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marksmu

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Location
Deep South East Texas - Chambers County
I took these photos yesterday from a herd I am looking into buying. These are mostly Brangus/Brangus Cross heifers. Some are heavy bred - a couple have calved, and the rest are about 11-13 months old, and are open. I am looking for opinions on the condition of these cattle. The rancher runs a reputable herd - carries about 400 head/yr, but is being forced to sell since it has been so dry this year in Central TX (not anymore after this weekend though). At any rate, some are skinny, and all have been on grass/hay/cubes/minerals for the last 4-5 months. Saw only 1 out of the 100 or so with any visible problems (slight limp)

Just looking for opinions on them....

Thanks in advance

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Can't tell that much about them from the two pics. you posted but all are definitely undernourished to say the least. Have the been nursing calfs or just poor from lack of feed? May have a lot of potential here but will take a while to get them turned around. Are they bred?? Whoever the seller is, I hope he sells off most of them.
 
Most are just underfed from lack of grass and hay - there are about 18 heavy bred - should calve within the month. The rest are just young and underfed. There are 6 calves already on the ground.

I have ample grass - just dont want to get myself into trouble here buying heavy bred cattle that are undernourished, and then getting undernourished calves. Here are some more photos to look at...

View attachment 2

View attachment 1

 
They are in pretty bad shape. Most will likely recover if they get some good groceries.

If these are Texas cattle, why are they calving so late?
 
Take them. Do not pay full price. Do not worry about them if you can provide grass. You may have to wait until they are in shape before you breed them to the bull of their dreams. Good luck!
 
Owner says they are on a 90 days calving window. Started Feb ends April - he has already sold alot of the other pairs. These heavy breds and the pairs are just the last ones he has to calve. The others are just open heifers.

I was wondering the same thing about why so late, but since they are calving and he claims to not have assisted any this year, I am thinking they may just be the later bred cows. They were all bred back to a low bw brangus bull - 68lbs.

Is there a problem with getting them so under fed in terms of nursing and calf health? Would it effect my ability to breed get them bred back in a couple months? I've read up on the subject, but this will be my first rodeo of actually owning them. Ive only watched as my neighbors do everything.
 
You're asking the right questions. Breeding back would be a valid concern. Even on the best forage, it is going to take time for them to recover.

Most everything has some ear. They should nurse fine and gain during the heat of the summer.

Weak cows are more susceptible to disease and parasites. Watch them close and keep them wormed. Keep them on good minerals and good forage.

If they are priced right, I might take a chance on them myself if forage is available.
 
Price - $850 for the bred heifers, $1000 for the pairs $700 for the open heifers. All are Brangus, bred back to registered brangus bulls. None of the heifers or calves are registered.

You tell me if that is a fair price. I have been searching for a long time, and it seems the best deals are gone before I can get to them, or they wont break off a number I am willing to buy for my first try. Though alot of the scruff is still the winter coat not falling off yet.
 
marksmu":354d4tiq said:
Price - $850 for the bred heifers, $1000 for the pairs $700 for the open heifers. All are Brangus, bred back to registered brangus bulls. None of the heifers or calves are registered.

You tell me if that is a fair price. I have been searching for a long time, and it seems the best deals are gone before I can get to them, or they wont break off a number I am willing to buy for my first try.
heck no..... he must think more of em then i thought ... he needs too drop about two hundred on each of those figures from what i see... and you taking a gamble of on later calving and putting weight on em
 
I'd offer $850 on the pairs and $600 on the heavy breds. Don't think he would get much more than that at the sale barn, but then, that is why he is selling private treaty. Pass on the open.
 
I don't see too much reason for concern, the fact that they had to rough it out might just be a blessing in disguise, select the better doers now and you know you have easy keepers for the future.

They definately need a very good ongoing parasite control program for the next few months, but you'll be surprised how fast they can gain when on ample grass. I don't think you'll have rebreeding issues, I'd rather have underconditioned cattle that are gaining before and through the breeding season than have fat ones losing condition.

I suggest you offer to buy them over a scale, make him a decent offer per lb and their lack of condition will hide your risk in the reduced paying price. I think there may be an opportunity lurking here.
 
Those heifers will weigh out more than some of you think they will. Heifers of that quality and size brought from $85 to $97 per cwt. Saturday.
 
BC":3tjtvuqd said:
Those heifers will weigh out more than some of you think they will. Heifers of that quality and size brought from $85 to $97 per cwt. Saturday.

This forum has several different definitions of what a heifer is. You may be going right over somebody's head. :D
 
backhoeboogie":2yz65tln said:
BC":2yz65tln said:
Those heifers will weigh out more than some of you think they will. Heifers of that quality and size brought from $85 to $97 per cwt. Saturday.

This forum has several different definitions of what a heifer is. You may be going right over somebody's head. :D
not likely...
 
marksmu":25ll0h2j said:
Price - $850 for the bred heifers, $1000 for the pairs $700 for the open heifers. All are Brangus, bred back to registered brangus bulls. None of the heifers or calves are registered.

You tell me if that is a fair price. I have been searching for a long time, and it seems the best deals are gone before I can get to them, or they wont break off a number I am willing to buy for my first try. Though alot of the scruff is still the winter coat not falling off yet.

WAY TO MUCH for those cattle in THIS area. They wouldn't bring $650 run thru a sale barn full of buyers. The open cattle would sale by the pound and wouldn't bring $400 each. I wouldn't even consider them at the prices he's quoting you. Got a pic of the bulls they're running with?
 
marksmu":2lr6ylwm said:
I took these photos yesterday from a herd I am looking into buying. These are mostly Brangus/Brangus Cross heifers. Some are heavy bred - a couple have calved, and the rest are about 11-13 months old, and are open. I am looking for opinions on the condition of these cattle. The rancher runs a reputable herd - carries about 400 head/yr, but is being forced to sell since it has been so dry this year in Central TX (not anymore after this weekend though). At any rate, some are skinny, and all have been on grass/hay/cubes/minerals for the last 4-5 months. Saw only 1 out of the 100 or so with any visible problems (slight limp)

Just looking for opinions on them....

Thanks in advance

View attachment 1


sounds high too me
so checked some of the auction reports to be sure
heifers probably weigh 750-800 ?
.80 per pound = 600.00 or so
cows are thin and will be discounted at the sale so i'd say 650.00

auction report
http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/ams.fet ... TXSLCattle
Replacement Cows: Medium and Large 1-2: young 765-1215 lb cows 6-8 months
bred 850.00-990.00 per head; middle aged 1120-1410 lb cows 7-8 months bred
820.00-930.00 per head; aged 830-1090 lb cow 5-8 months bred 510.00-610.00 per
head.

Cow/Calf Pairs: Medium and Large 1-2: young to middle age 780-1045 lb cows
w/110-140 lb calves 650.00-710.00 per pair, 1470 lb fancy cows w/200 lbs calf
1210.00 per pair.
 
that's a lot of cows if you have never had any.

and if you do have problems, you could easily be in over your head.
 
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