I know that dealing with cattle is an ongoing process, but for those of you who "started" at some point, how many years did it take you to get the herd you wanted? You know, things like weeding out the undesirables and replacing them with good stock, and getting the number you wanted.
How long to get herd you wanted?
- Thread starter herofan
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HOSS
Well-known member
I have been working aggressively on mine for 8 years. I'm not there........I don't think I ever will be. If I am doing my job right I should be raising the bar each year. I will never reach the goal but I will surely improve drastically if I continue to chase it.
Like Hoss been working on it about 10 years. Every bull I buy I try to get something I feel is a little better, soon money will limit what I can and want to spend. Seems like always having to cull a cow for some reason or another. Pretty happy with what we have now, but time like now when a 10 year old cow that is giving foot trouble comes up, you start thinking about culling. I guess it is just a ongoing process.HOSS":15hqwue1 said:
Putangitangi
Well-known member
I'm just about to celebrate the completion of my 18th year and this year's crop of yearlings, about to be mated, is the best I've ever bred. Last year's were also the best I'd ever bred, as were those of the year before. I could tell you I have achieved my aim, but I suspect I'll look back in a couple of years and be able to say the same things. I suspect I'm nearly where I'd like to be, but there will always be improvements possible and that's what makes it so interesting.
It's like golf, it's a game you can never win. 12 years here and while the here'd has much improved there seems to always be things to try to fix. Udders, eyes, size, calving ease, etc. while I think I have a pretty good bunch of cows some may not turn out as hoped or be an under achiever.
My herd will never be perfect in my eyes.
My herd will never be perfect in my eyes.
Even if you look at the "big" boys that have been in business a long time, you still see them culling and adding better genetics. It will never be as good as it gets, and if you think your herd is there, you simply gave up.
This time, 15 years till we had to sell down because of health, then some folks from down south came up and bought half of what we had left.
Other times were just getting close till we got bought out and relocated.
Other times were just getting close till we got bought out and relocated.
OP
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herofan
Well-known member
I suppose the answer could be "never." I suppose it's similar to building a new house. Once it's finished, it's never done. There will always be new carpets to do, weathered shingles to replace, etc., but getting everything done and moved in does feel like a huge phase is done. Perhaps a better way to ask is, when did you feel like things were established and the ball was rolling fairly well?
My brother and I have only been back in business for about two years. We often say that we wish we had been in for 20 years instead of two. We lost a couple of calves at birth this year, for example, and my brother said it just wouldn't seem so bad if we had been rolling for 20 years, but it seems more frustrating in these early stages.
My brother and I have only been back in business for about two years. We often say that we wish we had been in for 20 years instead of two. We lost a couple of calves at birth this year, for example, and my brother said it just wouldn't seem so bad if we had been rolling for 20 years, but it seems more frustrating in these early stages.
denvermartinfarms
Well-known member
I'm 21 and started with cattle when I was 10. I now know what my 3 favorite breeds are, and I make money every year, so I think I have everything going in a good direction. At this point my main focus is growing to a number I have in mind for a goal as I can afford to.
The way I see it, or atleast the way it whent for me was, it took about 5 years to learn the most important things. Then building numbers to where I want them to be will take sevarel years, I'm hoping to be there by the time I'm 30, so that will be 20 years that it took me.
The way I see it, or atleast the way it whent for me was, it took about 5 years to learn the most important things. Then building numbers to where I want them to be will take sevarel years, I'm hoping to be there by the time I'm 30, so that will be 20 years that it took me.
denvermartinfarms
Well-known member
Wow, I didn't know you where that old.js1234":2n7i3owc said:
Caustic Burno
Well-known member
herofan":bdbspecl said:
This magically herd is acquired right before death, then the week after the funeral your kids haul them to the salebarn.
DLD
Well-known member
Caustic Burno":37qg08q0 said:
Exactly.
denvermartinfarms
Well-known member
I see that often CB. Most recently I Saw a perfect herd of Charolais get sold like that.Caustic Burno":32d3rqpb said:
OP
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herofan
Well-known member
Better yet, someone mentioned in another thread that you have to crawl for many years before you walk in this business; so, how many years did it take before you considered you were walking? Maybe you were walking with a limp, but at least you weren't crawling anymore. I certainly still feel like I'm crawling.
Not sure if I am walking or not, if so it is with a limp. We get compliments on our herd but I feel it could be better. One of the things I have learned some of the best looking cows are not always the ones that make the most money. One thing that has made it slow for us is we never borrowed any money to buy cows, we have on some equipment.herofan":1esoq4ss said:
John SD
Well-known member
js1234":127k89g0 said:
Absolutely agree. There are always things to improve upon in a cow herd. I never attained my "goal" of running a full blown cow/calf/yearling operation.
Have a neighbor whom I think does quite well overall. Keeps all his calves every fall and keeps them over and sells in early fall the next season as yearlings. That is what I was shooting for, but life got in the way.
3 generation family ranch here. Grandpa passed away and Dad took over in 1950. Dad's health failed. He cut back to 18 cows while I was in high school. I came home after high school in 1980 and grew the cow herd to 180 in 2002. Then had to sell down to 30 head because of drought and my own health.
Back to building up the herd again. I did buy a few cull registered cows but mostly kept my own heifers for replacement. The registered cows were OK but most were not up to my own grade cows, even if they had some of the same bloodlines.
Due to health again, I sold the cows permanently in 2012. Never did get to my goal of a cow/calf/yearling operation. I also wanted to experiment more with crossbreeding. I kept mostly Hereford cows and some Angus crossed. Had one Char bull at the end. He sired good looking and good doing calves no matter what color the cow was.
