Mature cow weight by breed

[simme]

Here… those traditional simms were being discounted pretty hard in the late 90s early 2000..I had a couple bulls that I had previously used on Brahmans and F1 Brafords...but man those calves

Yes, lot's of growth heterosis in those simm crosses back then. But they had a pretty good appetite with a lot of them grading Select instead of Choice. We are all still looking for the perfect cow and many of us are looking for the "fountain of youth". Both are elusive.

 

[alacowman1]

Yes, lot's of growth heterosis in those simm crosses back then. But they had a pretty good appetite with a lot of them grading Select instead of Choice. We are all still looking for the perfect cow and many of us are looking for the "fountain of youth". Both are elusive.

Yeah those simbrah F1 out of those bulls werent as efficient as the Brafords..and I never thought theyed quit growing..they were also more flity . Course that was then..be Nice to try it over again using a modern simmental over Brahman ..but Im getting to old for that again..or simmental over beefmaster..

 

[Ebenezer]

"I don't think it is evolution, I think breeders are selecting for it."
Same thing: breeder selection has been the power of in-breed evolution.

 

[Lee VanRoss]

"I don't think it is evolution, I think breeders are selecting for it."
Same thing: breeder selection has been the power of in-breed evolution.

Did you mean to say polution?

 

[Ebenezer]

Did you mean to say polution?

For some "breeders", yes. For others - just pure pressure on selection for Wagyu type Angus or big carcass Angus.

 

[Brute 23]

Not many cows over 1,400 here. The majority are in the 1,100-1,200 pound range. That is mostly the environment. Lots of serious hills and long walks to water. Take these cows to flat easy lush pasture and they would pack on 100-200 pounds fairly quick.

That is the same for us. A big, fat, fleshy cow might go #1300. #1000-1100 is about right plus or minus depending on conditions.

Big cows don't hold up any where... not just in the mountains.

 

[SBMF 2015]

Looks like you would have saved a bit on yard building.

Ken

We have a pasture that has a six strand barb wire fence around it. The fence was built in the 60's. All the " modern " cows just reach over.

 

[Brute 23]

Simmentals were monsters when they first started to become popular. What happened to them?

They quit plowing with them and started eating them.

 

[Brute 23]

I was working for a pure plood Angus guy in Central TX around 06 07 and he had some monster angus cows. I'm 6'3 and was raised around some big Brahman cows and these Angus cows were big to me. They were all breaking down on him at young ages. We had several go down over a year or so and we loaded the last of them and shipped them before I left.

 

[J+ Cattle]

Dumb question: aren't packers going to heavier carcasses and finishers going to higher kill weights? Might be a tie in to more cow weight.

It's my understanding that you don't incur a discount for heavy carcasses until you reach 1050 lbs. To have a hot carcass weight of 1050 lbs. the live weight would have to be in the 1750 lb range. That's big in my book.
I'm not sure how they calculate the $B index but more carcass weight would seemingly increase that index.

 

[Son of Butch]

Many years ago, some of the simmental cattle had a reputation for being hard doing, hard keeping. Extra input to maintain body condition.

In the mid '80s I was visiting a fellow's Guernsey herd and one of the best cows in the herd was a red necked white faced "Guernsey" I asked, What's going on here? She's my experiment, 1/2 Simmental 1/2 Guernsey. I said I think you're on to something and should make some more.

I think some of those old Simmentals had a lot more milk in them that made them hard doing than the ones today.

 

[SBMF 2015]

In the mid '80s I was visiting a fellow's Guernsey herd and one of the best cows in the herd was a red necked white faced "Guernsey" I asked, What's going on here? She's my experiment, 1/2 Simmental 1/2 Guernsey. I said I think you're on to something and should make some more.

I think some of those old Simmentals had a lot more milk in them that made them hard doing than the ones today.

A brown swiss and a red & white Simmental are pretty close cousins.

 

[Dave]

It's my understanding that you don't incur a discount for heavy carcasses until you reach 1050 lbs. To have a hot carcass weight of 1050 lbs. the live weight would have to be in the 1750 lb range. That's big in my book.
I'm not sure how they calculate the $B index but more carcass weight would seemingly increase that index.

The last I saw the grid (this last year) the preferred carcass weight was 600-900 pounds. Above or below that got a discount.

 

[J+ Cattle]

Maybe US Premium Beef is the exception but they don’t discount until 1050 lbs.

https://www.uspb.com/DocumentItem.aspx?ID=34

 

[Son of Butch]

A brown swiss and a red & white Simmental are pretty close cousins.

shirt-tail cousins
Brown Swiss are more closely related to Braunvieh.
Montbeliard originated in France and are aka "French Simmentals" in Europe.

 

[elkwc]

That is the same for us. A big, fat, fleshy cow might go #1300. #1000-1100 is about right plus or minus depending on conditions.

Big cows don't hold up any where... not just in the mountains.

What are you calling big cow? Small cows don’t hold up or work here. No size or type works everywhere.

 

[SBMF 2015]

What are you calling big cow? Small cows don’t hold up or work here. No size or type works everywhere.

What are you calling small? We have way to much feed stuffs available in the "I" states. When I go to a sale looking for 1,400lbs bred cows I can usually steel them because their not big enough for a lot of producers around here. 1,600-1,800 to 2,000+ is what a lot of nature cows are here. They may raise a big calf, but that's a lot of feed to maintain them.

 

[Brute 23]

What are you calling big cow? Small cows don’t hold up or work here. No size or type works everywhere.

Like I said, when they start going over #1300 they are too big for us.

No doubt.

 

[SPH]

When talking about cow sizes in general it's like comparing apples to oranges because everyone has different types of cattle they breed for and different management practices as well that there is no "one size fits all" way to compare anymore. Go look at the various topics that have been discussed on frame size here and there is variable #1 right there for mature cow weight because breeding for bigger frame cows are going to result in heavier mature cows weights by default. Then the next big variable is management practices - how much for inputs are you giving your cattle as there are guys that don't creep feed or don't push feed to their cattle at all at any point of their development. I don't like to criticize how people run their operations, we all do what we feel works best for us but it's also no secret that fat sells too and there are plenty of way to pack on some pounds and make cattle look fleshy but when the fat melts off what are you going to find under that? Some cows of certain size just won't work in some environments or management practices, especially if they are going to require a lot of inputs to keep up a healthy condition. Doesn't mean they aren't good cattle, there is a market for just about anything out there but you gotta commit to what kind of animal you are aiming to raise and stick with it.

 

[simme]

I agree that different locations and environments require different size and type cows. But I don't get out and about much. Somebody educate me on what locations and environments require 1800 to 2000 pound cows to give max profit. What weight calves do they wean? Does the additional cow weight result in heavier weaning weights? Do they generate more profit than a 1400 to 1600 pound cow in those locations? Are there locations that produce enough grass and hay to maintain a 2000 pound cow or do those locations feed silage? Are we talking commercial cattle producing stockers and feeders or registered seedstock with a storyline and footnotes?