Input on our Heifers, Please

[Bleenie]

I would like some input on our 2 remaining heifers. we sold off most the herd to give things a break but want to know what you all think of these two. What would be a good Bull choice for them?

We did keep a very stocky BWF bull calf from one of our girls we sold but we're still debating on turning him into a steer or not.

2yr Tigerstripe Baldie

6yr Angus/Brahma (above heifers momma)

 

[upfrombottom]

BCS 3

BCS 1

BCS 2

 

[ANAZAZI]

I take it the heifer is half hereford quarter brahma quarter angus? Such a mix can be bred to allmost anything. If you have only two of those then go ahead and breed them to the "bull", to minimize your costs.How old is the bull? It needs to be one year old to rely on. I hope the skinny cow is sold, as she is likely to come up open.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

looks like weaning time to me

 

[purecountry]

You asked for input on 2 heifers, but only posted 1. The tigerstripe looks OK, but it's tough for anyone to tell you much from that angle. Pics from the side and/or multiple angles would better our chances of giving a fair assessment.

As for the black cow, if she's only 6 and looks that thin, it's a good thing you sold her. If you sold your stock to give things a "break", meaning pasture, then you may want to track your pastures production and stick with less animals for a while. Skinny animals are always hard to sell, so it's best to keep everything in good body condition. Also, when pastures are chewed down like a pool table year after year, you are depleting topsoil and all its nutrients to a point where you won't get much to grow other than weeds. Trust me, I've done it.

Keep asking questions, it's a good way to learn.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

that horse will keep it chewed down to the root. then jerk the roots up after that. i got horses but they gotta be managed seperately especially if you dont have the extra pasture

 

[Bleenie]

We're planning on selling both the horses we have here, they do play hell on the fields so it's time for them to go too. We still have the Black heifer but her bull calf just left yesterday, thankfully! he was 5 months old. the heifer should fatten up a little more now, she is a bit skinny.
ANAZAZI, that is her mix. We don't currently have a bull, i was asking what would be a good breed to cross with.

We have 1 pasture that we can fence off from the herd and it grows back fast! lots of clover that the cows love too. most of the property just isn't seperated though and the 1 field was too small for the herd.

We are considering trading both girls for a couple young Corriente Heifers. We really like the looks of them & their purpose will be just to keep pastures down a little bit so things don't get crazy overgrown. They will have approximatly 25acres to roam around on.

 

[Bleenie]

I will try to get some better pictures of her, hopefully today.

 

[KNERSIE]

I'd say give your pasture a complete break and restock late next spring with animals from a reputable stockman.

 

[chippie]

Once a heifer has a calf, she becomes a cow.

Your two year old should already be bred.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

that calf drained that cow but good calf

 

[tsmaxx47]

we breed our tiger stripe baldies to a red angus bull. calves are slow gainers, usually end up at the butcher barn right around 20 months.

 

[BRYANT]

How many head of livestock on how much land?
and have you wormed the cattle?
at this time of the year they should be in better shape

 

[ANAZAZI]

Consider AI, or loan someones bull off season. It is difficult to justify to buy a quality bull for two cows. My taste of bulls is muscle, something like a limousine or piedmontese.

 

[cowboy43]

Without more information it is hard to evaluate your situation, with the few pictures I see you have a good little commercial herd with a need for better care, the pastures must be overstocked for them to be is such condition this time of year, and I see a large feed bill for them to survive the winter. At this time full time hay,minerals and protein needs to be fed ,all large calves weined, the cows wormed and palpated, what is not bred needs to be sold. Sometimes smaller is better and you have to adjust the cow herd to the pastures carrying capacities. I know this is a personal question , how many cows are you running on how many acres , what type of acres ,improved,native,brush ect. In our area some run a cow to the acre where it is a 10 to 15 acre a cow area and their cows and pastures show it. Grass needs to be rotated and keep a 4 inch height for the roots to grow and devolop, the old saying you are a grass farmer before you are a rancher applies if any profit is to be made othewise the feed store makes all the profit. Remember we are here to help and not critize and I am not( a know it all,) this is just things I leaned from making costly mistakes over the years.