Replacements question?

[Limomike]

What do you all prefer to do for replacements? Do you use your own offspring and put them back, or buy a 3-5 yr old cow that is bred? Or any other ideas.
I am just wondering what others do. I have chosen to hold back some of my own heifers, because I think it will have a payoff sooner than buying already bred cows.

 

[dun]

Depends on what you're trying to accomplish. If you have genetics in your heifers that work well in your environment and under your managment and forage systems, keeping replacements while the pay back will take a little longer you'll have animals that are a better bet on working out for you. If you're trying to alter the makeup of your herd then buying outside cows may make more sense, with the caveat that they may not be optimal for your herd.
We occasioanlly buy a replacment, I'm a sucker for a pretty face, and usually 4 out of 5 will work out for us. Of our retained replacments maybe 1 in 20 won;t work out.

dun

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Like Dun, I do both. I retain females because they represent my best genetics (is I've been doing my job properly) and I buy some occasionally. Purchased ones always have a hard time adjusting to our management.

 

[bigbull338]

What do you all prefer to do for replacements? Do you use your own offspring and put them back, or buy a 3-5 yr old cow that is bred? Or any other ideas.
I am just wondering what others do. I have chosen to hold back some of my own heifers, because I think it will have a payoff sooner than buying already bred cows.

i do both as well.because if you have the genetics in your cows an bull then your heifers will have them.but it takes 2yrs to get a heifer producing.so you have to figure out is she worth the wait.an i buy heifers or cows to get new blood in the herd.

 

[cfpinz]

I do both, but have better luck with the homegrown. Not that they're better than other folks' cattle, just better suited to my environment.

cfpinz

 

[Limomike]

thanks for all the input.. I appreciate it.
Yes, I do like the genetics in my own heifers, so I will retain some of them. I will also continue to look at some of the "new blood" to introduce into the herd. I also think some of those might have a hard time adjusting, but should in time settle down.
Thanks again

 

[Caustic Burno]

What do you all prefer to do for replacements? Do you use your own offspring and put them back, or buy a 3-5 yr old cow that is bred? Or any other ideas.
I am just wondering what others do. I have chosen to hold back some of my own heifers, because I think it will have a payoff sooner than buying already bred cows.

I prefer red cows 3 in 1's, I can do anything with a red cow to meet market conditions by changing the bull.

 

[Susie David]

CB....that's some insight.
The more I mull it, the more sense it makes. A fella can change the color, stick a white face on them, whatever he wants to do to bring the high dollar.
DMc

 

[Bullbuyer]

Once again Caustic is correct. Reds are easy keepers and a quick change of bulls will let you do what you want.
We prefer to keep our own though - haven't had much luck buying bred cows as they are often being sold due to lack of respect for fence, people, etc.

 

[CowpokeJ]

What do you all prefer to do for replacements? Do you use your own offspring and put them back, or buy a 3-5 yr old cow that is bred? Or any other ideas.
I am just wondering what others do. I have chosen to hold back some of my own heifers, because I think it will have a payoff sooner than buying already bred cows.

How do you figure you'll have a payoff sooner?

 

[Caustic Burno]

CB....that's some insight.
The more I mull it, the more sense it makes. A fella can change the color, stick a white face on them, whatever he wants to do to bring the high dollar.
DMc

It is real easy to change the bull to get the calf color you want and red cows sell cheaper than black. ;-)

 

[dun]

It is real easy to change the bull to get the calf color you want and red cows sell cheaper than black. ;-)

Besides, red cows are purtier then black cows.

dun

 

[Penridergirl]

I am not into the cow/calf phase of beef production; although my paycheck is ultimately dependant upon your input into the market. I am wondering about the red hides being so popular when the slaughter houses are paying the biggest premiums to animals that meet CAB (Certified Angus Beef) standards, which means cattle with a strong "black" genetic background. Can you producers explain this phenomena to me?

 

[somn]

The slaughter houses are not paying big premiums for CAB they are simply passing along the huge profits they are making by exploiting the vulerability of naive Americans who couldn't point out an angus steer in a photo album full of cattle pictures. These people buy it because someone has told them CAB is better. Same thing is happening with organic foods. If you are constantly being told one product is bad and another product is better for you eventually you will conceed to them. I hate to say it is almost fear driven. Organic foods are a fear driven commodity for sure. They will tell you how all the hormones and gmo's will eventually kill you. CAB is somewhat fear driven they make you believe regular beef is a rip off and CAB is the best value for your dollar.

 

[glover36]

own ofspring because all calves are from ai bulls and only get rid of the ones that are crazy because 99% of them turn out awesome

 

[john250]

I am not into the cow/calf phase of beef production; although my paycheck is ultimately dependant upon your input into the market. I am wondering about the red hides being so popular when the slaughter houses are paying the biggest premiums to animals that meet CAB (Certified Angus Beef) standards, which means cattle with a strong "black" genetic background. Can you producers explain this phenomena to me?

I'm not speaking for them, but I think they are pointing out that a red cow can produce a black hided CAB eligible calf.

 

[Limomike]

yes.. most of the cows I have ARE red beefmasters, with a couple of whitefaced Hereford ones thrown. It's precisely why I got a black limosine bull so I could produce those "black" calves that the industry is wanting. Funny thing though, I am getting as many "reds" as "blacks". The gentics of the black limo go back 5 generations of solid black, so I am figuring the red is just coming out from the red mommas.

 

[dun]

yes.. most of the cows I have ARE red beefmasters, with a couple of whitefaced Hereford ones thrown. It's precisely why I got a black limosine bull so I could produce those "black" calves that the industry is wanting. Funny thing though, I am getting as many "reds" as "blacks". The gentics of the black limo go back 5 generations of solid black, so I am figuring the red is just coming out from the red mommas.

It has to come from both sides. The bull is either heterozygous black or the neighbor has a red bull.

dun

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

yes.. most of the cows I have ARE red beefmasters, with a couple of whitefaced Hereford ones thrown. It's precisely why I got a black limosine bull so I could produce those "black" calves that the industry is wanting. Funny thing though, I am getting as many "reds" as "blacks". The gentics of the black limo go back 5 generations of solid black, so I am figuring the red is just coming out from the red mommas.

It has to come from both sides. The bull is either heterozygous black or the neighbor has a red bull.

dun

DITTO - this is genetic FACT. Red is recessive - must inherit 1 red gene from dam & 1 red gene from sire = sire must be heterozygous black (1 black gene & 1 red gene). Doesn't make any difference if he goes back 10 generations, that red gene has been following each generation. It's a 50/50 chance each breeding, his parentage just kept passing on that red gene.

 

[Limomike]

Yep, I believe Dun and Jeanne you are correct on that matter.
although the black goes back several generations, that red is still coming through. Besides.. all of my neighbors have black bulls too. :lol: