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How can we make a better cattle future in Ky
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<blockquote data-quote="CattleMan1920" data-source="post: 1555155" data-attributes="member: 37967"><p>Nothing from why I can see, and on top of that they are pushing very high CED and low birthweight as a strategy. I could be wrong but it's a strategy that seems to say to the producer "don't worry about your $B or carcass traits, definitely don't concern yourself with above average weaning weights, just focus on not losing a calf while you are at your job away from the farm" </p><p></p><p>If I'm not mistaken, UK's policy drives cost share guidelines, CAIP. . Producers here use CAIP to buy bulls, if you can get your bulls to qualify for CAIP, you have a better chance of selling seed stock. UK and Morehead University seem to be all in on calving ease, small frame, and low birthweight. They are essentially guiding the herd characteristics for the state. I may be way off base, but that is what I see based on my trip to the UK farm in Woodford county, Morehead State University's offerings in the Grass Time Partners sale, and CAIP guidance. Even our regional Angus rep said to me a few years back "just focus on calving ease and you will be fine, the higher the better, they sell well" That didn't set well with me, it basically told me "just breed whatever the current trend is" That is a bad strategy considering that a breeding decision today can have vast consequences years down the line. </p><p></p><p>At *************, we don't use any Gov assistance or participate in cost share programs. We don't breed to meet program guidelines, we breed to improve the breed, that doesn't always fit in with what UK or Morehead see as the right direction in the cattle business. Most of our clients see our bulls, say "that's the one I want" and write a check. That's not the case for a lot of bull buyers who obtain state assistance and or a loan to buy a bull. </p><p></p><p>With all due respect to the tenured professors at the UK ag dept, the real world does not work with generous endowments, producers don't have the luxury of experimentation, producers who follow bad advice can be paying dearly for years. I think stacking calving ease upon calving ease year after year is going to produce underperforming cows and heifers that won't be able to push out a jackrabbit if they have to, which is only going to take KY cattle down another notch.</p><p></p><p>At a UK cattlemans camp, I attended a while back, there was little to no discussion on using terminal sires like SAV International or Harvestor, no discussion on pushing up weaning weights through genetics, no strategies on building a solid beef business. I would bet that if a serious rancher from Nebraska or North Dakota were to have attended the camp they would have been scratching their head trying to figure out how anyone stays alive in the cattle business here. I'm not joking when I say this, I sometimes feel that a lot of producers would do better raising deer for hunters to shoot. That seems to be happening where we are located. </p><p></p><p>Here is another issue. A few days ago I received a call for one of our service ready bulls. The gentleman on the line, an older fellow asked "how much for a good bull?" I replied "$3500" he said "oh, that's too much, I was looking for something in the $1000-1500 range" I then asked him a few questions out of curiosity "How many cattle do you have to breed and what are your objectives?" He replied "about 20 head" and "I just need to get calves, I don't care about the quality as long as I get em on the ground" he was a nice fellow, and meant well, but it was not a good fit between us. I told him he was welcome to stop by and we ended it there.</p><p></p><p>That exchange above happens frequently. There is absolutely no regard to improving quality, retaining daughters, building, etc. When I hear these people discuss their operations, I wonder how they will ever do any more than just scrape by. In fact they are just the folks that the Barbers rely on to fuel their cattle businesses, problem is the producer of the marginal product is just barely breaking even. It's a vicious cycle. </p><p></p><p>These are just my observations.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="CattleMan1920, post: 1555155, member: 37967"] Nothing from why I can see, and on top of that they are pushing very high CED and low birthweight as a strategy. I could be wrong but it’s a strategy that seems to say to the producer “don’t worry about your $B or carcass traits, definitely don’t concern yourself with above average weaning weights, just focus on not losing a calf while you are at your job away from the farm” If I’m not mistaken, UK’s policy drives cost share guidelines, CAIP. . Producers here use CAIP to buy bulls, if you can get your bulls to qualify for CAIP, you have a better chance of selling seed stock. UK and Morehead University seem to be all in on calving ease, small frame, and low birthweight. They are essentially guiding the herd characteristics for the state. I may be way off base, but that is what I see based on my trip to the UK farm in Woodford county, Morehead State University’s offerings in the Grass Time Partners sale, and CAIP guidance. Even our regional Angus rep said to me a few years back “just focus on calving ease and you will be fine, the higher the better, they sell well” That didn’t set well with me, it basically told me “just breed whatever the current trend is” That is a bad strategy considering that a breeding decision today can have vast consequences years down the line. At *************, we don’t use any Gov assistance or participate in cost share programs. We don’t breed to meet program guidelines, we breed to improve the breed, that doesn’t always fit in with what UK or Morehead see as the right direction in the cattle business. Most of our clients see our bulls, say “that’s the one I want” and write a check. That’s not the case for a lot of bull buyers who obtain state assistance and or a loan to buy a bull. With all due respect to the tenured professors at the UK ag dept, the real world does not work with generous endowments, producers don’t have the luxury of experimentation, producers who follow bad advice can be paying dearly for years. I think stacking calving ease upon calving ease year after year is going to produce underperforming cows and heifers that won’t be able to push out a jackrabbit if they have to, which is only going to take KY cattle down another notch. At a UK cattlemans camp, I attended a while back, there was little to no discussion on using terminal sires like SAV International or Harvestor, no discussion on pushing up weaning weights through genetics, no strategies on building a solid beef business. I would bet that if a serious rancher from Nebraska or North Dakota were to have attended the camp they would have been scratching their head trying to figure out how anyone stays alive in the cattle business here. I’m not joking when I say this, I sometimes feel that a lot of producers would do better raising deer for hunters to shoot. That seems to be happening where we are located. Here is another issue. A few days ago I received a call for one of our service ready bulls. The gentleman on the line, an older fellow asked “how much for a good bull?” I replied “$3500” he said “oh, that’s too much, I was looking for something in the $1000-1500 range” I then asked him a few questions out of curiosity “How many cattle do you have to breed and what are your objectives?” He replied “about 20 head” and “I just need to get calves, I don’t care about the quality as long as I get em on the ground” he was a nice fellow, and meant well, but it was not a good fit between us. I told him he was welcome to stop by and we ended it there. That exchange above happens frequently. There is absolutely no regard to improving quality, retaining daughters, building, etc. When I hear these people discuss their operations, I wonder how they will ever do any more than just scrape by. In fact they are just the folks that the Barbers rely on to fuel their cattle businesses, problem is the producer of the marginal product is just barely breaking even. It’s a vicious cycle. These are just my observations. [/QUOTE]
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