Poor man's program...

[hillbilly beef man]

Jed is a smart hillbilly.

Ain't no hills here. Flatland.

Oh you're selling it short Jed, There's that one hill down the road

If a round bale will set still more than one way it ain't a hill. :lol:

 

[jedstivers]

We measure fall in 2.4" in 100'.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

East Caney you are doing it way I have seems to work for me. Had a lot of cows around here well over 10 years old. I got a 2000 model here that I bought with a heifer calf on her. She had a full sister to that heifer the next spring. Bull calf the next spring that weaned 645 another heifer this year and is bred back to calve next spring. She still looks good keeps herself up gets bred back on time and still weans a nice calf. This years heifer may her best one yet.

 

[ohiosteve]

Jed is a smart hillbilly.

Jed ain't no Hillbilly he is a flatlander he just has a real smart hillbilly working for him

I'm not sure if Y'all are serious or not about not living in the hills but when I say hillbilly it's a compliment. Some of the finest people I know are hillbillys. When I think of Arkansas I think of hills.

 

[bigbull338]

EC i worry about giving big money for the cows and something happens to them.the truth is thats the cattle business and im used to that.thats why when i buy cattle for big money i make sure they pay for theirselves in 1 or 2 calves.ive done pretty good by staying with that plan.i used to buy older cows like you.but i got stung real bad doing that an i learned my lesson.

 

[Angus Cowman]

Jed is a smart hillbilly.

Jed ain't no Hillbilly he is a flatlander he just has a real smart hillbilly working for him

I'm not sure if Y'all are serious or not about not living in the hills but when I say hillbilly it's a compliment. Some of the finest people I know are hillbillys. When I think of Arkansas I think of hills.

Steve
Where we are in Arkansas if you see a hill or a rock someone has put it there
We are in the eastern part of the state in the Mississippi river delta
Dang Flatlanders !!!!
Now the portion of the state that Redbull Breeder is from has a few flat spots but none are laying horizontal and Rocks smaller than your fist are considered topsoil in his part of the state

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

About the highest spot around Jed is a combine seat. They got a little hump down there they call a ridge but I can't hardly tell it there.

 

[Named'em Tamed'em]

My dad was born in Blytheville, and my Grandma lived in Beebe (sp). It seemed flat around there. But I can stand at sea level and look at Mt Rainier 14400 ft.

 

[hillbilly beef man]

About the highest spot around Jed is a combine seat. They got a little hump down there they call a ridge but I can't hardly tell it there.

I spent six months working in Wake Forrest. The locals kept saying go over the hill when giving directions. I looked for six months and did not see a hill till I got past Wilksborough. :lol:

 

[jedstivers]

My dad was born in Blytheville, and my Grandma lived in Beebe (sp). It seemed flat around there. But I can stand at sea level and look at Mt Rainier 14400 ft.

Blytheville is as flat as here. Beebe is nothing but hills.
And my house is at 230 feet above sea level and I'm 400 miles from the gulf.

 

[highgrit]

Have you ever been to Seattle Jed? It's unbelievable how pretty and big the trees are. We went to
Mt. Rainier in the middle of July and there was still snow. The Space Needle isn't bad either, but it sure sways in the wind. Cost $30.00 for a cheeseburger but the view was awesome.

 

[DOC HARRIS]

What do you do to stretch your dollars to the limit when you're trying to establish a successful breeding program?

For me, I go to a friend and reputable breeder. I study his herd and talk to him about what he can stand to get rid of. I leave having purchased two of his three oldest cows (15 years old), one with her 15th calf (a very nice heifer) on her side and the other bred to calve about the first of March. I leave with a 3rd cow that has already seen her 13th birthday and has never missed a beat. She's due to calve around the first of February. Year after year, since I became associated with Beefmasters, I've watched the 13 year old raise very, very good bull calves that later made darn good bulls. By default, these girls will get a little extra care by the simple fact that the remainder of the herd is comprised of bred heifers. My goal in selecting these older cows was to select proven cows. They still have good udders and structural soundness to carry out the job. My hope is that I can get heifers from the two breds. I'm hoping that longevity will be passed along.

I think this option has provided a low risk, very high reward means of expanding my program. What do you think?

EC

Merry Christmas EC!!

I whole-heartedly approve of your herd management protocols, just so long as the cows you are acquiring and their calves are in concert, genetically and phenotypically, with your future goals plans. And I assume that they are. This is one of the most economically prudent methods of acquiring genetics that will go a long way toward enhancing your future agenda. The next critical step is to focus on balancing your herd genetics by using Multiple Trait Bull Selection Choices on ALL of your females.

I think - GOOD FOR YOU!

I think - that you will have a very Profitable 2015!

DOC HARRIS

 

[Named'em Tamed'em]

Here is the view of Mt. Rainer

 

[jedstivers]

Have you ever been to Seattle Jed? It's unbelievable how pretty and big the trees are. We went to
Mt. Rainier in the middle of July and there was still snow. The Space Needle isn't bad either, but it sure sways in the wind. Cost $30.00 for a cheeseburger but the view was awesome.

No, until last year San Antonio was as far west as I had been. Went to Anchorage in the summer of 13 but flew there so that was all I got to see of the western part of the country.

 

[Stocker Steve]

What do you do to stretch your dollars to the limit when you're trying to establish a successful breeding program?

My goal in selecting these older cows was to select proven cows. They still have good udders and structural soundness to carry out the job. My hope is that I can get heifers from the two breds. I'm hoping that longevity will be passed along.

I think this option has provided a low risk, very high reward means of expanding my program. What do you think? EC

1) Depends on who you buy from. I have bought older cows from a somewhat pampered herd and half were open the next fall... I bought some running age cows 5 years ago from a rough outfit and these cows are still raising a good calf.
2) Need a low cost way to help broken mouth cows during the winter.
3) Use A.I. instead of buying a big $$$ unproven bull.
4) Use sexed semen, on at least the heifers
5)

 

[ANAZAZI]

What do you do to stretch your dollars to the limit when you're trying to establish a successful breeding program?

My goal in selecting these older cows was to select proven cows. They still have good udders and structural soundness to carry out the job. My hope is that I can get heifers from the two breds. I'm hoping that longevity will be passed along.

I think this option has provided a low risk, very high reward means of expanding my program. What do you think? EC

1) Depends on who you buy from. I have bought older cows from a somewhat pampered herd and half were open the next fall... I bought some running age cows 5 years ago from a rough outfit and these cows are still raising a good calf.
2) Need a low cost way to help broken mouth cows during the winter.
3) Use A.I. instead of buying a big $$$ unproven bull.
4) Use sexed semen, on at least the heifers
5)

:clap: :clap:
It can not be stressed enough that "old proven" cows are old and proven only if they are not too pampered; only if there were real culling on the place, otherwise "old and proven" is just old.
I also agree that A.I. easily gives you more for your money than an expensive bull, but make sure the A.I. bull is out of an old cow in a non pampered environment even better if the granddam is old too.
Why not raise some bulls out of those old cows you buy, then breed them with other old cows, as well as on your other cows you want replacements from?

 

[jedstivers]

What do you do to stretch your dollars to the limit when you're trying to establish a successful breeding program?

My goal in selecting these older cows was to select proven cows. They still have good udders and structural soundness to carry out the job. My hope is that I can get heifers from the two breds. I'm hoping that longevity will be passed along.

I think this option has provided a low risk, very high reward means of expanding my program. What do you think? EC

1) Depends on who you buy from. I have bought older cows from a somewhat pampered herd and half were open the next fall... I bought some running age cows 5 years ago from a rough outfit and these cows are still raising a good calf.
2) Need a low cost way to help broken mouth cows during the winter.
3) Use A.I. instead of buying a big $$$ unproven bull.
4) Use sexed semen, on at least the heifers
5)

:clap: :clap:
It can not be stressed enough that "old proven" cows are old and proven only if they are not too pampered; only if there were real culling on the place, otherwise "old and proven" is just old.
I also agree that A.I. easily gives you more for your money than an expensive bull, but make sure the A.I. bull is out of an old cow in a non pampered environment even better if the granddam is old too.
Why not raise some bulls out of those old cows you buy, then breed them with other old cows, as well as on your other cows you want replacements from?

These cows we are buying sure weren't pampered.

 

[Stocker Steve]

:clap: :clap:
It can not be stressed enough that "old proven" cows are old and proven only if they are not too pampered; only if there were real culling on the place, otherwise "old and proven" is just old.
I also agree that A.I. easily gives you more for your money than an expensive bull, but make sure the A.I. bull is out of an old cow in a non pampered environment even better if the granddam is old too.
Why not raise some bulls out of those old cows you buy, then breed them with other old cows, as well as on your other cows you want replacements from?

I have started to retain 1 bull calf per year but this approach has been a bit humbling. Maybe I need to retain more just like the Anazazi heifer method - - and then do some more hard cull'in after they are yearlings?

 

[ANAZAZI]

:clap: :clap:
It can not be stressed enough that "old proven" cows are old and proven only if they are not too pampered; only if there were real culling on the place, otherwise "old and proven" is just old.
I also agree that A.I. easily gives you more for your money than an expensive bull, but make sure the A.I. bull is out of an old cow in a non pampered environment even better if the granddam is old too.
Why not raise some bulls out of those old cows you buy, then breed them with other old cows, as well as on your other cows you want replacements from?

I have started to retain 1 bull calf per year but this approach has been a bit humbling. Maybe I need to retain more just like the Anazazi heifer method - - and then do some more hard cull'in after they are yearlings?

:nod: And by the way I am still flattered that you call it the Anazazi method. :wave:

 

[Nesikep]

I have started keeping a bull calf a year, more to protect myself if my main bull fails me than anything else, but also so I can split up my herd to make for easier pasture management. The one I kept this year comes from a line of old cows, Mother is 9 and in her prime, grandma had 16 calves without skipping a beat, and great grandma had 13 calves. His mother has also got the other good traits I look for.. perfect udder with lots of milk, throws smaller calves at birth than the rest of the herd, and they come out like torpedoes.. if you blink you'll miss the birth, good hooves, and good attitudes, and he's got a meaty butt.

Here's a cow that might have made me money had I bought her.. with her size she probably went relatively cheap, this was 2 years ago, and by now she'd have made money on just the per-pound.. I'm not sure if she was bred (she would have had to be for me to consider her), but I'm sure she could give you a few scale crushing calves yet