Mr. Greenjeans
Well-known member
As we were driving a 7 hour round trip from West to East Texas to buy a new bull today, I was considering the extent of the drought. While having empathy for those of us affected, the thought of improvement in the cattle in Texas crossed my mind. I have certainly culled back dramatically as well as the rest of my extended family as well as everyone else by way of record numbers crossing the scales at local cattle auctions.
What we have retained is what I consider the absolute best of our Angus/Brangus herds. The bull I brought home was a Gelbvieh bull purchased for $2500 last year by a producer with worse conditions than I have -- I paid considerably less. After having never driven more than 3 miles for my next herdsire, I am now coming home with a registered continental to take advantage of heterosis, improved efficiencies, and the resulting maternal impact of retaining cross-bred heifers.
I was forced into selling cattle I would have retained. I was forced to improve my herd. It was not of my own volition that my cattle improved ... it was the lack of forage.
The challenge for Texas producers will be to breed up from our outstanding remaining herds, not by buying culls and trying for years to polish a turd.
What we have retained is what I consider the absolute best of our Angus/Brangus herds. The bull I brought home was a Gelbvieh bull purchased for $2500 last year by a producer with worse conditions than I have -- I paid considerably less. After having never driven more than 3 miles for my next herdsire, I am now coming home with a registered continental to take advantage of heterosis, improved efficiencies, and the resulting maternal impact of retaining cross-bred heifers.
I was forced into selling cattle I would have retained. I was forced to improve my herd. It was not of my own volition that my cattle improved ... it was the lack of forage.
The challenge for Texas producers will be to breed up from our outstanding remaining herds, not by buying culls and trying for years to polish a turd.