New to cattle... Need some pointers..

[Toad]

I ran steers on grass a number of years before switching over to cow calf several years ago. I've been slowly picking up bred cows and heifers over that time. I haven't bought anything fancy and mostly older cows. I've payed anywhere between $750 to $1200 for all the cows on my place and less then that for some of the ones I bought at 400lb and raised. The calves I sold this spring off of these cows averaged $1,265. The best one was a 8 month old steer off a $750 cow that sold for $1472.
I look for old cows that still have good bags and good feet. Normally if you can only get one calf out of them you will make money. I run an pb angus bull back on them and have gotten a fairly uniform calf crop the next year.

 

[DOC HARRIS]

I have land and its all set up on a silver platter for me to get cattle to raise and sell... i want to start off small... 6-15 head... ive been around it all my life... Im not a total newbie... what im looking for is where to start and info on how to figure out/research what breed/s i need to go with... im looking to do more of a meat cow to sell at the auction by pound... my first guess is angus cows and hereford bull... (and my sale barn confirmed that cross is saleing REALLY WELL) but where would i find info to help make a good decision?

Im looking to raise em, then drop em off at the auction to sell.... butcher one for meat here and there...

My land is all located in Texas, Guadelupe county to be exact...

Well - you have received a lot of "advice" from 'well-meaning' breeders of beef cattle, a lot of which are excellent suggestions, and some of which are Single Trait Selection choices - which did NOT address your needs of "where to start" and "info on how to figure out/research what breeds need to go with'.

I shall attempt to very succinctly point you in the direction which -in my opinion - will save you many years of angst and heartache and possible anger in attempting to establish a breeding seed stock herd which should provide you with profitable beef progeny, and reward you with a successful beef producing business. You have stated that you ". . . have land and it's all set up on a silver platter for me to get cattle to raise and sell", and I choose to take you at your word.

I have FOUR pieces of advice for you at this juncture:

1) Use the information that is available for you on the INTERNET on ANY SUBJECT OF BEEF PRODUCTION about which you have questions concerning ANY phase of beef production protocols! Just type your questions or requests in the subject box. Then SEARCH the material presented.
2) Listen carefully to older and successful breeders whom you respect and can truly believe what they are saying!
3) Write to Three Trees Ranch, 544 Johnson Road, Sharpsburg, Georgia, OR call Chuck Grove, (434) 525-4687, and request a copy of their Genomic Giants Sale Catalog on April 27, 2015.

I am not suggesting that you purchase any of these cattle for sale at the Three Trees Sale. BUT, this catalog has a tremendous
amount of information about the current status of the Beef Cattle Business (even though it is about the Angus breed), and you should use it a TEXTBOOK of beef cattle protocols and regimens. You will learn more about the information you are seeking in one evening of studying this catalog than ten years of listening to moderately informed friends and neighbors who mean well, but are ten to thirty years behind the times in beef cattle management practices - and WHY times have changed!

. . . and one final admonition before I terminate this post: 4) Do NOT PRACTICE SINGLE TRAIT SELECTION CHOICES when selecting your long-time Genetic Foundation choices for your seed stock Foundation herd breeders!

You have a "Golden Scepter" in your hands to accompany your "Silver Platter" in the form of "Information Gathering" material! Use it wisely!

God will Bless your best efforts.

DOC HARRIS

 

[JWBrahman]

http://www.lsuagcenter.com/en/crops_liv ... ef_cattle/

 

[thommoos]

I agree with a lot of these guys here on what to do, I love a beefmaster momma crossbred to something, me personally a Gelbvieh. Take what Doc Harris say to heart and listen to him. there will be some personal bias in any operation. Me I like to be able walk among my momma cows and without worrying about getting myself run over. Thats why i like Beefmaster momma.

 

[Sniper338]

I have land and its all set up on a silver platter for me to get cattle to raise and sell... i want to start off small... 6-15 head... ive been around it all my life... Im not a total newbie... what im looking for is where to start and info on how to figure out/research what breed/s i need to go with... im looking to do more of a meat cow to sell at the auction by pound... my first guess is angus cows and hereford bull... (and my sale barn confirmed that cross is saleing REALLY WELL) but where would i find info to help make a good decision?

Im looking to raise em, then drop em off at the auction to sell.... butcher one for meat here and there...

My land is all located in Texas, Guadelupe county to be exact...

Well - you have received a lot of "advice" from 'well-meaning' breeders of beef cattle, a lot of which are excellent suggestions, and some of which are Single Trait Selection choices - which did NOT address your needs of "where to start" and "info on how to figure out/research what breeds need to go with'.

I shall attempt to very succinctly point you in the direction which -in my opinion - will save you many years of angst and heartache and possible anger in attempting to establish a breeding seed stock herd which should provide you with profitable beef progeny, and reward you with a successful beef producing business. You have stated that you ". . . have land and it's all set up on a silver platter for me to get cattle to raise and sell", and I choose to take you at your word.

I have FOUR pieces of advice for you at this juncture:

1) Use the information that is available for you on the INTERNET on ANY SUBJECT OF BEEF PRODUCTION about which you have questions concerning ANY phase of beef production protocols! Just type your questions or requests in the subject box. Then SEARCH the material presented.
2) Listen carefully to older and successful breeders whom you respect and can truly believe what they are saying!
3) Write to Three Trees Ranch, 544 Johnson Road, Sharpsburg, Georgia, OR call Chuck Grove, (434) 525-4687, and request a copy of their Genomic Giants Sale Catalog on April 27, 2015.

I am not suggesting that you purchase any of these cattle for sale at the Three Trees Sale. BUT, this catalog has a tremendous
amount of information about the current status of the Beef Cattle Business (even though it is about the Angus breed), and you should use it a TEXTBOOK of beef cattle protocols and regimens. You will learn more about the information you are seeking in one evening of studying this catalog than ten years of listening to moderately informed friends and neighbors who mean well, but are ten to thirty years behind the times in beef cattle management practices - and WHY times have changed!

. . . and one final admonition before I terminate this post: 4) Do NOT PRACTICE SINGLE TRAIT SELECTION CHOICES when selecting your long-time Genetic Foundation choices for your seed stock Foundation herd breeders!

You have a "Golden Scepter" in your hands to accompany your "Silver Platter" in the form of "Information Gathering" material! Use it wisely!

God will Bless your best efforts.

DOC HARRIS

I appreciate the info! Thats what I need to learn way before I get started buying anything... saving up while I learn right now.. no need to waste money making thr wrong decision from the start..

 

[Son of Butch]

I have land and its all set up on a silver platter for me to get cattle to raise and sell... i want to start off small... 6-15 head... ive been around it all my life... Im not a total newbie... what im looking for is where to start and info on how to figure out/research what breed/s i need to go with...but where would i find info to help make a good decision?

Look for a mentor with successful local cattle raising experience. They can give you the best practical advice as to what will succeed in your area. Ask around at local farm co-op ect. about who is doing what and search them out and see first hand if what they are doing is what you want to do.

 

[Sniper338]

I went down to the auction barn today for a while and talked with the guys working there... They gave me lots of advice and we stood around and looked at cows coming in for drop of for the auction tomorrow. Learned a lot quickly. They all agreed that I am on the right track with what I am looking to do. I got more of an eye for picking out decent cattle than I knew I had, I guess that just came from being around it all so much growing up.

One thing I noticed that has been said by a few on here already is how MANY of the cattle that come through the auction are problem cattle, or they are being gotten rid of for a reason. It wasnt too hard to pick a lot of them out. Fence jumpers arent easy to pick out though! It's all a gamble..

 

[crimsoncrazy]

Start with some good old cows and find the best bull you can afford.

 

[Big Cheese]

You can always start out with some Longhorns with a Charolais bull. Longhorns are easy to take care of and have really easy calving ease. They eat absolutely anything and can live through a drought. You can get them for cheap and when they have that Charolais calf (you can use any beef breed you want) it will grow and be a really good calf. You keep the half breeds as replacements and then their calf will be 3/4 beef 1/4 Longhorn and it will grow and grow and grow. A lot of people frown of Longhorns but we are doing this and are loving how it is going so far. Go to the Longhorn Cross thread and you will see some pictures of our calves we are having and explanations from a lot of farmers that are going through this process. With your situation I think it will be great for you. Just my 2 cents here I'm sure someone will disagree with me though lol.

 

[1982vett]

One thing I noticed that has been said by a few on here already is how MANY of the cattle that come through the auction are problem cattle, or they are being gotten rid of for a reason. It wasnt too hard to pick a lot of them out. Fence jumpers arent easy to pick out though! It's all a gamble..

Go back to the barn and ask when their next consignment sale will be. Also ask to be called when they have cattle coming in from a herd dispersal. That is if you want just good ranch cattle.

If you want to produce "seed stock" you probably need to stay away from the local weekly auction.

While I do raise some of my own replacements I do no not consider them "seed stock". However they are good mama cows and make a good market calf. But doing this. My herd is slowly changing from mostly Brangus cows to Black Baldies. In a few more years I will be out of Brangus due to their age.

It's an "easy" market to make money in ordinary beef cattle right now....wasn't always the case and may change again at any time.

Watch out! Good luck and may it be enjoyable.

 

[wacocowboy]

Don't know if you want to travel or not but there will be an auction on the 11th in Groesbeck TX. There will be top quality Brangus, F1 tigers, and Brahma cows and heifers.

 

[Sniper338]

Don't know if you want to travel or not but there will be an auction on the 11th in Groesbeck TX. There will be top quality Brangus, F1 tigers, and Brahma cows and heifers.

Im not ready to buy yet... im going to sit in on a few auctions and see how all that works again.. its been too long since ive been to one.. that way when im ready to start buying i have a better feel...