Stocker Steve":o7b8o407 said:
East Caney":o7b8o407 said:
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?