
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Help Support CattleToday:
Message
<blockquote data-quote="u4411clb" data-source="post: 1326603" data-attributes="member: 17248"><p>Yes the Gert mommas and the Hereford bulls that my cows come off of are registered stock. Have I ever seen the papers from the Gert mommas no I haven't and have no desire too. I am sure there is some way to combine the epd numbers from the AHA and SGBI associations but I have never gave it any thought. I do use the eye test and I do not like to choose the top 10% as far as biggest or the fastest growing when choosing replacements to purchase as I have found those heifers don't seem to stick around as long. I have found if you pick structurally sound heifers that are the right size for their age and you can look at their parents I can make about as good a decision for my operation as looking at epd's. </p><p></p><p>And from that I use trial and error to weed out the ones that stick around and the ones that grow wheels. You have to remember epds are just an expectation a fancy word for guess. You can go through epds with a fine tooth comb and still have to cull a certain number of replacements. Pick the ones that breed back and calf without issue and raise a calf every year and get rid of the rest and you will be ok on the commercial side imo.</p><p></p><p>To be honest and I know most will disagree with me. I look at feet and confirmation along with disposition and some guess as how they perform on fescue pastures as my main criteria in picking heifers. If they have that and are the right size for their age that is what I have found works for me.</p><p></p><p>Now as far as my Angus bulls I do go over the epd's because I have found that is what buyers want to here from me. I can spit out there YW epd's and $B and $F. And I have found that buyers at least in my area want to know the info on the bulls used and that the calves are at least verifiable 50% angus and no more than a 1/4 Brahman and they are happy. They would prefer some continental but I haven't found a way to make that work for me. </p><p></p><p>I also do have a small herd of registered Gert mommas and a Reg hereford bull. I did not even keep the papers on the Gert mommas I guess they are in a desk somewhere. And on the Hereford bull I did look at his epds but he was in no way the top as far as growth epd's in his group. And I had first choice of a group of about 40 yearlings that over half were AI sired and the bull I chose was from a cleanup bull that the owner a Hereford breeder in my area for many many years had kept whose numbers didn't stack up with the Ai bulls growth wise. But this bull performed in my environment and thrived on fescue pastures more than the others and his mom was a Dam of distinction and I could not be more happy with the replacements he has given me. </p><p></p><p>EPD's are a tool and I do look at them when picking my Angus bulls to give the buyers what they want but when it comes to my female replacements I just don't have any use for them. I am not trying to create bulls for people to buy or curb benders. I am trying to create steers and heifers that go to the feedlot and perform. I will let the purebred guys do the scientific scanning and numbers and embryo transfers etc part (I don't get paid for that) and will stick to my old cowboy sense for my part.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="u4411clb, post: 1326603, member: 17248"] Yes the Gert mommas and the Hereford bulls that my cows come off of are registered stock. Have I ever seen the papers from the Gert mommas no I haven't and have no desire too. I am sure there is some way to combine the epd numbers from the AHA and SGBI associations but I have never gave it any thought. I do use the eye test and I do not like to choose the top 10% as far as biggest or the fastest growing when choosing replacements to purchase as I have found those heifers don't seem to stick around as long. I have found if you pick structurally sound heifers that are the right size for their age and you can look at their parents I can make about as good a decision for my operation as looking at epd's. And from that I use trial and error to weed out the ones that stick around and the ones that grow wheels. You have to remember epds are just an expectation a fancy word for guess. You can go through epds with a fine tooth comb and still have to cull a certain number of replacements. Pick the ones that breed back and calf without issue and raise a calf every year and get rid of the rest and you will be ok on the commercial side imo. To be honest and I know most will disagree with me. I look at feet and confirmation along with disposition and some guess as how they perform on fescue pastures as my main criteria in picking heifers. If they have that and are the right size for their age that is what I have found works for me. Now as far as my Angus bulls I do go over the epd's because I have found that is what buyers want to here from me. I can spit out there YW epd's and $B and $F. And I have found that buyers at least in my area want to know the info on the bulls used and that the calves are at least verifiable 50% angus and no more than a 1/4 Brahman and they are happy. They would prefer some continental but I haven't found a way to make that work for me. I also do have a small herd of registered Gert mommas and a Reg hereford bull. I did not even keep the papers on the Gert mommas I guess they are in a desk somewhere. And on the Hereford bull I did look at his epds but he was in no way the top as far as growth epd's in his group. And I had first choice of a group of about 40 yearlings that over half were AI sired and the bull I chose was from a cleanup bull that the owner a Hereford breeder in my area for many many years had kept whose numbers didn't stack up with the Ai bulls growth wise. But this bull performed in my environment and thrived on fescue pastures more than the others and his mom was a Dam of distinction and I could not be more happy with the replacements he has given me. EPD's are a tool and I do look at them when picking my Angus bulls to give the buyers what they want but when it comes to my female replacements I just don't have any use for them. I am not trying to create bulls for people to buy or curb benders. I am trying to create steers and heifers that go to the feedlot and perform. I will let the purebred guys do the scientific scanning and numbers and embryo transfers etc part (I don't get paid for that) and will stick to my old cowboy sense for my part. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Forums
Cattle Boards
Cattle Sales
Heifer price
Top