Horseless
Well-known member
To answer my own question; I kept about 10% but it needs to be higher just to maintain numbers and do a better job culling. So I'll be buying somemore
Horseless":1xdwmeo8 said:The heifers that I have raised myself always bred back better than the ones I have bought. Not sure on the reasons for this.
Maybe I should start a new thread but I'll ask it here: What is percentage of heifers that you retain from the whole herd number?
1982vett":27i3ecke said:Got to call you out on this Caustic, or maybe keep things in perspectiveYou have effectively decreased taxable income :banana: by not selling a calfCaustic Burno":27i3ecke said:Cypress your right but don't forget the dam on ever retained heifer returned nothing to the bottom line as well,This is also all expenses than has effectively reduced taxable income. :clap: By now the sale of the animal is taxed as capital gains instead of ordinary income. You should also have an increase in "net asset value".caustic":27i3ecke said:thats a pretty hefty cost to retain you have put a 1.35 a day into the dam for 2 years with no return on investment as well as the heifer + 700 bucks in the heifer after weaning until she calf's and another 200 days until she returns to the bottom line.Nothing to write off because it has already been expensed. Remember, you have had less income to be taxed in the previous year. Just have to decrease "net asset value"caustic":27i3ecke said:You also have no write off on the heifer if she falls over dead.I know both sides of these arguments pretty well. Both have their pluses and minuses. I have come to realize that no matter at what stage I buy them, I am still going to get some that need to be culled. After paying a lot of $$$ for a pair, that can be a hard thing to do after just one calf. You still run the same risk of needing to cull after that first calf even if you keep you own. :?caustic":27i3ecke said:Calving heifers is always a crap shoot at best. For a commericial operation where you are not retaining genetic value your burning money to produce retaining heifers.
VanC":1ao8newo said:Brute 23":1ao8newo said:As with every thing in the cattle business it depends on your situation on if it is "worth" it or not.
Exactly. There are so many variables that change from producer to producer. Everyone needs to look at their own situation and go from there. Anyone who makes the blanket statement that one is better than the other in every instance shouldn't be taken seriously.
Caustic Burno":if5m0gp4 said:There is nothing wrong with retaining heifers, just realize they are no where close to being free.
They actually have a very high intial cost. Heifers also have a higher incidence of oh crap's.
It makes perfect sense to retain in a registered herd where you are retaining a genetic plus.
From a commericial terminal case it has loser wrote all over it.
We make money by putting pounds across the scale, a F-1 cross will weigh 10% more at weaning over a straight bred and a 3 way will weigh 18% MORE.
It is about putting the best terminal bull with low birth weights and calving ease numbers on crossbred cows to maximize hybred vigor.
You can't sell a dead calf you want them to get here the size of a housecat and grow like weeds.
As Forrest would say thats all I have to say about that.
novatech":2ivs8qcv said:Having said this here is some food for thought, I do not see where anyone is accounting for the fact that these are replacements. This means there is a cow not eating grass or hay. Does the replacement heifer eat more grass or hay than the cow she is replaceing? There is also not value put on what the replaced cow brought at market. So basicly you are losing a years production from one animal. That fact alone will cause many to cull a cow but yet it is OK to retain and loose a year or more?
Horseless":14sw2pog said:For being so expensive to raise, there sure are a lot of them for sale. If it cost me that much to raise a heifer as stated above, then I shouldn't being raising cattle at all. If everybody that raises bred heifers lost money, I guess we would run out of cows. ;-) It must be why we are running out of ranchers ;-) Still be believe the ones I raise are usually better quality than what I can buy and will last longer in the herd, thats where money will be made. I still buy some, but to get the quality I have to pay a premium, from producers who didn't cut corners by not providing mineral and etc. As far as buying mid-aged cows, I ask why was someone selling them at such a young age. And if they can stay in my herd for 5 years, divide the cost by five, and hope they make it the five years.
Horseless":30nsz1t7 said:For being so expensive to raise, there sure are a lot of them for sale. If it cost me that much to raise a heifer as stated above, then I shouldn't being raising cattle at all. If everybody that raises bred heifers lost money, I guess we would run out of cows. ;-) It must be why we are running out of ranchers ;-) Still be believe the ones I raise are usually better quality than what I can buy and will last longer in the herd, thats where money will be made. I still buy some, but to get the quality I have to pay a premium, from producers who didn't cut corners by not providing mineral and etc. As far as buying mid-aged cows, I ask why was someone selling them at such a young age. And if they can stay in my herd for 5 years, divide the cost by five, and hope they make it the five years.