Starting out

[Anonymous]

Just want to thank everyone for past advice. I'm wondering if I'm heading in the right direction. I'm trying to build a commercial herd on my farm and have been buying bred cows,and some cow/calf pairs.I know economically it would be unwise to buy heifer calves, and wait for them to either mature, or wait for them to have calves,my question is buying pairs at sales.Why do people sell a good cow that's bred or a cow with a young calf at side? Why not wait for her to raise that calf to say 4-500 lbs, and then just take the calf to the sale? Is there something I am not seeing that I should be aware of?

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[Anonymous]

One mans culls may be another mans treasure. Lack of feed or facilities could lead to selling bred cows. Culling the bottom of the herd, older cows or something that just doesn't fit in a breeding program. Some folks will breed a cow knowing that she will be sold, the little extra feed for a couple of months is usually offset by a higher price for a bred cow. We started with a bunch of culls cows from somebody, they have turned out to be pretty darn good cows, fertile, raise good calves. They may not have been my first choice when starting out, but we couldn't afford our first choice. Using AI, each year the quality of the herd increases but we sell most all the calves, the old girls are still doing their job.

dunmovin farms

> Just want to thank everyone for
> past advice. I'm wondering if I'm
> heading in the right direction.
> I'm trying to build a commercial
> herd on my farm and have been
> buying bred cows,and some cow/calf
> pairs.I know economically it would
> be unwise to buy heifer calves,
> and wait for them to either
> mature, or wait for them to have
> calves,my question is buying pairs
> at sales.Why do people sell a good
> cow that's bred or a cow with a
> young calf at side? Why not wait
> for her to raise that calf to say
> 4-500 lbs, and then just take the
> calf to the sale? Is there
> something I am not seeing that I
> should be aware of?

 

[Anonymous]

The key is not bred or pairs it is the quality of the cow. I agree w/Dunmovin, I have found some great cows at the salebarn. I personaly would buy pairs before bred cows, that way I know exactly what type of calf I have and that I have a calf to start with. But that is my personal belief. I've gotten burned a few times with bred cows.(sorry calf, calfing problems or losing a calf) I'm sure others out there will argue in favor of bred cows. I just like knowing that regardless I will at least have a calf and a cow alive and well to start with. An old rancher gave me a piece of advice when I started out; there are no bargains in the sale barn; you get what you pay for. If you want good cattle that will be with you for years you will pay a higher price.

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[Anonymous]

> There can be many reasons for selling cow/calf pairs. They may not have the pasture to wait till the calf is 400 lbs, and they may need to cut back on their herd. I know of many who pick up older bred cows at a good price in the spring right before calving, calve them out, rebreed the cow, sell the calf and cow in the fall seperatly, they make out on the calf, and get their money back on the cow. And never feed them a drop of hay. I have found, buying already bred young age cows, unstead of 1st time heifers, or keeping replacements a better deal. They usually calve out great, connect with the calf right away. Usually no pulling calves. And no waiting 2 years for my replacements to get old enough to breed. Loosing 2 years of calf $$ can be hard on the wallet.

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[Anonymous]

The cows we take to the sale barn either had a hard time breeding or calving. One had a prolapsed uterus after calving. We got it back in, but off she went. A couple tend to have twins regularly. We've sold bred cows, but it might have taken 6 months to get her bred. Things like that.

Also, we have some nutty cows. You know the ones that would like to run you over for no reason at all and when you give them a reason, it's a battle for your life! The nuts get sold, if we can get them in the trailer! Escape artists as well. The ring-leaders of the "let's go through the fence" brigade! If they are really good ones, we'll keep them, but usually they aren't worth the trouble of constantly chasing cows.

If we had to down-size or something where we would be selling cows that aren't culls, we would use the sale barn as a last resort. A good, producing trouble free cow is worth more than sale barn prices and usually a buyer can be found.

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[Anonymous]

I am not going to get into my personal oppinions on this, i will get angry. but just aword of advice, get to know people that you buy cows from and ask how other people have made out buying cows from them.

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[Anonymous]

> Just want to thank everyone for
> past advice. I'm wondering if I'm
> heading in the right direction.
> I'm trying to build a commercial
> herd on my farm and have been
> buying bred cows,and some cow/calf
> pairs.I know economically it would
> be unwise to buy heifer calves,
> and wait for them to either
> mature, or wait for them to have
> calves,my question is buying pairs
> at sales.Why do people sell a good
> cow that's bred or a cow with a
> young calf at side? Why not wait
> for her to raise that calf to say
> 4-500 lbs, and then just take the
> calf to the sale? Is there
> something I am not seeing that I
> should be aware of?

A good way to get a solid start is find a mentor, be a friend and make a friend. It got me off to a good start.

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