The "when to breed" conundrum

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I drove across Wyoming, Evanston, Rawlins, Casper, Newcastle, a little over a week ago and I've never seen it so devoid of wind. None of the many windmills were turning. Never seen it so quiet.
It is rare when there is no wind in Rawlins. Sometimes in August and September we don't get that much wind. A week ago when we gathered up my cows it was pretty nice. You drove right past the pasture where my cows were. They were just behind the fireworks stand there at Creston Junction. We had to push them from there to the Riner Rd, about 9 miles.
 
Lately when it does blow something catches fire and boom -- 30,000 acres go up in smoke. We could use 6" of wet heavy snow.
It was pretty smokey here in Riverton last night. I hate to say it, but we need some snow to stop all those fires. The Fish Creek fire is somewhere around 87% contained, and there is a new fire that started about mid September that is about three miles from it. I forgot what they call it.
 
It was pretty smokey here in Riverton last night. I hate to say it, but we need some snow to stop all those fires. The Fish Creek fire is somewhere around 87% contained, and there is a new fire that started about mid September that is about three miles from it. I forgot what they call it.
That one and there is a 30,000 acre fire north of Sheridan.
 
You drove right past the pasture where my cows were. They were just behind the fireworks stand there at Creston Junction. We had to push them from there to the Riner Rd, about 9 miles.

That's the road down to Baggs, isn't it? Pretty bleak country. I doubt a lot of people here really know what sage desert looks like and how many acres it takes to support a cow/calf unit. In Arkansas we stocked at one unit for every one acre and cut hay. It would be interesting to see some pics of what you consider to be your best natural forage and tell us the numbers.
 
That's the road down to Baggs, isn't it? Pretty bleak country. I doubt a lot of people here really know what sage desert looks like and how many acres it takes to support a cow/calf unit. In Arkansas we stocked at one unit for every one acre and cut hay. It would be interesting to see some pics of what you consider to be your best natural forage and tell us the numbers.
Yes that is the road to Baggs. I think the stocking rate is around 35 to 40 acres per pair per month. That pasture my cows were in is about 3 miles by 3 miles. This summer I ended up having 40 cows, 2 bulls, and about 56 calves. I started the out with 59 pairs out there. I will be glad when this year is over, and I hope next year is better. Between the loss of 17 cows, two calves, one bull, and equipment breakdowns it has been an expensive year. The cows should have probably been moved out of that pasture three weeks ago; it was pretty cleaned up this year. My uncle has been out there since 92, there was a cabin that was there, and if you wanted running water you ran and got it. He has upgraded it over the years. Now he has running water in the cabin, and an off grid electric.
 
Thanks, everyone! There are many ways to approach things, and as long as it works for you, it's a good system. Back here in South Africa, we've had a tough few years with harsh conditions from Mother Nature, and the challenging market has made it difficult for many to retain replacements. I have not kept replacements for a few years so not mating any heifers this year, hoping for some good rains and an improvement in the market. With that, things should start to turn around
 
A lesson that I learnt from Johann Zietsman is that you can't judge a heifer until she has weaned her first calf. One of my pet peeves of heifer selection is saving the biggest heifers that results in big inefficient cows. What I do is save all the registered heifers that are sound and then feeding them with a goal of getting two thirds of them bred as yearlings. I just leave the bull with the cows for most of the year figuring a late calf is better than no calf. One thing I had good luck with a couple of years ago was doing a putting in CIDRs for seven days before turning the bull out.
Zeitsman presents some solid theories, and many of his ideas work quite well. However, there are certain aspects of his approach that simply don't make economic sense. He has a particular disdain for the stud industry and doesn't believe in measuring economic traits beyond pounds per acre. While that metric is valuable, it only works if your product is marketable. The breeds he promotes, unfortunately, aren't marketable to about 95% of feedlots, or they are penalized by more than 25% when sold. Additionally, his preference for small-framed cows results in weaning weights around 300 pounds, which is too light for our larger feedlots, as they struggle to put enough frame on those animals.
 
Zeitsman presents some solid theories, and many of his ideas work quite well. However, there are certain aspects of his approach that simply don't make economic sense. He has a particular disdain for the stud industry and doesn't believe in measuring economic traits beyond pounds per acre. While that metric is valuable, it only works if your product is marketable. The breeds he promotes, unfortunately, aren't marketable to about 95% of feedlots, or they are penalized by more than 25% when sold. Additionally, his preference for small-framed cows results in weaning weights around 300 pounds, which is too light for our larger feedlots, as they struggle to put enough frame on those animals.
I agree with what you are saying. I saw a Boran bull and he was too small. But I would think half blood Boran or Mashonas bred to terminal bulls would do very well.
 
Zeitsman presents some solid theories, and many of his ideas work quite well. However, there are certain aspects of his approach that simply don't make economic sense. He has a particular disdain for the stud industry and doesn't believe in measuring economic traits beyond pounds per acre. While that metric is valuable, it only works if your product is marketable. The breeds he promotes, unfortunately, aren't marketable to about 95% of feedlots, or they are penalized by more than 25% when sold. Additionally, his preference for small-framed cows results in weaning weights around 300 pounds, which is too light for our larger feedlots, as they struggle to put enough frame on those animals.
Thank you for the truth! So many blindly follow the "Experts" only to find in the real world some things just aren't as advertised.
 

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