Taking over small cattle farm

[cajunman]

I am taking over my father-in-laws cattle. Most are old cows but all bred and are good mommas. They are mix breed, hereford, black and white face. I bought a reg. charolais bull with a good blood line. He will be a year old in aug. 08. I have 10 cows and a bull know, I have 3 cavles on ground now and 7 more in the next 2 to 3 months. I am thinking I sould sell the old cows and calves at weaning. I will keep 4 cows that are about 6-8 yrs. old, That I will bred with my new bull next spring 09. I have a friend that rises red angus and his father rises charolais (40 yrs) that I will buy hefiers off of.
I would like to have about 12 cows and 1 bull next year.
Louisiana
Any help please

 

[dyates]

Can you be more specific? Help with what?

 

[Frankie]

I am taking over my father-in-laws cattle. Most are old cows but all bred and are good mommas. They are mix breed, hereford, black and white face. I bought a reg. charolais bull with a good blood line. He will be a year old in aug. 08. I have 10 cows and a bull know, I have 3 cavles on ground now and 7 more in the next 2 to 3 months. I am thinking I sould sell the old cows and calves at weaning. I will keep 4 cows that are about 6-8 yrs. old, That I will bred with my new bull next spring 09. I have a friend that rises red angus and his father rises charolais (40 yrs) that I will buy hefiers off of.
I would like to have about 12 cows and 1 bull next year.
Louisiana
Any help please

Sounds like a plan to me. Just be sure your Charolais bull is a calving ease bull if you plan to buy heifers. Would you be better off to buy heifers that you know are bred to a proven calving ease bull?
Be sure to get your bull fertility checked before you turn him out. Watch him and see that he's taking care of business. Define your breeding season. You'll probably get more for a uniform group of calves than if you have them strung out over a six month calving season. Good luck with your program.

 

[cajunman]

His bw was 76# and his dads calves are 70 - 80, his mother about the same.
The red angus breed that I am looking at are large cows with bw around 70-75#.

 

[bigbull338]

sounds like you have a good plan.when you sell the old cows an their calves at weaning.dont rush to buy the new cows.take your time an look at cows an their bloodlines.an set a price you think you can give for cattle an stick to it.are you wanting to go with reg or comm cows.do not buy some1 eleses junk cows.buy cows that will produce.

 

[gerardplauche]

My only advice is: Be careful filling your whole pasture with heifers. I would consider getting a few proven cows.

 

[shorty]

I don't know how old your older cows are , but if they they are in good shape , breeding back and raising a good calf I wouldn't get rid of them right away.

 

[Horticattleman]

I agree. Hiefers can be a problem for someone new. Let them older mommas teach you a few things the first year. They should be taking care of themselves basically.

 

[Limomike]

Those proven old momma cows are hard to replace. Might be better to keep them around until the young ones prove themselves. Either that or do as I do, and just breed em till they can't produce anymore.

 

[Ryder]

How old is old?
Can they still eat grass? Can they get around fairly well to graze? Are udders holding up fairly well?
They raising a good calf every year?

Not saying you shouldn't get rid of them, but are they really too old to make money?

 

[1982vett]

How old is old?
Can they still eat grass? Can they get around fairly well to graze? Are udders holding up fairly well?
They raising a good calf every year?

Not saying you shouldn't get rid of them, but are they really too old to make money?

After they become 8 years of age, I begin watching closely. If they pass the above test they go one more round. I would add holding condition as well. When I begin to notice they are always last to arrive when called together and hanging back from the herd, I consider that to mean they are beginning to have problems getting around and that sets in motion their exit plan.

 

[Horticattleman]

Better yet, hows their teeth and what kind of grass they on.

 

[cajunman]

They all have calves every year, most are 7 to 10 years are older, I will be checking teeth in the spring. Some are very poor and don't gain wiegth but are bred and will all be calving buy July. I am keeping at lease 5 mommas and will sell all calves at weaning with the older mommas. I will buy at lease to 3 to 4 yrs. cows and a few hiefiers in Dec.

Thanks for all the input

 

[angus9259]

I have two 14 year olds, two 12 year olds, and two 11 year olds. They put down a good calf every year. Some have more bag than others, some a little more trouble getting up, but they all get up, eat, make it to water, and wean a great calf. Pretty soon they'll give out, but haven't yet. As mentioned by others, age isn't the only determinating factor.

In making the switch you might want to think about doing it without making a wholesale swap - young for old. Keep your BEST heifer and get rid of your WORST old cow - or anything that doesn't get bred. If you replace 5 old cows with 5 heifers you'll lose 50% of your income for next year.

 

[Hippie Rancher]

With the gibberish you are typing I cannot understand a danged word you are saying. Sorry! Ahhhhhhhh the wonderful world of an american education. What is this world coming to?

You may have a better education than some, but you sure don't have much class or manners.

 

[TexasBred]

With the gibberish you are typing I cannot understand a danged word you are saying. Sorry! Ahhhhhhhh the wonderful world of an american education. What is this world coming to?

With any common sense at all most of us can read a post and get the jest of what the person is trying to say. Some would rather try to show their intelligence and in the process make an @$$ of themselves. I never claimed to be a typist and certainly didn't major in the king's english.

 

[cajunman]

I guest you are so smart, Tenn. who ? LSU rules!!!!!! EAT MORE BEEF AS&^%

 

[mnmtranching]

There can be more problems with trying to get one more calf out of an old cow, then with calving a heifer. Once a cow gets broken down, large utter and teats, hard to get up, slow to come to feed, most likely bad teeth. Get her in the trailer while she's still walking. Better then getting rid of her once she's down. :cowboy:

 

[TexasBred]

There can be more problems with trying to get one more calf out of an old cow, then with calving a heifer. Once a cow gets broken down, large utter and teats, hard to get up, slow to come to feed, most likely bad teeth. Get her in the trailer while she's still walking. Better then getting rid of her once she's down. :cowboy:

Amen MM

 

[Caustic Burno]

How old is old?
Can they still eat grass? Can they get around fairly well to graze? Are udders holding up fairly well?
They raising a good calf every year?

Not saying you shouldn't get rid of them, but are they really too old to make money?

After they become 8 years of age, I begin watching closely. If they pass the above test they go one more round. I would add holding condition as well. When I begin to notice they are always last to arrive when called together and hanging back from the herd, I consider that to mean they are beginning to have problems getting around and that sets in motion their exit plan.

Heck I have very few cows under 8 and the majority are 10 years or better.
Learn to grow grass, good grass = good teeth and health.