lope2win
Member
So do any of you keep your heifer calves?
Hereford bull calf
- Thread starter lope2win
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Gators Rule
Well-known member
this is off topic, but I really like the camera used to take this pictures!!! :clap:
lope2win
Member
Hey thanks it is Cannon Rebel. I have more artsy photos too ;)
lope2win
Member
Caustic Burno
Well-known member
lope2win":36oxj50f said:
A lot of people do.
What are you going to do for a bull for these heifers? Are you going to have a linebreeding or inbreeding program. Your barn blind at this stage they are sooo pretty. You got to remember they are all hamburger maybe not today but the day will come.
I didn't say it was wrong to keep heifers, just it is not free. Secondly are they genetical improving your herd or the best genetics I can expand with.
Remember this if you were running a seedstock operation of registered cattle and you had 100 calfs born. Eighty to eighty five of those calfs are salebarn material, you should only retain the top 15 to 20% for sale or ownership.
Kingfisher I haven't seen a dove in over a week. I haven't seen the teal here yet either.
oakcreekfarms
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I raise replacements, always have.
I feel it would take a lot more money to buy the type of replacements that I have than it costs to raise them. By raising replacements you have the ability to sort through your own genetics, pull what is working best for you in your environment, and move your herd along faster. By not raising your own genetics you will never truly know what your genetics are doing.
If all you are doing is raising terminal cross calves, then by all means send them to town and buy some heifers or young cows.
It costs me around $1050 to raise a heifer from birth to weaning her first calf. This year it will be more than that, but that is a close average. I think it would always be hard to find good quality replacement commercial two year olds at $1000, let alone registered seed stock. Below are how I come up with some of the bigger parts of that number
If you are raising seedstock, and have 85% salebarn quality you better find a new occupation. If you can't breed them, cull your cows better, or choose better sires then you are in the wrong business. I know that I am going to probably catch hell for that comment, but I find it very true.
I feel it would take a lot more money to buy the type of replacements that I have than it costs to raise them. By raising replacements you have the ability to sort through your own genetics, pull what is working best for you in your environment, and move your herd along faster. By not raising your own genetics you will never truly know what your genetics are doing.
If all you are doing is raising terminal cross calves, then by all means send them to town and buy some heifers or young cows.
It costs me around $1050 to raise a heifer from birth to weaning her first calf. This year it will be more than that, but that is a close average. I think it would always be hard to find good quality replacement commercial two year olds at $1000, let alone registered seed stock. Below are how I come up with some of the bigger parts of that number
If you are raising seedstock, and have 85% salebarn quality you better find a new occupation. If you can't breed them, cull your cows better, or choose better sires then you are in the wrong business. I know that I am going to probably catch hell for that comment, but I find it very true.
ALACOWMAN
Well-known member
like to see a better pic of that bull
TennesseeTuxedo
Well-known member
Re: Hereford bull calf
Postby oakcreekfarms » Fri Sep 16, 2011 9:31 am
I raise replacements, always have.
"I feel it would take a lot more money to buy the type of replacements that I have than it costs to raise them. By raising replacements you have the ability to sort through your own genetics, pull what is working best for you in your environment, and move your herd along faster. By not raising your own genetics you will never truly know what your genetics are doing."
Now that makes perfect sense to me.
Postby oakcreekfarms » Fri Sep 16, 2011 9:31 am
I raise replacements, always have.
"I feel it would take a lot more money to buy the type of replacements that I have than it costs to raise them. By raising replacements you have the ability to sort through your own genetics, pull what is working best for you in your environment, and move your herd along faster. By not raising your own genetics you will never truly know what your genetics are doing."
Now that makes perfect sense to me.
lope2win
Member
Thank you thank you! That is exactly what I was thinking. Plus right or wrong we have the cattle because we like them and I have loyalty to my Grandfathers herd. Truthfully I think it is a dang nice herd. Last year our vet bought all of our calves including the bulls as breeding stock to cross on his Angus, he has been doing this for 50+ years and I take that as a huge compliment. All of our cows and bull have incredible dispositions, great mothers and do well here. Plus we have made money on them.
I really do want to talk about conformation but this forum is like every other one ;).
That bull calf is short from hook to pins, even though he has a great strong topline.
Do you feel there is way more $ to be made on a Registered herd?
I really do want to talk about conformation but this forum is like every other one ;).
That bull calf is short from hook to pins, even though he has a great strong topline.
Do you feel there is way more $ to be made on a Registered herd?
Caustic Burno
Well-known member
lope2win":wothnu8h said:
There are better Hereford genetics trust me.. The idea is to improve not be pasture blind.
I would like to know that bull's lines and see another picture cause from the one I seen there are much better genetics.
But if I read you right, those are just commercial cows.
If you really what to improve those Herefords get to know Knersie.
oakcreekfarms
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A person can change a lot about their herd in a few years by changing out older cows with newer genetics. You should always start out with the best that your pocket book allows. If that means starting with the herd you have then use that. From there go buy the best bull that you can afford. If that bull isn't good enough to move you forward then plan on doing a lot of AI. I chose to go buy bulls that would move me forward, and spent a pretty penny doing it. However, with my grass rotation, and pasture situations AI'ing is very hard for me to do while keeping a close calving date within my herd. You have to start with the best that you can, then cull hard whenever you can. I am still in the beginning stages of growing my herd. It seems like we build them up, then cut through them so hard that we go back a couple years in numbers. However, I believe the quality is consistently getting better. I am trying to get a functional cowherd that looks phenotypically the way that I would like for them too. Once I have gotten closer to that I will start to use and/or cut the outliers within that group. Kevin Schultz once told me that there is always something that needs tweeked, and in a life time you will never create the "perfect" herd. He has been a great blessing to have as a mentor, along with guys like Dustin Heeter, and Jeff Smith.
If you want to get into the registered game, find someone that is proven to be trustworthy, kind, and giving of their time and info. Go help them wean calves, scan calves, and ask as many questions as you can.
If you want to get into the registered game, find someone that is proven to be trustworthy, kind, and giving of their time and info. Go help them wean calves, scan calves, and ask as many questions as you can.
djinwa
Well-known member
Caustic Burno":970xebt6 said:
Isn't that the problem with buying heifers? Most people keep their best and sell the rest - so you get to buy the culls, unless it's a dispersal sale or something. Seems if you want to improve, you start with someone's scrubs and breed up to where you want to be.
As for the inbreeding issue, isn't it easier to buy a new bull than a new set of females?
djinwa
Well-known member
somehow double posted
Kingfisher
Well-known member
Did you Photo shop that pic...............why the contrast? Just saying.......bigbull338":3r1vm8nq said:
lope2win
Member
Photoshop what?
Caustic Burno
Well-known member
djinwa":2mmfxrds said:
It's called a salebarn. If you are running a registered operation you should only sell or retain the cream.
That's the problem today everyone thinks if it has papers its a good cow when most of them should have went to hamburger. I forget how many bull calves I had born early last year 9 or 10 three went into seedstock production.
I really wasn't to high on one of the young men and wouldn't sell with papers man still wanted him. If he hadn't been going into a commercial herd I wouldn't have sold him for anything but hamburger. He was well built was to short coupled for my taste.
Red Bull Breeder
Well-known member
Well now CB you done went a sold a commerical man a cull. Why would you cut the throat of the folks that feed you if you raise seed stock.If the bull is not good enough to make seedstock he sure as hell ain't good enough for my commerical customers.
Caustic Burno
Well-known member
Red Bull Breeder":wpgvzwr4 said:
Went across the fence to my neighbor for salebarn price, he didn't get cheated he knew he was salebarn bound but really liked the calf and wanted him. He paid 1.05 a pound for him. If I thought he was seedstock quality the price would have started at 1200 at six months old and went up.
