JHH":2syihx5s said:
I didnt read this thread till I posted on the other one. My friend also said they pulled 95% of the calves out of that bull they had but said they sure made up for it by selling bulls. :roll: That is what happened around here. I just couldnt sleep at night if I would try something like that.
JHH - this comment to me gets to the root that is holding back the breed and our industry. The man wasn't selling bulls he was selling Frame and why was he rewarded cause part of our industry wanted it. what is wrong with our industry - bottom line there are too many components pulling in different directions. until we develop cattle that work the way a true ranch needs them to and they match with what the feeder, the packer, the end consumer it will continue to be a whirlwind of never ending fads. personally i think we are starting to see a glimpse of what works for the rancher does make the feeder and packer money and it has been sped up quite a bit with higher energy and feed costs and i think it will only continue down this road. to me another component of the industry that needs to be scrutinized is marbling and i'll go as far as to say the word CHOICE. that word has all but sealed the deal for angus over the last however long and I guess i question it to a point.
angus cattle have dominated for a good stretch now - why? cause bare bones they come the closest to covering the bases on all levels of the industry and in my opinion number one capitalized on the word choice. with that said i truly believe that hereford influence is what is going to get our overall industry balanced. personally - i am not going to chase marbling to fit the mold and i sincerely doubt that our consumers will be talked out of the word choice...
but when i ask a straight black commercial cow/calf man what he would like to improve in his cowherd - its the same two things everytime.... temperment and fleshing ability, ruggedness, heartiness, or what i refer to as "do-ability". and when i ask them what is holding you back with hereford influence it is the same everytime - we tried it and got burned or we have no market for the calves that aren't the same hide color... but they are teetering more and more with ever year that goes by and coupled with the fact that energy costs are skyrocketing i think all the segments might just teeter far enough.