Opinions on some heifers

[2/B or not 2/B]

These are some heifers from last year. We'd like to keep one or more as replacements. Any opinions on which are best? Feed is always poor this time of year and they have not been babied.

#1 Red Angus, on the small side from a smaller framed cow, 5 months younger than the rest

#2 RAxShorthorn, pretty much refuses to take a bad photo

#3 RAxShorthorn, 3/4 sister to the one above

#4 RAxPolled Hereford, better than the photo but possibly a little too smart for a cow

#5 Shorthorn, not from this farm and some of you may remember that I've been collecting them for a while but not having good luck finding the right type

Thanks!

 

[piedmontese]

i definately like #4 the best.1,2,&3 are nice also.# 5 is terrible in my opinion.

 

[kerley]

Nice cattle, I like #4. Sure looks dry there but the comming rains will change that. :welcome: back.

 

[George Monk]

1,2,4 are nice! I would keep number 3 but wouldn't get especially attached to her and if she didn't do an excellent job as a momma away she goes. I don't like the 5th one.

 

[tom4018]

I think 1,3 and 4 are the best ones, 2 is pretty good. I think 5 lacks the depth the others have. Just my opinion from the pics which sometimes don't do justice.

 

[IluvABbeef]

Number 4 is an outstanding heifer.

 

[2/B or not 2/B]

I appreciate the replies. You were maybe a little too generous with them, but thank you. Yes, rain is probably coming next week. Thunderstorms have been hitting the high country. I am so sick of dust.

#1 I think she's going. Maybe the picture doesn't show it well enough, but I think she's pretty pinched in the heart girth. She will be a smaller cow, shorter bodied, with smaller capacity and the jury is still out on her mom in the areas of milking ability and fertility. She would definitely be easy keeping though. I'd like to keep her and see, but she's on the short list right now.

#2 We like #2. Her mother is 11 years old, sound and doing well for herself. I think she'll develop into a very nice cow.

#3 My husband likes #3, but to me she's a gamble and I'd be willing to part with her. We just sold her mother this spring. She was raising a nice steer calf, but she was hard doing. She had a bad case of foot rot a couple of summers ago and has seemed tender footed and slow going ever since. She seemed to milk fine, but her teats were large and placed very closely together. She and her calf sold for $1,350, which we were very happy with.

#4 Her mama is a sale barn cow who has had 3 heifers in a row, been easy keeping, and sticks with the program. This heifer found a way to get into a neighboring pasture and we couldn't figure out how she was doing it. Thought she might be jumping, so we put up an extra wire. Turns out a post was broke at the bottom and she was pushing under. There's a spring and a wet spot on the other side and she kept going to it. She did it several times, but not anymore since it's been fixed.

#5 I'm overly optimistic with young animals and not critical enough. Never should have gotten this one. Hard doing and pencil gutted. She and her line need daily handouts to look decent :roll:

We'll probably keep 2, 3 and 4 and see what they can do.

 

[Sir Loin]

2/B or not 2/B

I like all 5 as candidates for replacement heifers.
IMO all 5 with the right bull could give you some real good calves.
But I think you are premature in attempting to select "one or more" at this time, as there are several hurdles that must be crossed before I would make my selection.

I would wait until all 5 have proven themselves, then select the ones I would like to keep and sell the ones I don't want as 3 in 1.
That way you will maximize your profit on your investment for those you sell and have the cream of the crop for yourself as far as breeding, calving and breed back time goes.

I always like to see the end product ( calf on the ground and momma bred back ) before I select my replacement heifers.
It's just my way of avoiding to have to cull later.
SL

 

[2/B or not 2/B]

Thanks, SL. It wouldn't be good for our pastures or pocketbook to overwinter all of them though so we need to narrow things down. In this case, it looks like we'll be eliminating the extremes.

 

[cross_7]

nice set of heifers

 

[Sir Loin]

OK, then I would keep #1, #3 and # 5 in the hopes of getting 2 proven replacements.

I would put a large older red or black angus bull on them.
Good luck
SL

 

[Anonymous]

Let me take a stab at this and you guys tell me how I do. #4..she looks excellent. Seems to have good dpeth and spring of her ribs.
#1.she ok, but needs more butt and better front legs.kinda skinny on the front legs. #2 doesn't seem to have much depth. #3 could be a good one but looks young and may bloom. #5..too framey period