Two of my Heifers pictures

[herofan]

They're not going to improve much, contrary to popular believe you can see the genetic potential to muscle up without the animal being in show bloom or mature. I wouldn't go and sell them all, address their problems with the right bull. Look at it this way... the money you've saved by being cheap heifers, you can spend more on a top quality bull.

What effect are these negative features going to produce? Will it cause future health problems, calving problems, or just a lower price at the sale barn? If I were to take these heifers to the sale barn today, would they be viewed as low quality and not bring a good price?

 

[KNERSIE]

They're not going to improve much, contrary to popular believe you can see the genetic potential to muscle up without the animal being in show bloom or mature. I wouldn't go and sell them all, address their problems with the right bull. Look at it this way... the money you've saved by being cheap heifers, you can spend more on a top quality bull.

What effect are these negative features going to produce? Will it cause future health problems, calving problems, or just a lower price at the sale barn? If I were to take these heifers to the sale barn today, would they be viewed as low quality and not bring a good price?

I'd say the red heifer is very likely going to be a harder keeping cow, especially in drought situations or when the quality of the grazing is poor.

The black one will most likely be a fine cow, but both will just need more bull power to produce calves that will be sought after by the buyers.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

Interesting. They are beef cows, so what is it about them that is not a good beef specimen? What can i do to change that?

Purchase better cattle, if you can. :2cents:

They're pretty fixable, if he does a few things right! The first thing i would do is AI. That's a giant leap forward if done right!

but they only shown 3 out of sixteen,,, and i assume they took pictures of what felt thought were the best of the bunch... your right with the AI,, you can complement each one .. without having just one option

 

[herofan]

It appears that most feel mine are nothing special(that's ok, by the way). Is it a huge chore to get good cows? I would think someone with hundreds of cows couldn't have them all perfect, but i could be wrong. Which is more common at a sale barn, cows with preferred characteristics or those lacking?

 

[3waycross]

It appears that most feel mine are nothing special(that's ok, by the way). Is it a huge chore to get good cows? I would think someone with hundreds of cows couldn't have them all perfect, but i could be wrong. Which is more common at a sale barn, cows with preferred characteristics or those lacking?

All that really matters is where you go from here. As long as you bought them right you can start fixin them tomorrow.

Start with herd health, then AI, then a decent cleanup bull then SELECTION.

Follow those simple rules and in 5 years you should have a real nice Commercial cowherd.

 

[longhornlover3498]

if they are only 8-10 months wouldn't they fill out more over the months? we had a heifer built that way and by the time breeding came around she was long,thick and tall. they are very pretty girls herofan...just give them some TLC and they should be fine.

 

[herofan]

if they are only 8-10 months wouldn't they fill out more over the months? we had a heifer built that way and by the time breeding came around she was long,thick and tall. they are very pretty girls herofan...just give them some TLC and they should be fine.

I thought maturation would make some difference, but others didn't seem to think so. I'm glad you experienced some change. Maybe there is hope for mine. They'll get plenty of TLC.

 

[Jogeephus]

The main thing is they are healthy so you are over the first obstacle and you are much better off than some of the new people who join CT with afflicted cattle they bought with funky colored eyes, coughing or diarehea. So, like Knersie said, I wouldn't go selling them all. As an experiment you might want to take these two animals and put them in a pen and feed them out. As they grow and fatten you will see the differences as they will become more pronounced and evident to you. You should also be able to better see how the capacity makes a difference on weight gain. This capacity often is the differnence between having an easy keeper and not. This TLC stuff you refer to can be expensive and can make the difference between having an expensive hobby or making money. But keep in mind most everyone on the board is striving toward improving their herd no matter how long they have been doing it so welcome aboard!

 

[herofan]

The main thing is they are healthy so you are over the first obstacle and you are much better off than some of the new people who join CT with afflicted cattle they bought with funky colored eyes, coughing or diarehea. So, like Knersie said, I wouldn't go selling them all. As an experiment you might want to take these two animals and put them in a pen and feed them out. As they grow and fatten you will see the differences as they will become more pronounced and evident to you. You should also be able to better see how the capacity makes a difference on weight gain. This capacity often is the differnence between having an easy keeper and not. This TLC stuff you refer to can be expensive and can make the difference between having an expensive hobby or making money. But keep in mind most everyone on the board is striving toward improving their herd no matter how long they have been doing it so welcome aboard!

Thanks for the comments. I understand about the TLC being expensive. The kind I'm talking about is just keeping a close eye on them so I can recognize problems early and making sure they have plenty to eat and drink. The pasture certainly isn't overgrazed; they have plenty to eat and aren't in mud up to their knees in the winter like some I see around here.

 

[longhornlover3498]

they are only 8-10 months old right??? i think they are very pretty girls they just need some tlc. we had a couple of heifers built like that at weaning and by the time they were yearlings they wer thick,tall and long and calved out some nice babies.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

they are only 8-10 months old right??? i think they are very pretty girls they just need some tlc. we had a couple of heifers built like that at weaning and by the time they were yearlings they wer thick,tall and long and calved out some nice babies.

thats the most important time for me,,, not later on..... this is not to bash these heifers,, just for commercial breeder sweaning age is the way most of us get paid

 

[3waycross]

they are only 8-10 months old right??? i think they are very pretty girls they just need some tlc. we had a couple of heifers built like that at weaning and by the time they were yearlings they wer thick,tall and long and calved out some nice babies.

No offense but tall is not one of the traits most of us strive for.

 

[Sunny Citizen]

I am a newbie, as well, and I appreciate this thread. I have learned something here today. It's good to see photos and read the assessment.

 

[plumber_greg]

You got a decent enough start Herofan, now the problem you're gonna' have is affording the bull. I would suggest finding a breeder with a buy back program on the bull. Pay what he needs, then in 3 years, if you have taken care of him, he'll resell him for you and you can breed heifers you kept back with another bull. Another suggestion, when you cull the bottom end of the original heifers, go somewhere to buy really good ones to replace them with, not a salebarn. Otherwise, you will always have that type of cattle. Not that good ones can't be bought at a saleb arn, it's just hard.
Even if you cull 3 and can only afford one good one, it'll pay off.
FYI, when I started back several years ago, I paid $30 ctw too much for a group of 119 head of yearling heifers, they were really good ones. At four years old 58 were still in the herd, and I thought they did well. As 9's there are maybe 40 left. gs