CattleMan1920
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2018
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I have a question, or more like an informal survey. Many times, almost weekly, I encounter or get a call from people who need a bull, they want an Angus bull, a really good one, but they either cannot or do not want to pay $3k-5k for a registered bull or even more for A.I. sons. We have a short conversation and then they are on their merry way. They don't get a bull, and I don't get a sale.
Now as you guys may know from the short time I've been on here, I breed only registered Angus cattle. There are no commercial cattle on our operation, and 90% of the females are AI'd. This might mean something to other Angus breeders or to someone that is seeking a bull for a specific purpose, but to many people I speak with, it doesn't mean jack sh..t. They just want a bull to get the job done, they don't want any issues with him, and they want him cheap. They don't care about papers because they will never be transferring registration or joining AAA. They know they want black calves because that's what they will typically make the most money on when they take cattle to the stockyards.
Considering what I have said above, is it worth taking sons of top AI sires like SAV President, Baldridge Colonel, SAV International, and so on, use those sons on older cows, or the bottom 25% in terms of EPD's or non AI daughters, get bulls from them and sell those bulls for $2k with no registration papers, no genetic tests, and no BSE at 12 months? Basically, no guarantees of any kind. The bull buyer would get a cheap purebred Angus bull out of a registered cow and sire, AND they would have a grandson of an exceptional AI sire. The bulls would be sold as yearlings, they would have received a very limited grain ration, and would have been developed mostly on low quality hay or grass, not much more. I'll recap, no guarantees other than the fact that they came from top pedigrees. It would basically be a Cadillac for the price of an entry level Chevy.
I'm sure other registered producers in KY would not be too happy about this, because it will dilute their advantage in the business, but I think it's more practical than steering these animals and the demand is clearly strong. I know you may think I'm obnoxious when I say this, but these bulls would probably exceed most of what you see at registered sales for far less cost and would ultimately help the small producers improve their herd, which is a win. The risk they run however by NOT paying for the whole ************* package is a potentially sterile bull, no registration, no EPD information, no knowledge of whether it's terminal or calving ease, basically nothing more than its guaranteed to be purebred Angus from registered Angus sire and dams. I think many people would be fine with that around here. They buy mystery bulls every day.
They would be sold under a different company, because I would never stamp our brand on the product, that is only for our registered animals from AI or ET. If a buyer was uncomfortable with the mystery bull, they could always pay up for the higher quality direct AI son and have all the information he or she could ever want on a bull.
Would like your feedback, good, bad, and of course the UGLY!
Now as you guys may know from the short time I've been on here, I breed only registered Angus cattle. There are no commercial cattle on our operation, and 90% of the females are AI'd. This might mean something to other Angus breeders or to someone that is seeking a bull for a specific purpose, but to many people I speak with, it doesn't mean jack sh..t. They just want a bull to get the job done, they don't want any issues with him, and they want him cheap. They don't care about papers because they will never be transferring registration or joining AAA. They know they want black calves because that's what they will typically make the most money on when they take cattle to the stockyards.
Considering what I have said above, is it worth taking sons of top AI sires like SAV President, Baldridge Colonel, SAV International, and so on, use those sons on older cows, or the bottom 25% in terms of EPD's or non AI daughters, get bulls from them and sell those bulls for $2k with no registration papers, no genetic tests, and no BSE at 12 months? Basically, no guarantees of any kind. The bull buyer would get a cheap purebred Angus bull out of a registered cow and sire, AND they would have a grandson of an exceptional AI sire. The bulls would be sold as yearlings, they would have received a very limited grain ration, and would have been developed mostly on low quality hay or grass, not much more. I'll recap, no guarantees other than the fact that they came from top pedigrees. It would basically be a Cadillac for the price of an entry level Chevy.
I'm sure other registered producers in KY would not be too happy about this, because it will dilute their advantage in the business, but I think it's more practical than steering these animals and the demand is clearly strong. I know you may think I'm obnoxious when I say this, but these bulls would probably exceed most of what you see at registered sales for far less cost and would ultimately help the small producers improve their herd, which is a win. The risk they run however by NOT paying for the whole ************* package is a potentially sterile bull, no registration, no EPD information, no knowledge of whether it's terminal or calving ease, basically nothing more than its guaranteed to be purebred Angus from registered Angus sire and dams. I think many people would be fine with that around here. They buy mystery bulls every day.
They would be sold under a different company, because I would never stamp our brand on the product, that is only for our registered animals from AI or ET. If a buyer was uncomfortable with the mystery bull, they could always pay up for the higher quality direct AI son and have all the information he or she could ever want on a bull.
Would like your feedback, good, bad, and of course the UGLY!