Miniatures and Lowlines....

[Keren]

I dont know enough about the american show circuit to say what class they would show in, whether they would be competitive against other steers, or if you could show females in commercial breeding stock classes ... :???:

 

[Wisteria Farms]

I dont know enough about the american show circuit to say what class they would show in, whether they would be competitive against other steers, or if you could show females in commercial breeding stock classes ... :???:

I don't know either...I'll have to look into it though. I'm almost certain they wouldn't be competitive with other steers... I think it would be more for the experience of going through the process as a stepping stone to larger animals...If there were enough mini's then I think they would open up a new class but I know we currently don't have enough. Maybe with all the kids in the county if she had a handful that wanted to show them then atleast 4H would open up a class in the 4H show.

 

[Baldie Maker]

mini baldies or F1 brafords or brangus would be interesting.. I would like to see it. Is there a market for that kind of cattle?

 

[Wisteria Farms]

mini baldies or F1 brafords or brangus would be interesting.. I would like to see it. Is there a market for that kind of cattle?

There's a market for anything it just depends on how good you are at tapping into it. If you do a search on dogpile.com (Doc :tiphat: ) and search Miniature Black Baldies you'll find info on them.

 

[Keren]

Here the mini steers would compete in the lightweight division, and lowline crosses generally do very well in that category. But I dont know how they run it in the US ...

 

[Loch Valley Fold]

You could get a Zebu & cross over the Lowlines & create a smaller version of a Brangus

 

[jfranseen]

Get some Lowline eggs. Fertilize them with Piedmontese semen and put them in a recip cow. Then post a picture of the calves. I just want to see what they would look like. ;-)

 

[Wisteria Farms]

Get some Lowline eggs. Fertilize them with Piedmontese semen and put them in a recip cow. Then post a picture of the calves. I just want to see what they would look like. ;-)

How about YOU do that science experiment and show the rest of US!! Not sure too many are going to go to the expense of flushing embryo's, implanting in recips, etc. to get...what?...a bulked up lowline? Are we talking ALL terminal animals here? cause I'm not sure I'd be wanting to retain any of those heifers... Interesting thought but no thanks...this is my daughter and I'd rather keep things simple!!

 

[Loch Valley Fold]

" jfranseen wrote:Get some Lowline eggs. Fertilize them with Piedmontese semen and put them in a recip cow. Then post a picture of the calves. I just want to see what they would look like. ;-)

Easiest way to do that would be to AI Piedmontese or if the mood struck Belgian Blue cows to Lowline bulls. Same result without the ET expense

 

[FarmGirl10]

Wisteria, I'm glad to hear that your giving up some of your pasture to your daughter. My parents also let me have a large barn and a couple acres of pasture to raise some cattle. It was (and still is) a great learning experience. I started out with dairy calves and have since moved to buying a few herf/angus crosses. Originally, the reason why I got into it was because I had a money-blowing problem and since I missed the animals that I had as a young kid I decided to go this route. I'm so glad I did, i now squeek when I walk, lol. Before i started we hadn't had cattle in a couple of years, but when we went to the sale barn to buy them previously, my dad always let me pick them. Needless to say, i didn't get bidded against much (not because they were sickly, but because I was cute, lol). Well anyway, so when I went to the sale barn to buy my first couple of bull calves, my dad wouldn't help me out that much (he'd only tell me if something was going to high). This lasted and my dad still won't tell me how to deal with them, unless I ask his opinion on something. My first steer that i sold was not graded, because he was butchered for my parents and one of my brothers boss's. I don't mean to toot my own horn, but my first steer brought $1309 at 11 month and might I add, he tastes great. I actually had a great comment on this steer, family of that boss's girlfriend came down from N. Dakota and said that it was the best beef they had ever tasted (they buy direct from a rancher up there) and that they wanted a steer or beef shipped up there for them. But since then, I've had all of them grade prime and choice, and even had a couple slipped into a load of beef steers because of how filled out and beefy they were. Which you guys here on CT had a lot more to do with then you will ever know, so I would like to thank you know.

Make sure that when your daughter gets her cattle, no matter which way she goes, let it be her herd and let her make the decisons. Of course, step in before she makes a really bad decision (which hopefully will not be necessary).

PS. Is she paying for the cattle?

 

[shortstuff]

I'm currently without power, but with a generator running, I was able to get online.

Where are U located in southern IL? I'm 12 miles away from Shawneetown. Got a Lowline bull breeding Tarentaise heifers in Eldorado, IL.

I've got a mini baldie heifer calf... 5/8 Lowline, 1/8 mini Hereford, 1/8 Simmi & 1/8 Americanized Angus. Also, I have Lowline semen including Doc Holliday. I've got a friend in Alabama who has some really good black bladies that are high % Lowline & they could probably be trucked up here fairly reasonable.

I think the BWF thing would be a good idea & as long as the calves are at least 1/2 Lowline, they can be registered & shown at the Lowline shows. The percentage Lowline thing is really not that costly to get started in. I personally am crossing Lowline Angus with Angus, Red Angus, Tarentaise, Shorthorns & Charolais. BTW, Murray Grey's are nothing more than "old school" Australian Angus crossed with Shorthorn. Lowline Angus are virtually the "old school" Australian Angus genetics that were used as the foundation of the Murray Grey's & I personally like what I've seen out of the Lowline X Shorthorns. I might think hard about doing that instead of the BWF, although the animals would be bigger.

I don't know if she's interested in showing, but several Lowline shows will be taking place in this region within the next year, including a division for Lowline cross steers. Most of the people interested in showing in this area, live in eastern Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, so those would be the areas where most of the shows would take place.

If I can ever be of any assistance or if you have any questions, email me @ [email protected] Until we recover from this ice/snow storm & resume power, I may be hard to reach, but I will respond. I know lots of breeders, grass fed producers, etc. & I'd be more than willing to help if I can.

I know some people see no advantages to raising smaller cattle and they love to talk bad about Lowlines anytime the opportunity presents itself. That's unfortunate. All the "cattle people" that I know who have tried Lowlines (percentage or full), made more profit raising them than anything else! I'm one of those "cattle people" myself. ;-) When mature Lowline cows stay FAT on baled corn stalks & mineral, after a harsh drought & during a hay shortage, it's hard not to make $$ with these "extremely low input" cattle. The F1 heifers are tremendous... mostly frame 4's... and 1/2 blood males can & do wean 550-675 lbs. 205 adj., if the dams are worth anything. Both the percentage & the fullblood Lowlines can make you good $$.


'

 

[Wisteria Farms]

Wisteria, I'm glad to hear that your giving up some of your pasture to your daughter. My parents also let me have a large barn and a couple acres of pasture to raise some cattle. It was (and still is) a great learning experience. I started out with dairy calves and have since moved to buying a few herf/angus crosses. Originally, the reason why I got into it was because I had a money-blowing problem and since I missed the animals that I had as a young kid I decided to go this route. I'm so glad I did, i now squeek when I walk, lol. Before i started we hadn't had cattle in a couple of years, but when we went to the sale barn to buy them previously, my dad always let me pick them. Needless to say, i didn't get bidded against much (not because they were sickly, but because I was cute, lol). Well anyway, so when I went to the sale barn to buy my first couple of bull calves, my dad wouldn't help me out that much (he'd only tell me if something was going to high). This lasted and my dad still won't tell me how to deal with them, unless I ask his opinion on something. My first steer that i sold was not graded, because he was butchered for my parents and one of my brothers boss's. I don't mean to toot my own horn, but my first steer brought $1309 at 11 month and might I add, he tastes great. I actually had a great comment on this steer, family of that boss's girlfriend came down from N. Dakota and said that it was the best beef they had ever tasted (they buy direct from a rancher up there) and that they wanted a steer or beef shipped up there for them. But since then, I've had all of them grade prime and choice, and even had a couple slipped into a load of beef steers because of how filled out and beefy they were. Which you guys here on CT had a lot more to do with then you will ever know, so I would like to thank you know.

Make sure that when your daughter gets her cattle, no matter which way she goes, let it be her herd and let her make the decisons. Of course, step in before she makes a really bad decision (which hopefully will not be necessary).

PS. Is she paying for the cattle?

Farmgirl...Lets see if I can answer some of your questions...yes, we're letting this be her decision. What started the conversation was when we were talking about the money her friends were making working at fast food places. We told her that even though she wouldn't get a "paycheck" once a week that it would be better in a way, making her money all at once when she took a trailer-load to market. She understands the process because she's spent 5 years raising 4H animals that were always sold after the fair (steers & pigs).

At first the deal was...dad said he'd give her the use of the 5 acres (already fenced and reseeded last year) plus the old barn (attached to the 5 acres). He said he'd give her $1000 in her farm account to see what she could do with it. A friend of hers buys bottle calves from a Charolais farm for $50 a piece so she was going to do that. We told her we'd also seen on these boards someone who said you can get dairy steers really cheap. However, she said she thought she'd rather get into some mini's or lowlines. Yes, I know the initial cost will be more so I think we'll possibly meet in the middle. Dad will give her $1000 and she can use that on some bottle/bucket calves. If she does that a year or two then maybe she can get HERSELF into the mini's or lowlines. We've always told her that we'll help her in life but she has to be moving forward...any boozing/slacking/etc. and she's DONE.

Someone mentioned Dexters but I'd rather her not deal with horns...she's a tough little "cookie" and with some guidance I think she can build something she's proud of. Thanks so much for everyone's input...

 

[Loch Valley Fold]

Has your daughter sat down & planned out a cost budget on what she would have to pay out if she brought some of the Char calves grew them out & sold them than with the money made from those calves, slowly start buying into the breed she wants? while still buying a few calves at a time to rear & resell

 

[Wisteria Farms]

Has your daughter sat down & planned out a cost budget on what she would have to pay out if she brought some of the Char calves grew them out & sold them than with the money made from those calves, slowly start buying into the breed she wants? while still buying a few calves at a time to rear & resell

Loch,
Not yet... but I think that's a good approach... with any business you have to have a feasable plan.

 

[FarmGirl10]

A friend of hers buys bottle calves from a Charolais farm for $50 a piece so she was going to do that. We told her we'd also seen on these boards someone who said you can get dairy steers really cheap. However, she said she thought she'd rather get into some mini's or lowlines. Yes, I know the initial cost will be more so I think we'll possibly meet in the middle. Dad will give her $1000 and she can use that on some bottle/bucket calves. If she does that a year or two then maybe she can get HERSELF into the mini's or lowlines. We've always told her that we'll help her in life but she has to be moving forward...any boozing/slacking/etc. and she's DONE.

I was going to suggest raising a few steers and taking that money and investing it into building a herd. This would give her time to know for sure what she wants. If she decides to do that and picks up hostein bull calves, try to find a really large (800+ head) operation. These large operations often just shoot bull calves in the head, I'm sure they wouldn't mind saving their bullets. One of these large operations that I've been to will give you the calves if you are there before they take 'em out back. If your daughter is lucky enough she might show up to one of these when they have twin heifers, no one realizes that twin heifers aren't freemartins.

 

[Cowdirt]

Wisteria, we all want what is best for our children and I'm impressed by the thought that you are putting in this potential project for her. That being said, at 18 yrs you'all needs to be planning for her college. It's getting tougher and tougher to make a go without it. When my two children went off to college, I recognized that to take full advantage of their education that they would have to find imployment in a town larger than ours. In a couple of years cows probably won't be in the top 3 of her priorities. JMHO.

 

[Wisteria Farms]

Wisteria, we all want what is best for our children and I'm impressed by the thought that you are putting in this potential project for her. That being said, at 18 yrs you'all needs to be planning for her college. It's getting tougher and tougher to make a go without it. When my two children went off to college, I recognized that to take full advantage of their education that they would have to find imployment in a town larger than ours. In a couple of years cows probably won't be in the top 3 of her priorities. JMHO.

Cowdirt...I'll have to look back but I thought I mentioned this was IN PLACE OF WORKING AT A FAST FOOD JOINT while she goes to school. She is going to be attending college. Luckily its not far from where we live so she can do this instead of working as a waitress or something else. She will be going into Elementary Education...thanks for the concern but we've got college covered.

 

[Cowdirt]

Wisteria, we all want what is best for our children and I'm impressed by the thought that you are putting in this potential project for her. That being said, at 18 yrs you'all needs to be planning for her college. It's getting tougher and tougher to make a go without it. When my two children went off to college, I recognized that to take full advantage of their education that they would have to find imployment in a town larger than ours. In a couple of years cows probably won't be in the top 3 of her priorities. JMHO.

Cowdirt...I'll have to look back but I thought I mentioned this was IN PLACE OF WORKING AT A FAST FOOD JOINT while she goes to school. She is going to be attending college. Luckily its not far from where we live so she can do this instead of working as a waitress or something else. She will be going into Elementary Education...thanks for the concern but we've got college covered.

Wisteria, you did have that in your post. My mistake. Best of luck with the cow project and your preparation for her future.