Seedstock?

[W-5]

I hear people talking about raising seedstock. I'm not quite sure what they are referring to. Could someone shed some light on exactly what this type of operation consist of?

 

[IluvABbeef]

Seedstock is another term for purebred. This is where producers raise a certain breed (Hereford, Brahman, Angus, Charolais, etc.) in order to improve the breed, and sell bulls and heifers to other producers, be they purebred producers themselves or commercial.

 

[novatech]

I consider seedstock to be the foundation of ones herd. The best one can afford in order to build a future of quality cattle. They could be any pure breed or any cross depending on the goal. Having a plan with a goal in mind is what differentiates them from just livestock.

 

[W-5]

Thanks for clearing that up for me. I currently just do cow/calf with crossbred cows. I am thinking about purchasing some purebred heifers, just not sure which breed I will be going with.

 

[3waycross]

Thanks for clearing that up for me. I currently just do cow/calf with crossbred cows. I am thinking about purchasing some purebred heifers, just not sure which breed I will be going with.

Where?

 

[W-5]

I am located in north Texas, about an hour north of Dallas.

 

[3waycross]

I am located in north Texas, about an hour north of Dallas.

Well there's a lot of good folks on here from your country and I bet they would be glad to give you some suggestions.

 

[slick4591]

In this area it's pretty much anything goes.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Be sure to find a seedstock producer that doesn't think because it has paper's it is good.
If he is reputable he should only be registering the top 20 to 30% of his calf's the rest should be salebarn bound.

 

[Mid South Guy]

Be sure to find a seedstock producer that doesn't think because it has paper's it is good.
If he is reputable he should only be registering the top 20 to 30% of his calf's the rest should be salebarn bound.

A turer statment has never been made!

 

[cypressfarms]

Be sure to find a seedstock producer that doesn't think because it has paper's it is good.
If he is reputable he should only be registering the top 20 to 30% of his calf's the rest should be salebarn bound.

A turer statment has never been made!

Couldn't agree more. Seedstock is like beauty. It's in the eyes of the beholder. And a lot of "supposed" seedstock got no beauty!

 

[bigbull338]

raising reg cattle is a very tricky business.you have tobe very tough on your cattle an their calves.you may have 100 bull calves before you hitt 1 thats worth raising for a bull calf.an you may never have that bull calf.i havent raised a bull calf out of my reg cows in 4yrs.an i even cull my heifer calves hard if need be.

 

[Scroote]

A seedstock person has a new 4 door dually diesel pickup and must have a big shiny trailer with show equipment. Without this stuff you better high tail it out of there. But if they do have this stuff then their cows must have good epds!

Scroote, lamenting lost friendships while having a cold one.......

 

[bigbull338]

A seedstock person has a new 4 door dually diesel pickup and must have a big shiny trailer with show equipment. Without this stuff you better high tail it out of there. Because if they have this stuff then their cows must have good epds!

Scroote, lamenting lost friendships while having a cold one.......

i know some seedstock producers that have 3 or 4 1 tons an 2 or 3 fancy trailers.an i know some that has 1 truck an cattle trailer.

 

[Massey135]

Be sure to find a seedstock producer that doesn't think because it has paper's it is good.
If he is reputable he should only be registering the top 20 to 30% of his calf's the rest should be salebarn bound.

There's not a reputable breeder out there that only registers 20 per 100.

Explain to me why only 20% of calves our of seedstock quality cattle are seedstock quality themselves??

 

[highgrit]

I was wondering the same thing MF. You would think if you had quality cows and a good bull most the offspring would be good quality stock. I can see the need to cull, but 70% of the calves seems quite excessive to me. Please explain your thinking?? Thanks

 

[Caustic Burno]

I was wondering the same thing MF. You would think if you had quality cows and a good bull most the offspring would be good quality stock. I can see the need to cull, but 70% of the calves seems quite excessive to me. Please explain your thinking?? Thanks

It is quite simple you are only wanting to register the best of the best to constantly be improving the herd. This is a never ending journey and there are way to many breeders that breed for the extremes.
Papers don't make them the best. It is amazing a DOD Dam of Distinction that has produced at the top of the herd can move to the bottom by changing bulls. The animal you sell today with your name on the papers will make or break you.

 

[3waycross]

I register them all at birth. I don't sell em all with papers!

 

[dun]

I register them all at birth. I don't sell em all with papers!

We do too for record keeping and EPDs on the sire and dam. The first teir stay registered, second teir heifers sell as commercial and the third teir heifers go to the feedlot along with the steers. Bulls that aren;t first teir get cut and are sold as steers. Just hauled 3 steers to the sale barn that got cut as yealrings.

 

[highgrit]

Thanks, I haven't sold any registered stock yet. But I do sell commercial stock for breeding, and what doesn't look good goes to the sale barn. We have a couple of folks that want to buy bulls from us now. But the $ don't add up, when you can sell at 7 months and get over 1/2 as much as you can keeping them for 14-15 months.