pulling bull out of pasture

[jt]

When I cull a cow all I want for her is every penny I can get.
We don't gain when we cull, we just cut our losses.
but thats just me

Pass on your culls as breeding stock?

this is a silly argument.. just because one man thinks a cow is a cull, does that make her a bad cow? one that should not be resold to someone who might want to take a chance on her? if so, then the sale barns shouldnt take 90% of the cows that come thru there.


just because i might sell a cow that didnt breed back as fast as i thought she should, kill her?? the next guy might want to take the chance with her.. he might be on a different breeding schedule and she might fit in just right for him.

there is nothing wrong with culling ruthlessly, but it can be done foolishly too.. unless you dont care how much you lose on the particular cow.

you must realize that the definition of cull "may" be different, depending on the experience, amount of $ a man has, etc

also, some cant afford the "best cows", so they start with what they can afford. and some will not buy the best even if they can afford them.

its a viscious cycle.. we all have our favorite cows and then those we want to upgrade to better cows. so we continually try to upgrade. what i like, you might think is a cull.... its like arguing which is the best breed of cow..

the worst cow in some herds is better than the best is other herds.. so why argue over where "cull" cows go.. if you take them to the sale barn, let it be sorted there by those bidding.



jmo

jt

 

[J+]

All that I know is that last year with my heifers I started calving in the middle of August with my fall herd and I am just about finished calving now with my spring herd. I had bought some of these heifers and never again will this situation happen. I had calves that entire time and it flat wore me out. I don't know what was worse, it being 100 degrees at 11:00 pm in the fall, the snow storm and calves riding around in my truck with me in the winter, or being hungover on New Years Day (had 3 calves on Jan 1). I can keep alot better records of my cattle when they are broken up into seasons. My vet always laughs when he goes out and works cattle for the year around herd. The farmer tells him how they never have any problems but yet Doc says they always work 75 cows and 60 calves. I am not very smart but the math doesn't add up! They range from 600 lbs to 150 lbs. Not a good uniform set at all. But as always, this is my 2 cents.

 

[hillbilly]

I too like my heifers to calve within a 30 day window, if you raise your own thats not a problem, just keep them seperate till they are old enough
[youngest of group 14 mo's.] then turn them in all at once...they get alot of attn.
As far as culls go, Most of us started with someones culls, I did, bought groups of 3 or 4 at a local sale. 18 years later my culls are better than the best cow I started with.
Again, I need all I can get from the girls I take to town, No matter what they bring, I loose.
As far as year round calving, all I can say is it works for me. This computer I'm messing with keeps great records. If you know your cows and you know the date of their last calf, you can stay on top of things pretty good.
I only sell 4 or 5 in a group but it does not seem to hurt me too bad in this area. They sell small groups first [5 or under] and somtimes a GOOD small group will bring more than a big set.
I only sell when I hear good reports on feeder prices, I can carry a few extra for up to 120days. I never get caught having to winter an entire crop like many of my neighbors did this year.
I did sell more hay this winter than normal...maybe you are right!
Mountain William

 

[J+]

Those are very good points. The other problem I have with not having a calving season is that my summer grass is not that close to my home place. I am set up good to winter my cows and calve my cows at home but then I take them to grass. I like to have my records with my computer also, but if a cow calves on a section of grass an hour away it is a little tuff to keep up with the numbers. But if you take them to grass already done, you know how many you have and you won't leave any behind.

As far as selling them in smaller groups it does work but it also limits your ability to get the most from your calves. There have been many arguments on this web page about salebarns, video sales, buying directly from the ranch, etc. I just want to have all the options. And I can't sell on video with groups of 4 or 5. I sell at the salebarns right know but things might change. I want to have all of the options because the old girls got to pay their own way and a little bit of mine.

As far as selling the cows, they weigh the most when they come off of grass. I can wean the calves and cull the ones I want and don't have to mess with them all winter.

I usually keep my own replacements but I had the oppurtunity to get some more grass and had to buy to fill the pastures. Never again! As I always say just my 2 cents!

 

[D.R. Cattle]

When I use the term "cull" I mean she doesn't breed like a cow should or she's just flat crazy. Neither has an effect on the local meat packers that are buying fats. Either way I hope a cow calf operator doesn't buy them as replacements. Most anything I ever bought from the weekly sale was there for the same reason and I found out the hard way. Likewise from time to time the barns will advertise a replacement sale which is different and they have rules for even allowing heifers to be presented.

 

[hillbilly]

Thats whats great about cattle, there is a hundred ways of doing everything, some personal preferance, some necessity.
I've got no "beef" with anybody trying to produce a good product that will increase demand. No matter how they go about it.
William