Registered cattle or not

[dt34715]

I have a small herd (25) of commercial angus cattle. I've been thinking about slowly getting into the registered business. Your pros and cons are welcomed.

 

[ram]

Every Tom Dick and Harry that knows how to AI or implant embryos embryos is doing it so why not you? I still can't see why a comercial cattlemen would buy a bull from a small breeder. Most any registered bull will look good if he's fed up properly and pampered.
I've bought three AI bulls that looked good when I bought them, and in 6 months looked like crap. After 12 to 18 months though they finally came back around. Most buyers and sellers are proud of their bulls. But very few can hold up without losing condition, and so far for us those few will sire the best calves. IMO Names and numbers don't mean much.

 

[bse]

With registered you have 2 different ways to market your cattle, if there good enough there registered if not there commercial. With commercial cattle there just commercial, but good commercial heifers will sale.
With registered there is a little paperwork involved, takes up very little time as long as you stay on top of things. If your not going to turn in data you really just have papered commercial cattle. Those numbers will mean alot to you, and the commercial folks buying your bulls. Pedigrees and names will also mean something, although the commercial folks may not know what name of this bull or that bull is, they have heard the different sires and recognize those names.
I did just what your talking about, slowly swaped the commercials out, still just a few for recips, have no regrets from doing it, I like trying to mate them and make the offspring better.
You can have 1 Registered cow with a bull calf, and sell that calf just fine, if you grow that bull out right. These animals will only be as good as your reputation over time.