How would you manage a high $ cow?

[Alan]

You all seem to be calling BS on Olsen Brothers Cattle, but he make me curious in another area of his post.

How would you manage a $10K (or 13k) cow? flush and implant as often as you can? How long would it take to break even on a high dollar cow like that?

Your thoughts?

Thanks Alan

 

[dun]

I'ld probably move her into the house and cater to her every whim. And if I could, I'ld clone the snot out of her in hopes of finding someone else that wanted "a piece" of an awfullly expensive hunk of beef.

dun

 

[Alan]

Well said Dun! I couldn't even think of spending that kind of money on a cow. But the few sales I've been to, I've seen some go for 6k and 7k. Is it just fools with more money than sense or do they go out and implant everything they own and hope for the best?

Alan

 

[Frankie]

You all seem to be calling BS on Olsen Brothers Cattle, but he make me curious in another area of his post.
How would you manage a $10K (or 13k) cow? flush and implant as often as you can? How long would it take to break even on a high dollar cow like that?
Your thoughts?
Thanks Alan

You would need some good marketing to every make any money on that cow. Some large, established breeders will partner on one of those high dollar cows and allow you to sell calves at their sales. I'd flush her until her sides caved in if she were mine. But the drugs they used to use to flush cattle stayed in their system and they had to let her have a calf naturally after two or three flushes. Don't know if that's true anymore, though.

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

I'll probably get some "HE HAWS" and ROFLOL on this reply. However... as ya'll probably well know, there are "production cattle people" (breed, raise to sell as beef animals by the pound), and the "seedstock people" that sell animals for breeding stock to other breeders and cattle ranchers.

As I am sure most of you already know, we are "seedstock" breeders of registered Longhorns. Only on a rare occasion have we sold something by the pound or put in freezer--not suitable for further breeding.

Our breeding stock (1st calf heifers and producing cows) start at about $2,500 (most are considerably more). Bulls in service are even more. (None of these are offered for sale). Some of our calves' full brothers and sisters (owned by other breeders) have sold for upwards of $5,000 at weaning.

Please understand that I am NOT bragging or complaining...lol. And, the commercial cattle people on this board that also are into registered stock also pay high prices for their high end breeding stock, regardless of breed.

Two of our bulls' dams (owned by other breeders) are valued in excess of $20,000 (not to even think about what their "not for sale" bulls might be valued at).

The way I figure it...it costs about the same to raise a $10,000 animal as it does a $500 animal, and with the same amount of pasture.

Just my senile comments and livestock raising biases, I guess.

 

[Alan]

Bill,

I understand and agree with your thinking. I have stated before on this board that I raise cattle because I enjoy it, but it's not my lively hood. Like you I can raise a higher $ animal for the same cost as I can a pasture ornament. I raise Quarter Horses and Paints and can (and have) sell a weanling for 2 to 5K. This year I sold 6 calves for 500 each, but I enjoy my cattle.

How do you mange the high end stock? Do you flush them as often as possible and implant the embryos? hope to get 6 or 7 (clones)?

Thanks,
Alan

 

[bolsen]

Well since this post was brought up by another one of mine I should probably answer it. The heifer we sold for 13K is currently Running the range with the rest of the herd she is from my understanding they flush her as often as possible and let her calve naturaly after 2 consecutive flushes in all reality not a bad way to spend 13K. No she's not pampered no more than a 500 dollar cowshe is expected to perform under range conditions and thats what she does.