Is quanity better than quality?

[Anonymous]

I am going to buy some brood cows with the intentions of selling calves at local sale barns. I have plenty of pasture and hay for any cows I buy. My question is given market conditions and money. Should I buy less expensive cows that will produce calves that sell for less or fewer cows that should produce a high selling calf? Are 20 common cows better than 10 real good cows? Any thoughts.

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[Anonymous]

It might depend on where you are located, but I know a lot of people in Southeast Texas who buy lesser cows and put a very good bull on them. I had about 15 Longhorns and put a good Beefmaster bull on them. I sold the bull calves at the auction and got as much for them as any other bull calves. I kept the heifers and they turned out to be some of the best producing and looking momma cows I have.

 

[Anonymous]

Given age, size and condition, a good cow won't eat anymore grass then a poorer cow. The catch is, will really exceptional cows produce calves that in your area will bring that much more money. When you use the term common cow it's a little confusing. There are soime real crap box cows, I consider them just that. An average or common cow is the same as a real good cow, if you consider a real good cow as a registered cow that sells for a bunch of money. The average cow will be of good beef character, neither too fat (over conditioned) or too skinny (poor condition). She will have an udder that is adequate for the task and have teats about the size of my thumb (I'm holding up my hand so you can see my thumb). She will raise a calf to around 50% of her body weight at weaning every twelve months. Sound feet and legs, and most importantly have a good disposition. The difference in price of this type of cow over a poor specimen is rather small when all is considered. The other thing is the quality of the bull you use. If you will be buying a pound bull of unknown breeding and quality, you might just as well buy the junk cows, a top bull won't help your quality much, but a pound bull on top cows will still give you mostly junk.

dunmovin farms

> I am going to buy some brood cows
> with the intentions of selling
> calves at local sale barns. I have
> plenty of pasture and hay for any
> cows I buy. My question is given
> market conditions and money.
> Should I buy less expensive cows
> that will produce calves that sell
> for less or fewer cows that should
> produce a high selling calf? Are
> 20 common cows better than 10 real
> good cows? Any thoughts.

 

[Anonymous]

Right, if you mean a "poor" cow, by the fact that she is lighter muscled, smaller framed, poor milker, or bred to a lower quality bull; you are better off with better quality cows. It takes just as long to feed, manage herd health, worry/assist at calving, and all other herd managements for a good cow as a poor one. Your time must mean something. Jeanne

Simme Valley in NY
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[Anonymous]

If you're buying cows from the auction barn, it's going to be hard to know, just by looking at the cow, what she will produce. I've had "common" looking cows that produce an excellent calf (with a good bull) and just the opposite as well.

If you don't know what you're buying other than what you can see in the ring, I would opt for a good conditioned, 6-7 frame size female. Of course, my first choice would be to either attend a good "replacement female" sale, so you have a little background on the cattle, or a registered sale. It's pretty amazing, but here in Texas, in an "up" female market, you can buy registered cattle for about the money as commercial.

 

[Anonymous]

Amen, Eileen..lost all my addreses in computer "crash" recently. You been okay?
> If you're buying cows from the
> auction barn, it's going to be
> hard to know, just by looking at
> the cow, what she will produce.
> I've had "common"
> looking cows that produce an
> excellent calf (with a good bull)
> and just the opposite as well.

> If you don't know what you're
> buying other than what you can see
> in the ring, I would opt for a
> good conditioned, 6-7 frame size
> female. Of course, my first choice
> would be to either attend a good
> "replacement female"
> sale, so you have a little
> background on the cattle, or a
> registered sale. It's pretty
> amazing, but here in Texas, in an
> "up" female market, you
> can buy registered cattle for
> about the money as commercial.

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