Came across this article while doing some reading this evening.
Short Crossbreeding Article
- Thread starter Brute 23
- Start date
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chaded
Well-known member
I wonder how many pay attention to this:
2. Do you have the right resources?
Crossbred cows with higher milking averages can yield heavier calves at weaning, says David Lalman, Extension beef specialist at Oklahoma State University. But they may also require more forage to meet their maintenance requirements and higher milk production level. Factor in the forage availability and quality in your area, as well as supplemental feed and pasture costs.
2. Do you have the right resources?
Crossbred cows with higher milking averages can yield heavier calves at weaning, says David Lalman, Extension beef specialist at Oklahoma State University. But they may also require more forage to meet their maintenance requirements and higher milk production level. Factor in the forage availability and quality in your area, as well as supplemental feed and pasture costs.
OP
OP
I learned the hard way on that one.
StrojanHerefords
Well-known member
The thing that is so often missed about crossbreeding is what makes a good cow is different than what makes a good feeder calf. I recently attended a presentation by PJ Budler, where he observed that over the past 40 years the Angus breed had improved terminal value by $140 a calf at the expense of having a cow that costs $135 more a year to run. The good little commercial angus rancher who buys high EPD bulls and retains heifers is worse off than they were 40 years ago because they don't get the carcass value for the heifers they put back into their program. The same can be said for the Herefords as well. The modern polled or L1 Hereford doesn't have the ruggedness that the breed had 50 years ago.
For me I am willing to accept the whiteface discount in exchange for having a cow that can do well on minimal inputs. I believe that the future of the Hereford breed is female. Marketing commercial Hereford females for crossbreeding to Modern Angus bulls will add hundreds of dollars of value each year per cow.
For me I am willing to accept the whiteface discount in exchange for having a cow that can do well on minimal inputs. I believe that the future of the Hereford breed is female. Marketing commercial Hereford females for crossbreeding to Modern Angus bulls will add hundreds of dollars of value each year per cow.
OP
OP
I'm not chasing the carcass deal. It is being overemphasized and I'm not sure it's going to shake out well long term.
u4411clb
Well-known member
I think carcass value is a real thing. I just believe the cow\calf guys and gals that do not retain ownership are totally cut out of the carcass value portion. And for the person that sells at the sale barn having good carcass animals for the most part the juice is not worth the squeeze. But further up the chain those guys are definitely benefiting from high carcass cattle and the work to improve by the cow\calf people.
If they could figure out a way for the smaller guys to get rewarded for carcass then I would emphasize it more. Until then I will focus on black hide and just overall pounds. Not whether those pounds are highly marbled or not.
If they could figure out a way for the smaller guys to get rewarded for carcass then I would emphasize it more. Until then I will focus on black hide and just overall pounds. Not whether those pounds are highly marbled or not.
Ky hills
Well-known member
That's where we were a few years back. Found out the hard way that contemporary modern Angus ain't the cows they used to be. Went to commercial Herefords and Angus bulls, eventually started using Hereford bulls to get our own Hereford replacements.
I will say though that our small venture with a few registered Hereford females wasn't much more impressive than the venture into registered Angus as far as fertility and longevity, but a few descendants and the commercials have been some real good cows as have a few of the Angus.
Like has been said we never have gotten a direct benefit from the Angus genetics
Our latest direction is with Simmental bulls to try to get more growth on the calves from the Angus and Hereford cows
50/50Farms
Well-known member
Running registered anything in good numbers isn't worth the squeeze for the average Joe. And I agree with the post a few up about carcass quality not being your number one concern at a smaller cow calf level with the sale barn as your point of sale.
