I've decided to start switching out my herd from primarily Angus to Hereford and eventually Brahman and Brafords. I picked this guy up this week. He's a little older then I really wanted, but his calves looked great, the price was right, and I know he's been well taken care of. He should fit my needs for the short term. Any thoughts?
New to me bull
- Thread starter AZAggie
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MurraysMutts
Well-known member
He looks a touch thin in the pics to me anyway.
Did he pass his BSE?
Did he pass his BSE?
NewRenoFarmsInKY
Well-known member
While I can't see his equipment, I don't know, I think I like him! With that said I have a soft spot for Herefords 
Son of Butch
Well-known member
Doesn't appear thin to me, no ribs showing in pic 1 of him on the move and front leg width appears adequate, so no reason for me to go out of my way to pick on the guy's new bull.
Yes. He just came off a group of cows. He's really not thin. He's going to be held up until about July, when I'll turn him into my cows. He should have plenty of time to recover by then. He'll get plenty of feed, and attention. He's at my folks house and my mom loves friendly cattle and he's definitely friendly.
WFfarm
Well-known member
You are swimming against the tide going from Angus to Herford. Good for you.
MurraysMutts
Well-known member
I like my hereford bull as well!
Gentle and gets right after it.
I didn't mean to imply he was malnourished or anything!! Far from it.
Gentle and gets right after it.
I didn't mean to imply he was malnourished or anything!! Far from it.
I've figured out that with a small herd like I have, you can't make money on commercial cattle. I'm going to do specialty breeding and hopefully find a niche here in my area.
MurraysMutts
Well-known member
Most folks around here like fancy black baldie calves.
There's a few that like red, but it's hit or miss. Not regular buyers and only have so much capacity.
There's a few that like red, but it's hit or miss. Not regular buyers and only have so much capacity.
Looks to be in his work clothes. A lot to like there, length, width, demeaner, color, gut, if his hind quarters width is good I wouldn't kick him out of the field. Also you got to see his offspring which is a plus. Did you get to talk with the prior owner?
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I bought it directly from him. He raises primarily show Brahmans, but kept Herefords around for surrogate mother cows and bred a herd of Brafords as well.
J+ Cattle
Well-known member
I hope you can gain enough lbs through hybrid vigor to offset the decrease in price per lb that you're likely to suffer for the change in breeds.
Lee VanRoss
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Black is not a breed. Black is but a color that has reached its zenith. I look for quality to hold its own in the foreseeable future, however;
those betting the ranch on the color of the hide would do well to reevaluate their business model. jmpov
J+ Cattle
Well-known member
Black is not a breed, but Angus is, the poster said he was moving from Angus to Braford.
He did not specify Red Angus or Black Angus. He will take a hit for adding ear and excess leather. But you're right, he will not have cattle that have any chance of receiving CAB premiums.
In your area you will do well selling f1 Braford heifers. Steers, not so much. But, if you breed your Angus cows to this bull, you will find black baldies ...both steers and heifers...will do as well as Angus. Sounds like a good plan.... raise black baldies as you gradually replace your Angus cows with Brahmas. You will lose money with Hereford cows vs the Angus cows. Big time. And you don't want Hereford cows and Brahma bulls. The bull calves will be monsters, and you will have to become an expert at pulling calves and performing C sections.
My goal is to have a small registered Hereford herd while working on building a registered Brahman herd. I just see what the registered specialty cattle sell for vs what I get at the sale barn for commercial cattle. There is no comparison. I could cut my herd size in half and make twice the money.
Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
LOL - People selling PB cattle takes years of building a reputation to start reaping the $$$.
In all reality, your males will still be going thru the sale barn unless you are smart and go direct to a feedlot that will buy your steers. A GOOD PB breeder castrates the majority of his males. Just because you have papers on a bull doesn't mean he should be sold as a breeding bull. And depends on demand in your area.
In all reality, your males will still be going thru the sale barn unless you are smart and go direct to a feedlot that will buy your steers. A GOOD PB breeder castrates the majority of his males. Just because you have papers on a bull doesn't mean he should be sold as a breeding bull. And depends on demand in your area.
wbvs58
Well-known member
I agree with everything Jeanne said. People won't come rushing to you to buy your bulls. I am a small breeder and people like me are "bottom feeders", I tend to pick up the smaller breeder which I appreciate but unfortunately they are only looking for a bull once every several years and also they aren't prepared to pay big dollars for a bull. Last year and hopefully this year over here it has been pretty easy to sell bulls due to herd rebuilding but I expect demand to drop off next year. I am getting a good reputation so hopefully that will help but I will be looking closely at the numbers I develop. I have my eye on entering steers in a feedback trial, last year I got champion pen of feeder steers at a special steer and bullock sale so there are quite a few easier options for the males than selling as bulls.
Ken
Ken
He looks like a Brute...how many pounds is he? 2,200.? How old is he...4, 5 years? He has good solid hind quarters/legs, above average. I could take 3 more inches in height on all the legs....but now-a-days your bull is what people love most...shorter stance. I'm not convinced shorter bulls can bred taller females as successfully as taller bulls can on taller females. Nobody has those stats just pure speculation on my part.
I haven't got a weight on him yet, but I'm guessing in the 2100-2200 lb range. He's really not short. He's quite a bit taller than my Angus bull, which has been a problem. I've got a 1850 lb Angus/Brahman cross cow (she was just weighed at the vet) that is far too tall for my Angus to breed. She's so big that she has to squeeze herself through my squeeze chute. I had her AI'd this year, which is the first time I've done that.
