hereford herd

[haybaler]

A TH JWR SOP 16G 57G Tundra 63N heifer I bought at the Georgia Hereford sale. She is bred to REVOLUTION

A CMF 584T Frontier 634L Reg. 6 year old cow I bought back in march

the herd bull I put on here back in Nov.
The other heifer was being hardhead so I couldn't get a pic. Have at them good or bad

 

[Caustic Burno]

I am not trying to hurt your feeling's. If you are trying to play the seedstock game you are going to loose.
You have paper's on those cow's I am sure they are not what you should be striveing for from an old man that ran them for a long time.
This is what a hereford cow is supposed to look like;


A bull need's nut's gut's and butt's as has been said .


Two year heifer with four month old bull calf


The nursing calf.


This is what you should be shooting for or better.
Drought and Health took me out of the game Knersie is a very good and wise resource on here.

 

[haybaler]

Thanks for advise and you wont hurt my feeling when I ask for opinions. These cattle are just a start they are not what I am striving for but just a start in the direction I wont to go. These cattle all have quality that I wont in my herd someday.
thanks Cody

 

[Jessica06]

The cows are a good start. The bull could use an upgrade. Gotta start somewhere, right? AI 'ing until they stick might be something to consider until a new bull is an option.

 

[cow pollinater]

I think I'd sell the bull and put the proceeds towards an AI program and as soon as you get enough quality daughters, replace the cows... Then do it again. Then you should be starting to see some good animals. You'll be leaps and bounds ahead both money wise and quality wise.

 

[haybaler]

Rice thanks for your opinion. I was going to ai to get started going in the direction I won't to go. And caustic burno your cattle looked great.
Thanks Cody

 

[haybaler]

Cow pollinater I also have a commercial herd that will use him on. I will just use him as a clean up bull on the registered cows.
Thanks Cody

 

[Post Oak]

Hay baler,are you from Georgia?

 

[haybaler]

Yes the southern part

 

[Post Oak]

Yes the southern part

Have you ever checked out Mr. James Thompson's Horned Herefords over in Sylvania? I bought a bull from him back in 2005 and he had some nice cows.

 

[haybaler]

I did not thank about him.
Thanks Cody

 

[Caustic Burno]

You have to remember going into this game you are selling your name.
You are trying to play against money and names that have been doing this a long time.
Selling one bad bull/cow will kill you starting out. Word travel's fast.
Cull Cull Cull. Seventy to eighty percent of your calf crop should be salebarn material, only retain or sell the very best.
Educate yourself on the cow not the paper's and improve upon that.
This is a long road with no shortcut's unless you have a very thick checkbook.

 

[Alan]

CB is right on, seed stock is a tough nut to crack. Your cows look decent, but the bull will put you behind, make you go backwards, with his calves, he needs to go. AI will build you a quality herd faster than most anything else if done right. I AI, and have for several years with my polled Herefords, you need a good quality clean up bull.

 

[haybaler]

Cb thanks for all the helpful advise, and I by no means have a thick checkbook. Thanks Alan I bought the bull mainly for the commercial herd.
Thanks Cody

 

[Alan]

Oops! :welcome: :welcome: :welcome: , sorry, lots to learn here so search the post for some answers you may need. Just remember this is the Internet and not all opinions are the right ones.

 

[Jessica06]

Our test is: if it's not good enough to use in OUR herd, it's not good enough to sell. I second Caustic on culling hard. VERY hard. Word travels fast, and even if it hurts a little bit to cull something, it will hurt you a lot worse later on. We are also just starting out, and we have some cows that I definitely wouldn't post on here. BUT! As long as you have a plan and a direction you want to go in, and CULL......you gotta start somewhere!

 

[Caustic Burno]

Our test is: if it's not good enough to use in OUR herd, it's not good enough to sell. I second Caustic on culling hard. VERY hard. Word travels fast, and even if it hurts a little bit to cull something, it will hurt you a lot worse later on. We are also just starting out, and we have some cows that I definitely wouldn't post on here. BUT! As long as you have a plan and a direction you want to go in, and CULL......you gotta start somewhere!

You need to understand your market and remember the commercial cattleman support's you.
They don't need you, you need them. The commercial cattleman is the guy that is going to make or break you not the registered breeder he is your competition. He is no dummy and most are highly experienced and educated.
You also have to make it when he drive's up he say's wow. If he pull's up and he has better commercial girl's standing in his pasture than you do registered he is going down the road.

 

[Jessica06]

I agree. It's pretty surprising how many seedstock breeders really have no clue about what traits are important to a commercial operation and what people look for in a bull. PHENOTYPE sells. And temperament. Most guys don't even look at papers, although they do WANT them.

For someone in the business of selling commercial bulls, your competition really isn't other breeders. It's other BREEDS. Around here it's Charolais and "my best bull calf last year!" Selling to other registered breeders is truly a game, and it takes a lot of money to play. Spending $20,000 for an open heifer is not for the faint of heart.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I agree. It's pretty surprising how many seedstock breeders really have no clue about what traits are important to a commercial operation and what people look for in a bull. PHENOTYPE sells. And temperament. Most guys don't even look at papers, although they do WANT them.

For someone in the business of selling commercial bulls, your competition really isn't other breeders. It's other BREEDS. Around here it's Charolais and "my best bull calf last year!" Selling to other registered breeders is truly a game, and it takes a lot of money to play. Spending $20,000 for an open heifer is not for the faint of heart.

Rice your competition is other breed's and your breed as well, there is only so much room at the table.
The guy's in your own association will smile at you and pat you on the back at meeting's all the same while trying to put you out of business. He make's a living selling the same thing as you and prefer's you out of the picture.
Like you said you are new at this, the best thing around other breeder's in your own association is play your card's close .
Cause your buddy in the meeting is cutting your throat at the salebarn or feed store.

 

[JWBrahman]

I agree. Rice your competition is other breed's and your breed as well, there is only so much room at the table.
The guy's in your own association will smile at you and pat you on the back at meeting's all the same while trying to put you out of business. He make's a living selling the same thing as you and prefer's you out of the picture. Like you said you are new at this, the best thing around other breeder's in your own association is play your card's close .
Cause your buddy in the meeting is cutting your throat at the salebarn or feed store.

Amen Caustic. That was the answer to the Jeopardy question, "What is the difference between commercial and seedstock cattlemen?" :lol: Just joking folks.

Here are some photos of Knersie's Herefords to help you develop a reference.