Starting a herd

[stockbub]

We are going to get into showing steers next year with my oldest daughter. She is 10 and her sister is 6. We have 150 acres of pastures and barns. If you wanted to raise your own show animals, how would you start? What bre do would you start with and how to breed. I've got the ability to AI at no cost other then semen and meds.

I was running 100 brangus on my place but want to down size and get some things for the girls to show. Located in South East Texas. I didn't know whether you would start out with some registered animals and make your own F1 cross steers. Would like to eventually show in Fort Worth, plus Co shows I'm not wanting to. Lose money on this deal, but I would like to be competitive. How would you proceed over the next year to 5 years.

 

[SIMMGAL]

Personally I would recommend Simmental, but maybe I'm biased! :lol2:

I think that in order to start a quality show herd, it is ideal to focus on making/buying good cows first. Its generally easier to turn a good production cow into a show animal producer than trying to turn a show animal producer into a good production cow. Generally, but not always. Either way, you need a good, strong foundation. Starting with registered Simmental or Angus would be something to consider because you can either use purebred bulls to get purebred calves and do breed shows, or breed them to clubby bulls and get your show steer/crossbred aspect of things. Lots of people use Angus or Simmi based cows as a base for the club calf deal. It all depends on where you want to go with it! Good luck!

I know that was a VERY over-simplified version, but that's just my :2cents: !

 

[Caustic Burno]

We are going to get into showing steers next year with my oldest daughter. She is 10 and her sister is 6. We have 150 acres of pastures and barns. If you wanted to raise your own show animals, how would you start? What bre do would you start with and how to breed. I've got the ability to AI at no cost other then semen and meds.

I was running 100 brangus on my place but want to down size and get some things for the girls to show. Located in South East Texas. I didn't know whether you would start out with some registered animals and make your own F1 cross steers. Would like to eventually show in Fort Worth, plus Co shows I'm not wanting to. Lose money on this deal, but I would like to be competitive. How would you proceed over the next year to 5 years.

Shorthorn are hot on the show circuit in SE Texas. My running buddy that just died had a small herd did well in the club circles. I know he had several from V-8 and there have already been several inquiries in purchasing his cattle. Now he got skinned on the ones he hauled to the barn.

 

[Son of Butch]

I might look for a few embryos already implanted into recips to get a jump start as cattle are a long slow process.
I don't care about showing, so I'm the wrong guy for advice.

 

[Boot Jack Bulls]

If you can AI and implant embryos, you have a quick way to get going. Find out what breed, colors, style, ect. are popular in your target shows and go from there. Look at the farms breeding the calves that are winning. Buy embryos from their stock, build a program like what they are doing. Emulate their cow herd. Ask them for pointers. Most of the big dogs will come off the porch and help a newbie. It's really no skin off their noses, and they know they have at least a few years until you provide them real competition. Like others said, start with a good cow herd. A group of Lim-Flex, Sim-Angus, Shorthorn Plus, or other F1 girls gives you a good starting point. F1s work great, and cross up nice on clubby bulls. Purebreds don't always cross well with clubbies, so it takes longer to get where you are going.

Keep your eye on the end game, be patient, and realize that show cattle will not make you rich any time soon!

 

[JSCATTLE]

If you are in South East Texas it's hard to beat the show cattle Mark lively raises. I believe he works for the guy that owns dragon products . Crenshaw i think .He owns Joe Bob kinsel's old place in beaumont . I'll try to get his number if you are interested in talking to him ..

 

[Stocker Steve]

Like others said, start with a good cow herd. A group of Lim-Flex, Sim-Angus, Shorthorn Plus, or other F1 girls gives you a good starting point. F1s work great, and cross up nice on clubby bulls. Purebreds don't always cross well with clubbies, so it takes longer to get where you are going.

Why don't PBs as cross well as F1s?

 

[Son of Butch]

3 way cross generally produces the best market steers

 

[Boot Jack Bulls]

[/quote]Why don't PBs as cross well as F1s?[/quote]

I know it seems counter-intuitive to use an F1 cow instead of a purebred cow, since most club bulls are mixed up mongrels. The type of animal they need for a haired show steer is a flash in the pan sort of thing. Breed a whole herd of similar cows to one bull, and you will get a large chunk of OK animals, a few that will ended up at the sale barn, and if you are lucky, maybe one or two that will be real barn burners. In most cases, breeding purebred cows to club bulls doesn't work as well because the cow will pass on to much of her breed character. In haired show steers, breed character is not useful. Its just not part of the look they go for. Basically, all of the champ breed steers and the cross bred champ would all look pretty much the same if you dyed them all the same color.

Slick show steers, like those in TX are a whole other deal. The steers down there must classify for a specific breed break to get into the show. In other words, the red angus steer must show enough breed character that a committee thinks it should be in that class, or he doesn't get to show.

There are also haired shows in TX, like FWSS, so it really depends on what the OP has in mind for target shows/ clientele.