Starting to Think

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MudHog

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I will likely end up selling my bull this year to help build up a better herd and with only 8 head, I am wondering if AI is a better route for me than having a bull. My biggest problem with a bull is I don't have a separate pasture to take him away from the herd. He stays with the herd all year so my herd isn't in sync. Granted MOST of the cows now drop from March-May, but that still gets me with varying age calves when I go to sell.

What would be everyone's thought on this? What is the cost to have someone do it, because that would be my first consideration.
 
If you are set up well to handle the cows efficiently and with ease, and enjoy handling them, I'd say AI would be the way to go. If you're not set up or would rather not hassle with several trips through the chute, I wouldn't monkey with it. I've only attempted it once on a timed AI last year so take my opinion with a grain of salt. I think I had somewhere between $1100-$1350 for 19 cows, for the CIDRs, the Lute, the GNRH, the seamen, and the actual breeding fees. The due date was yesterday and currently we love got 12 calves for 19 cows. I suspect we'll get one or two more and the rest are mostly likely bull bred. About $55-$70 per cow. If you only get 50% conception, you can double that per calf.
 
I can AI, and hardly ever fool with it. I use an observed heat. You can AI on an observed heat for the price of semen.

Just throwing out a thought. If you only have 8 cows, and the quality of your calf crop is not what you want. You may be looking at years to flip your genetics. In all honesty, if I wanted to influence a change, I'd sell those 8, and buy some cracker jacks. It's your fastest route to the quality you are looking for. Then AI to maintain quality.

Many will probably disagree, but your net profit on 8 calves a year, is not going to make or break you. With small acreage, and small numbers, a better bet for you may be raising replacement quality cattle for others. Your in a better spot to achieve that than many.
 
I like Bigfoot's idea. Or as an alternative, you said most of them are calving from March to May. If you like that calving season and want to keep it, then keep the cows that are calving in that window, sell the rest, and replace them with cows that fit.
 
Thanks for the quick replies, wouldn't expect any less from you guys.

Handling won't be an issue later on this year once I have my corral built, but I do like the thought of marketing quality replacements. With my low head count, I would rather not sell at the barn. My biggest problem with private sales is knowing how to price and not short change myself on value. Last year I turned down 3 people that wanted to buy simply because I had no idea on pricing and just never did that in the past.
 
I bought 5 heifers from a gentleman over the phone tonight. He's got some really nice cattle. I believe he said he had 12 cows. Market price plus $200. Lotta people would think that's outrageous. I thought it was money well spent, and didn't mind at all paying for some top shelf commercial heifers. Divide that $200 out over 10 years, and add in the quality of those replacements, and the quality of replacements that they will give me. I thought it was money well spent. He never sells at the yard, and never has to.
 
MudHog":2rc1ew33 said:
What does he use for market price? Does he call the barn or look at a market report?

It'd be the top selling heifer calves at the local sale barn that week, in that weight range. He's making another $40 by not using the yard to btw.
 
I think if I had to stick with the low number I would try to go the registered route and AI every year. Another thought if possible is to increase your herd to about 25-30 and buy a good bull. At least that way you would be maximizing the bulls potential. Another possibility would be to lease a bull each year. If you knew a large commercial guy, you could set your herd up on a different breeding schedule as them and and each year get a different bull, which would allow you to save heifers. Might be a good deal for both of you. I know by late August early September I am pulling some of my bulls and combining herds. Instead of penning them in the barn, leasing for a couple months would sound ok to me.
 
Bigfoot":2h2t5dbi said:
MudHog":2h2t5dbi said:
What does he use for market price? Does he call the barn or look at a market report?

It'd be the top selling heifer calves at the local sale barn that week, in that weight range. He's making another $40 by not using the yard to btw.

Do something like that with family members and neighbors that buy commercial heifers. They get to pick what they like for the high end price of the local barn in same weight range.

Have never asked for a premium above that, but we've also picked our own replacements first. As quality improves, price could as well. It's just easier for us to not have to deal with marketing to try to capture that potential extra profit- possibly poor business decision.

As you said, no barn fees, also saves cost of feeding at the barn, hauling and no shrink. That's worth quite a bit.

There's benefit to the buyer by getting calves that haven't been ran through the barn, and having a known background. That's worth quite a bit as well.

Seems like a win, win.
 

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