So you want to buy top of the breed cows?

[LFF]

Do you want to buy top quality cows? :?: :?: :?:

I mean do you really want top quality cows? :?: :?: :nod:


What are you willing to pay for the best? :?: :idea:


If you want registered and you want top quality expect to pay over 5000 dollars each. :shock: :shock: :???:


So you think that is price is rediculous? I challenge you to reconsider. :idea:

There are thousands of registered breeders and most of them strive to have the best cows of their preferred breed. They are willing to pay extremely high prices in their effort to achieve that goal. Commercial producers can not and should not spend their money competing against them at elevated prices. :bang:

If you really want a top quality cow herd, do not expect it to happen over night. It is almost impossible to buy your way into a high quality registered herd. The best cow herds, registered or commercial, are built over many years. There are many different ways to get there, but the way that will work best for most people is to buy the best cows that they can afford and AI the cows to proven bulls.

The registered business has many costly expenses that should be considered before starting a registered herd. Most people will be better off purchasing commerical cows and breeding to a registered bull of a different breed.

Just my comments, do with them what you will. :2cents: :welcome:

May all your cows wean calves,
LFF

 

[novatech]

It is my experience that the "best" cows are only perceived to be the best. Mostly because of marketing skills. There are just as many high quality cattle out there as you see advertised or made it to be show winners. One just has to learn what it takes to be the best and go out and find it. There is also plenty of semen available to the people that want to breed the best. I also feel that there is a lot more politics going on behind the scene than anyone would like to admit as far the the show cattle are concerned.
We also have to define the best. Isn't it usually the opinion of judges in a ring that unfortunly can be biased toward the brand on their butt. Or is the best what is going to make you the most money. That will be dependent on your skills. Knowledge of what people want and your marketing ability.
I can positively assure you that you do not have to be wealthy to have cattle equal to the so called best.

 

[LFF]

Dam of Distinction and correct phenotype are good starting points for qualifying as the best.

 

[jkwilson]

I've always said that high dollar cattle have as much or more to do with the person marketing them as the animals themselves. I couldn't raise a $25,000 animal with any genetics, but Monte Soules does it every year.

 

[LFF]

I agree with your statement jkwilson. How many Dam of Distinction does Monte raise each year? Very few of his cattle ever make Dam of Distiction statis.


I looked it up for you.
Monte has only had 1 Dam of Distinction in the last 10 years.
Star Lake has a total of 13 in the last 20 years.

 

[novatech]

Dam of Distinction and correct phenotype are good starting points for qualifying as the best.

So what made her "Dam of Distinction" ? Does the fact that she has a title make her a better cow? There are people out there that don't show their cattle. Does this automaticly mean they are of less quality? I will fully admit the title adds value. Getting that title was part of the owners marketing. Your statment was about having the best not the most expensive. I am also not saying that the cow was less valuable as the owner had to do a lot of work to get her to that point just saying there very well may be cows equal to her that have never been shown.
I know severl show people that do not raise/breed their own cattle. They recognize quality and buy from breeders that do not show. These are the people I liked to sell to.

 

[Angus Cowman]

remember these comments come from a commercial producer

I have always felt that to have a reg cow herd you have to
be able to afford to buy above average reg cows and most of them can't be bought for less than $2500 at the least
you have to breed them to a good bull or set of bulls to halve the type of calves that will influence your herd in a positive way and also be very critical of your cows and calves and cull heavily and never even let a marginal calf remain intact or in the breeding program
DON'T sell any average calves if they aren't an improvement over what you already have and would like to keep them in your herd or you don't need to sell them to someone else
I also beleive it will take several yrs for a reg breeder to get to the point where he can sell any offspring of his herd because he will be needing to improve his herd and expand on his breeding goals
1 bad calf and everyone will know about it even if it was to your neighbor or buddy just as a cow freshener
CULL HARD
and the one reason most small breeders never make it in the reg business is they can't afford to cull like they need to to be competitive so they have alot of $$$$ invested that they may never see a profit out of
as most of their calves will get sold just like commercial calves
too many people are paper blind just because it has papers doesn't mean it is any good

 

[LFF]

Phenotype alone does not make a cow a Dam of Distinction , however it is very important because if you do not have correct phenotype then you have some flaw in the productive capitability of the animal. A example would be to narrow in the hips would cause increased calving difficulity.

This is what makes a cow a Dam of Distinction according to the AHA.
Dams of DistinctionThe Dams of Distinction program recognizes superior cows in the breed and the cattle producers who manage them based on data submitted to the American Hereford Association (AHA). Efficient, fertile and productive females are the foundation of the most successful cow herds.
To be honored as a Dam of Distinction, a cow must have:

■Weaned a calf born since Jan. 1, 2008.
■Produced at least three calves.
■Initially calved at 30 months of age or less.
■Had an interval between the first and second calves of no greater than 400 days. In addition, a 370-day calving interval must have been maintained after her second calf. The longer initial calving interval allows breeders to calve 2-year-old heifers prior to the mature cow herd.
■Had weaning records submitted to the AHA Whole Herd Total Performance Records (TPR™) Program for every calf produced that was born before June 30, 2009.
■Had a progeny average 205-day adjusted weaning weight ratio of at least 105.
A cow receiving the Dam of Distinction honor is a cow that meets the highest standards of commercial cattle production. The cow must do her job, but also her owner must manage the herd correctly to give her the opportunity to excel. Only a few active cows are recognized. All heifers have the potential to be a Dam of Distinction, but only a small percentage fit the job description of an ideal cow year in and year out.

Females attaining the Dam of Distinction status are recognized with "DOD" after their names when doing an animal or EPD inquiry on Hereford.org.

 

[LFF]

Dam of Distinction and correct phenotype are good starting points for qualifying as the best.

There are people out there that don't show their cattle. Does this automaticly mean they are of less quality? I will fully admit the title adds value. Getting that title was part of the owners marketing. Your statment was about having the best not the most expensive. I am also not saying that the cow was less valuable as the owner had to do a lot of work to get her to that point just saying there very well may be cows equal to her that have never been shown.

Show cattle rarely make highly productive cattle.

 

[backhoeboogie]

I've always said that high dollar cattle have as much or more to do with the person marketing them as the animals themselves. I couldn't raise a $25,000 animal with any genetics, but Monte Soules does it every year.

I'd hate to have to eat one that cost that much!

 

[LFF]

I've always said that high dollar cattle have as much or more to do with the person marketing them as the animals themselves. I couldn't raise a $25,000 animal with any genetics, but Monte Soules does it every year.

I'd hate to have to eat one that cost that much!

:lol2: :lol2: Me too! :!:

A cow worth that should only be in a donor program after proving herself.

 

[LFF]

I made a error in how many Dam of Distinctions Star Lake has had.

They have only had 4 Dam of Distinctions. The other ten cows that have the Star prefix were not produced by Star Lake.

 

[Suzie Q]

The other thing they do is flush a cow for embryos or eggs and plant them in other breeds of cattle.

 

[Kingfisher]

I agree with your statement jkwilson. How many Dam of Distinction does Monte raise each year? Very few of his cattle ever make Dam of Distiction statis.


I looked it up for you.
Monte has only had 1 Dam of Distinction in the last 10 years.
Star Lake has a total of 13 in the last 20 years.

Yea they look special.............http://www.wrtc.com/jjme/dams_of_distiction.htm

 

[LFF]

Those are old pictures , late 80's early 90's cows.
I'd like to think that phenotype and productivity has increased since then.
The pictures are not very well done either. Cows in the winter and in muddy conditions seldom make good pictures.

 

[TexasBred]

I've always said that high dollar cattle have as much or more to do with the person marketing them as the animals themselves. I couldn't raise a $25,000 animal with any genetics, but Monte Soules does it every year.

"Worth" is what a buyer will pay....his perception of where an animal fits within his preconceived parameters.

 

[TexasBred]

Phenotype alone does not make a cow a Dam of Distinction , however it is very important because if you do not have correct phenotype then you have some flaw in the productive capitability of the animal. A example would be to narrow in the hips would cause increased calving difficulity.

This is what makes a cow a Dam of Distinction according to the AHA.
Dams of DistinctionThe Dams of Distinction program recognizes superior cows in the breed and the cattle producers who manage them based on data submitted to the American Hereford Association (AHA). Efficient, fertile and productive females are the foundation of the most successful cow herds.
To be honored as a Dam of Distinction, a cow must have:

■Weaned a calf born since Jan. 1, 2008.
■Produced at least three calves.
■Initially calved at 30 months of age or less.
■Had an interval between the first and second calves of no greater than 400 days. In addition, a 370-day calving interval must have been maintained after her second calf. The longer initial calving interval allows breeders to calve 2-year-old heifers prior to the mature cow herd.
■Had weaning records submitted to the AHA Whole Herd Total Performance Records (TPR™) Program for every calf produced that was born before June 30, 2009.
■Had a progeny average 205-day adjusted weaning weight ratio of at least 105.
A cow receiving the Dam of Distinction honor is a cow that meets the highest standards of commercial cattle production. The cow must do her job, but also her owner must manage the herd correctly to give her the opportunity to excel. Only a few active cows are recognized. All heifers have the potential to be a Dam of Distinction, but only a small percentage fit the job description of an ideal cow year in and year out.

Females attaining the Dam of Distinction status are recognized with "DOD" after their names when doing an animal or EPD inquiry on Hereford.org.

Those are pretty lenient requirements for such a glorified title. Why do so few meet the requirements????

 

[LFF]

What do you find lenient?

 

[TexasBred]

What do you find lenient?

My mistake...speed reading error on the 400 day calving interval. Overlooked it was for 1st-2nd calf only... very similar to the IBBA standars for what we call "Summit Cows or Summit Sires".

 

[novatech]

Phenotype alone does not make a cow a Dam of Distinction , however it is very important because if you do not have correct phenotype then you have some flaw in the productive capitability of the animal. A example would be to narrow in the hips would cause increased calving difficulity.

This is what makes a cow a Dam of Distinction according to the AHA.
Dams of DistinctionThe Dams of Distinction program recognizes superior cows in the breed and the cattle producers who manage them based on data submitted to the American Hereford Association (AHA). Efficient, fertile and productive females are the foundation of the most successful cow herds.
To be honored as a Dam of Distinction, a cow must have:

■Weaned a calf born since Jan. 1, 2008.
■Produced at least three calves.
■Initially calved at 30 months of age or less.
■Had an interval between the first and second calves of no greater than 400 days. In addition, a 370-day calving interval must have been maintained after her second calf. The longer initial calving interval allows breeders to calve 2-year-old heifers prior to the mature cow herd.
■Had weaning records submitted to the AHA Whole Herd Total Performance Records (TPR™) Program for every calf produced that was born before June 30, 2009.
■Had a progeny average 205-day adjusted weaning weight ratio of at least 105.
A cow receiving the Dam of Distinction honor is a cow that meets the highest standards of commercial cattle production. The cow must do her job, but also her owner must manage the herd correctly to give her the opportunity to excel. Only a few active cows are recognized. All heifers have the potential to be a Dam of Distinction, but only a small percentage fit the job description of an ideal cow year in and year out.

Females attaining the Dam of Distinction status are recognized with "DOD" after their names when doing an animal or EPD inquiry on Hereford.org.

My bad. I ,for some unknown reason I thought this title was some sort of award for top animals in the show circuit.
I praise the Hereford Assoc. They have given the non show breeder a goal to shoot for. An attainable goal. Yes it takes time. But more importantly it takes the knowledge and skill.
As far as the big bucks are concerned, I have bought some darn good genetics by purchasing cows culled for age. One of the best was 20 years old and produced 2 more calves. Both calves became foundation stock. The same way I have built my business. When I couldn't afford to buy the machine, I built it.