Tough Decision Today

[blackcowz]

Welp, I got a kind of average Angus calf out of one of my high priced registered cows. Sure, he's doing fine and growing OK, but I just don't think he has anything to offer to the Angus breed or commercial cattlemen either one. Too many trash "seedstock" bulls out there anyhow. He'll fit on the truck this fall very nicely with all the other black steers.

 

[HerefordSire]

Welp, I got a kind of average Angus calf out of one of my high priced registered cows. Sure, he's doing fine and growing OK, but I just don't think he has anything to offer to the Angus breed or commercial cattlemen either one. Too many trash "seedstock" bulls out there anyhow. He'll fit on the truck this fall very nicely with all the other black steers.

If you would have registered the calf, you could have helped the Angus breed by paying the animal fee. Even if he is cut, don't you want to help the breed? After all, you would be helping the Angus breed, correct?

 

[redfornow]

Welp, I got a kind of average Angus calf out of one of my high priced registered cows. Sure, he's doing fine and growing OK, but I just don't think he has anything to offer to the Angus breed or commercial cattlemen either one. Too many trash "seedstock" bulls out there anyhow. He'll fit on the truck this fall very nicely with all the other black steers.

You did the right thing...

I understand, its tough when the numbers are right, the breeding is right but the calf isnt.
Thats the downside of this entire deal, is that we aint in control....

You are gonna make a solid seedstock producer. The every breed needs more guys that use their knife and not just a pencil. :cowboy:

 

[alacattleman]

Welp, I got a kind of average Angus calf out of one of my high priced registered cows. Sure, he's doing fine and growing OK, but I just don't think he has anything to offer to the Angus breed or commercial cattlemen either one. Too many trash "seedstock" bulls out there anyhow. He'll fit on the truck this fall very nicely with all the other black steers.

You did the right thing...

I understand, its tough when the numbers are right, the breeding is right but the calf isnt.Thats the downside of this entire deal, is that we aint in control....

You are gonna make a solid seedstock producer. The every breed needs more guys that use their knife and not just a pencil. :cowboy:

alot of em have stayed intacted for that reason...

 

[blackcowz]

Welp, I got a kind of average Angus calf out of one of my high priced registered cows. Sure, he's doing fine and growing OK, but I just don't think he has anything to offer to the Angus breed or commercial cattlemen either one. Too many trash "seedstock" bulls out there anyhow. He'll fit on the truck this fall very nicely with all the other black steers.

If you would have registered the calf, you could have helped the Angus breed by paying the animal fee. Even if he is cut, don't you want to help the breed? After all, you would be helping the Angus breed, correct?

Unfortunately, I would have been flushing hard earned money down the drain. I kept a bull not worth keeping last year, and now I wish I'd a sold him for 1.04 a pound last fall.

 

[hillsdown]

Sometimes the genes just do not work out. Even a really deep pedigreed cow with tons of awards, bred to the top sire in the industry will give you a real piece of crap that should be knocked on the head .

Case in point <<dairy people will know these two names right away>>> Acme Starbuck Lilly 6EX ,bred to Rudolf EX (top sire in North America and most parts of the world for confirmation and milk for at least a year and a half) The chosen progeny to be used for an AI sire was the pits sh$tty, he did not even make it through the young sire rounds. I think we got to use 5 straws of him when he was pulled and yes 3 took and all bull calves that soon became steers.

You are doing the right thing, next time it will work out better .

 

[mnmtranching]

Good that you are culling. Not every calf is going to be breeding material.
So, what are the reasons for culling?
Got some pics and other information?

 

[blackcowz]

Well, he has some rib, but just really narrow and light muscled. He's just not very attractive to look at, and that's where I'm moving my cowherd. I could get pics, but he'll already be steered.

 

[dun]

Well, he has some rib, but just really narrow and light muscled. He's just not very attractive to look at, and that's where I'm moving my cowherd. I could get pics, but he'll already be steered.

Good decision. If he wouldn;t be good enough for you to use he woudln;t be good enough for anyone else to use either

 

[xbred]

i know a seedstock supplier that sells everything he can raise or buy twice a year at so called "special sales"..talked to a guy who raises registered cattle..i asked him where he sold his cattle "insert big name seedstock rancher here"..." all i can send him," he said "everything i wean".
i really believe a seedstock rancher should only be able to register a percentage of his claves..the top 50% of heifers and top 33% of bull calves...i don't know, maybe im just riled up...

 

[Frankie]

Welp, I got a kind of average Angus calf out of one of my high priced registered cows. Sure, he's doing fine and growing OK, but I just don't think he has anything to offer to the Angus breed or commercial cattlemen either one. Too many trash "seedstock" bulls out there anyhow. He'll fit on the truck this fall very nicely with all the other black steers.

It probably won't come as much of a surprise to people on this board that I disagree with most of the comments you've received.

First, good for you for cutting a calf you don't feel has "anything to offer".

But there can be a ton of difference in a weaned bull calf and a yearling bull calf. Some animals don't exhibit their potential until they're older. Sometimes a cow has a milk problem and the bull blooms when put on feed and weaned.

More importantly, don't expect every bull customer to want the same thing in a bull that you're looking for. Some are looking for maternal traits, some for terminal sires, something with frame, something moderate framed, some for a good disposition, some for all of the above.

I hope you reported the BW and WW to the AHIR program? It will help the sire and dam's EPD accuracies....and the AAA can sure use that $3.

 

[3waycross]

Welp, I got a kind of average Angus calf out of one of my high priced registered cows. Sure, he's doing fine and growing OK, but I just don't think he has anything to offer to the Angus breed or commercial cattlemen either one. Too many trash "seedstock" bulls out there anyhow. He'll fit on the truck this fall very nicely with all the other black steers.

It probably won't come as much of a surprise to people on this board that I disagree with most of the comments you've received.

First, good for you for cutting a calf you don't feel has "anything to offer".

But there can be a ton of difference in a weaned bull calf and a yearling bull calf. Some animals don't exhibit their potential until they're older. Sometimes a cow has a milk problem and the bull blooms when put on feed and weaned.

More importantly, don't expect every bull customer to want the same thing in a bull that you're looking for. Some are looking for maternal traits, some for terminal sires, something with frame, something moderate framed, some for a good disposition, some for all of the above.

I hope you reported the BW and WW to the AHIR program? It will help the sire and dam's EPD accuracies....and the AAA can sure use that $3.

Well I guess now you know WHO and WHAT you don't want to be when you grow up. Establish your standards now and stick to them. The one thing you cannot get back is your reputation once it's lost. :nod:

 

[Frankie]

It probably won't come as much of a surprise to people on this board that I disagree with most of the comments you've received.

First, good for you for cutting a calf you don't feel has "anything to offer".

But there can be a ton of difference in a weaned bull calf and a yearling bull calf. Some animals don't exhibit their potential until they're older. Sometimes a cow has a milk problem and the bull blooms when put on feed and weaned.

More importantly, don't expect every bull customer to want the same thing in a bull that you're looking for. Some are looking for maternal traits, some for terminal sires, something with frame, something moderate framed, some for a good disposition, some for all of the above.

I hope you reported the BW and WW to the AHIR program? It will help the sire and dam's EPD accuracies....and the AAA can sure use that $3.

Well I guess now you know WHO and WHAT you don't want to be when you grow up. Establish your standards now and stick to them. The one thing you cannot get back is your reputation once it's lost. :nod:

In my experience, if you pay attention to what you DO want to be and who your market is, then you don't have to worry too much about the don'ts.

 

[bigbull338]

if you want tobe a seedstock producer you have to cull your bull calves 3x as hard.because it cost alot of money to get a bull calf up to breeding age.an you want the very best of the top end.as a seedstock breeder theres going tobe lots of years that you steer all your bull calves.

 

[Frankie]

if you want tobe a seedstock producer you have to cull your bull calves 3x as hard.because it cost alot of money to get a bull calf up to breeding age.an you want the very best of the top end.as a seedstock breeder theres going tobe lots of years that you steer all your bull calves.

Who says? I'll bet there are lots of people on this board who regret cutting a particular calf. You can't put that "equipment" back on if he later grows into a heck of a calf.

 

[bigbull338]

frankie we as seedstock producers will do things like that.an yes we will have those regrets.but we all live an learn from those deals.was out looking at the cows the other nite.an my brother asked what i was gonna do with a bull calf he was looking at.an i told him send him to the sale.he goes thats a keeper bull calf.i goes he maybe but he is going to the sale.im not in the mood to raise him.an yes he is a good stout bull calf.

 

[Frankie]

frankie we as seedstock producers will do things like that.an yes we will have those regrets.but we all live an learn from those deals.was out looking at the cows the other nite.an my brother asked what i was gonna do with a bull calf he was looking at.an i told him send him to the sale.he goes thats a keeper bull calf.i goes he maybe but he is going to the sale.im not in the mood to raise him.an yes he is a good stout bull calf.

Bigbull338, not all breeds or breeders are the same. We've been raising and selling registered Angus cattle for a long, long time. Every cow on the place is two, three, five generations deep in performance genetics. I expect every animal to be a keeper. They're not, of course. We are still dealing with living critters. We have cut very few of our bull calves over the years, but not all of them were sold as registered bulls. We've been testing Angus bulls for almost as long as we've been raising them. We use actual, measured performance as a major criteria for whether an animal should be sold as a registered bull or not. ALL his performance (BW, WW, ADG, ultrasound), not just to weaning age. And you're right, it's not a cheap process.

If you're not in the "mood" to raise a good stout bull calf, why are you calling yourself a "seedstock producer?"

 

[Brandonm22]

if you want tobe a seedstock producer you have to cull your bull calves 3x as hard.because it cost alot of money to get a bull calf up to breeding age.an you want the very best of the top end.as a seedstock breeder theres going tobe lots of years that you steer all your bull calves.

I agree with Frankie. If 40 to 50% of your bull calves would not improve the typical commercial herd you need to disperse your cows or buy better semen.

 

[bigbull338]

good question for 1 im in no mood to get caught with a bunch of bulls.an 2 you can get bull poor by keeping every top end bull calf.plus id end up with 4 bulls to raise.already have 2 breeding age bulls almost ready.so yes i know how you feel.im in the process of buying cows or things i need to run the reg cows every year.ive got 6 cows now.an have 3 heifers coming on.an if i wasnt hard pushed id prolly go buy 4 to 6 cows this year.

 

[BC]

if you want tobe a seedstock producer you have to cull your bull calves 3x as hard.because it cost alot of money to get a bull calf up to breeding age.an you want the very best of the top end.as a seedstock breeder theres going tobe lots of years that you steer all your bull calves.

Who says? I'll bet there are lots of people on this board who regret cutting a particular calf. You can't put that "equipment" back on if he later grows into a heck of a calf.

Don't look back. There was something that made you decide not to keep that calf as a bull. You will have more opportunities to raise a bull. If more breeders would steer some of the so called bull prospects all the breeds would benefit.