&%$#@@$%$%$$ Heifers

[3waycross]

I am down to my last cow to calve and I don't have a live bull calf on the ground yet. The only one I had was dumped into a pile of heavy branches by his mother and he suffocated. I cut my cowherd back severely this year to kind of reload but I never expected this. Nothing but heifers. All of them so far AI calves that would have made some great bulls to sell next year. The way this looks I am essentially out of the bull business for a full year.

 

[M-5]

but heifer market is strong.

 

[3waycross]

but heifer market is strong.

I don't sell heifers. Bulls here at the venue I usually use avgd $5000 this past Friday.............heifers aren't that strong.

 

[M-5]

vic, It was a glass half full statement. I know you needed bulls but at least they are alive

 

[3waycross]

vic, It was a glass half full statement. I know you needed bulls but at least they are alive

yesseriee bob they are alive.

 

[dun]

We discovered the bull we sold last year is a heifer bull. 1 calves so far and 1 bull, out of a crossbred cow.

 

[3waycross]

We discovered the bull we sold last year is a heifer bull. 1 calves so far and 1 bull, out of a crossbred cow.

Thanks I feel so much better now :frowns:

 

[Nesikep]

Last year I was 70% bulls..
This year we'll see if it swings the other way

 

[Lazy M]

All the same sire or a mix?

 

[3waycross]

All the same sire or a mix?

a mix but several out of the same bull all heifers from him

 

[Lazy M]

Wish I was closer, I'd make an offer on the heifers next spring. I'm sure they'll be fancy.

 

[Katpau]

We have just started calving this year, and had 7 heifers in a row. We have had 12 heifers out of the first 16 born this year. I was happy when the first 7 AI calves included 4 heifers, because I usually get about 75% bulls using synchronized AI and I do the AI to obtain replacement heifers. Then we stated calving the commercial cows that I want steers out of, and had nothing but heifers, until the last one. Hopefully it will even out by the time we are done. How many heifers did you have 3Way?

 

[greybeard]

Well, you're doing your part 3way--you're doing your patriotic duty (well, you and your cattle are) I keep readin we gotta build the national cow herd back up sometime and can't do it with all bulls.

(but when the cow herd gets "built back up" and prices drop------we're all gonna blame you)

 

[Toad]

I've averaged 70% heifers as well so far, its enough to drive me crazy. But I keep telling myself at least I can replace some of these old cows and the butcher cow market is strong so I will be ok.

 

[jedstivers]

Wish I was closer, I'd make an offer on the heifers next spring. I'm sure they'll be fancy.

You can be there in a day.
Cattle trucks come east empty every day.

 

[3waycross]

vic, It was a glass half full statement. I know you needed bulls but at least they are alive

What a difference a day makes............NOW....they are no longer all alive. One of my best Balancer cows a 5yr old laid on her heifer calf last night and killed it.

Man O Man am I ever on a roll.

 

[machslammer]

Sounds like us 3way. Had 13 so far. 1 had to pull, dead. One rolled her calf upside down in the ice and ears and nose frostbit. Died after 2 days. And found a char x heifer 1400#er dead today with calf dead laying behind her. Not a very good time right now in tn!

 

[Nesikep]

HOpe the bad luck leaves you folks alone.. sounds like you've been having a lot of it, just DON'T SEND IT HERE!

I have two heifers that are big as balloons, and hoping they aren't writing a check their arse can't cash!

 

[3waycross]

My favorite heifer is due anytime. I call her the pig since she is as wide as she is tall. I am praying that I get a 75lb LIVE bull calf out of my little pig.

 

[Nesikep]

I'm hoping for a heifer from my two pigs... mostly because they're usually a little easier to pass than the bulls... If both of them perform as well as their mothers, I'd actually consider keeping heifers from them.. we rarely keep heifers from first timers.
Then there's Caddy... I've kept 2 bulls and 2 heifers from her, and steer her first 2 bull calves.. I'm OK with whatever she has, I know it'll be pretty nice. The other cows for the most part I'm OK with all bulls from,.. I have a lot of them that have routinely failed miserably when they had heifers, but did well with the steers.