What I've been breeding towards

[Stocker Steve]

Got to keep the goal thing in mind. Otherwise all the options are good ones.

Are you trying to develop pretty front pasture cattle, or trying generate ordinary income this year, or trying to generate longer term wealth?

 

[BFE]

No matter if you buy or retain it's not a cheap proposition. I've bought and bought and still will if the right situation pops up as it did for me this summer on three nice heifers that's were raised under similar management as mine. We'll see how they turn out but I'm obviously betting on them. The key for me is knowing how they were developed. I know how my retainers are developed. I don't need feed bucket queens on my place so I'm wary of buying just anything. I've lived through that train wreck before and ain't climbing back on another.

 

[BFE]

People can talk all day about it being cheaper to buy them but there is nothing like the feeling of making your replacement cows and getting them how you want them. Once you get in a rhythm where you know you have x amount coming in and x amount going out it's a good feeling. Not having to hunt up cattle or worry about where your going to get screwed next is worth every penny.

On this we will agree to disagree grasshopper.

I can't raise them like this for 1200 bucks.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PfSk2RMB65w

What would you breed those to cb?

 

[Brute 23]

No matter if you buy or retain it's not a cheap proposition. I've bought and bought and still will if the right situation pops up as it did for me this summer on three nice heifers that's were raised under similar management as mine. We'll see how they turn out but I'm obviously betting on them. The key for me is knowing how they were developed. I know how my retainers are developed. I don't need feed bucket queens on my place so I'm wary of buying just anything. I've lived through that train wreck before and ain't climbing back on another.

That is my same mentality.

These guys advertising dont cull thru those cattle. When you develope them at home you can see which ones are not up to snuff over time.

I guarantee you when you get that set from J&J to the house there are going to be a couple great ones, a lot of decent ones, some that are going to flat fall apart, and one or two that will need to be culled for temperament. If you turn them fast enough your salvage price won't be far from what you paid.

I will give J&J credit in that they usually will cut out what you want, 1 or 100, not like some of the others who do gate cut or it's a all or nothing deal.

Most of the cattle I have bought that turned out were from people I know, know how they operate, know how they were raised, etc. We generally trade around together as people gain places, lose places, need cash, etc.

 

[Caustic Burno]

No matter if you buy or retain it's not a cheap proposition. I've bought and bought and still will if the right situation pops up as it did for me this summer on three nice heifers that's were raised under similar management as mine. We'll see how they turn out but I'm obviously betting on them. The key for me is knowing how they were developed. I know how my retainers are developed. I don't need feed bucket queens on my place so I'm wary of buying just anything. I've lived through that train wreck before and ain't climbing back on another.

That is my same mentality.

These guys advertising dont cull thru those cattle. When you develope them at home you can see which ones are not up to snuff over time.

I guarantee you when you get that set from J&J to the house there are going to be a couple great ones, a lot of decent ones, some that are going to flat fall apart, and one or two that will need to be culled for temperament. If you turn them fast enough your salvage price won't be far from what you paid.

I will give J&J credit in that they usually will cut out what you want, 1 or 100, not like some of the others who do gate cut or it's a all or nothing deal.

Most of the cattle I have bought that turned out were from people I know, know how they operate, know how they were raised, etc. We generally trade around together as people gain places, lose places, need cash, etc.

Brute you come across as being really jealous and envious of their operation.
We are all cow peddlers.
It's no different in if I pull up to your place or the sale barn it's buyer beware. The salebarn is not an evil place either,it's our lifeblood, it is just not a place for rookies. If they are so terrible their operation will quit growing.
You like retaining heifers that's fine and dandy it is not the only solution in the cattle business. They are no where close to being free either. It makes no sense to retain in a commercial crossbred operation other than genetic improvement.
Maybe you have been burned and burnt child is scared of fire, I understand.
I understand both philosophies and not stuck on it's just my way.
When I ran a registered herd I routinely retained.

 

[Caustic Burno]

People can talk all day about it being cheaper to buy them but there is nothing like the feeling of making your replacement cows and getting them how you want them. Once you get in a rhythm where you know you have x amount coming in and x amount going out it's a good feeling. Not having to hunt up cattle or worry about where your going to get screwed next is worth every penny.

On this we will agree to disagree grasshopper.

I can't raise them like this for 1200 bucks.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PfSk2RMB65w

What would you breed those to cb?

Angus works great.
My hay partner and I are discussing a registered Brahman.
That should make some fine heifers to sale, we'll take a hit on the steer calf's.

 

[Brute 23]

No CB, you have it in your head you know me and you dont. None of what you just said matches any thing I've typed.

Speak your peace and move along. We dont have to agree.

 

[Brute 23]

Very nice cattle Alowcowman. I'd take take a whole herd of them. Sorry for derailing your thread. :tiphat:

 

[ALACOWMAN]

Y'all didn't derail it..I've bought Several in the past and raised them both..we ain't none of us getting rich doing it.

 

[Brute 23]

Y'all didn't derail it..I've bought Several in the past and raised them both..we ain't none of us getting rich doing it.

That's right, especially on the small scale of most producers... do what you enjoy. No need to fight over peanuts. Some people enjoy "the art of the deal" in buying cattle, probably cause they are good a it. That ain't me... I can screw up my own cattle... dont need to pay any one to do it for me. :lol2:

 

[Nesikep]

Y'all didn't derail it..I've bought Several in the past and raised them both..we ain't none of us getting rich doing it.

That's right, especially on the small scale of most producers... do what you enjoy. No need to fight over peanuts. Some people enjoy "the art of the deal" in buying cattle, probably cause they are good a it. That ain't me... I can screw up my own cattle... dont need to pay any one to do it for me. :lol2:

it's taken me 30 years to weed out the screwups in the cattle we bought to start with.. I think I'm finally getting over that phase and getting to more refined improvements

 

[ALACOWMAN]

 

[Stocker Steve]

Looks like you need therapy.

 

[Stocker Steve]

U of Neb publishes an annual Beef Heifer Replacement Forecast. They use the government forecast of future cow-calf returns each year to calculate a breakeven replacement value today for different levels of annual cow care cost and cow longevity. The lower the annual cow care cost and the lower the culling rate - - the higher the breakeven value of a replacement. This value is the same whether you buy or raise the heifer.

The underlying issue is they are not expecting a beef market come back for several years. So then you can not afford to pay much today for a replacement, that will be producing most of her lifetime calves in the upcoming low return years, if your goal is to make a profit.

 

[Nesikep]

 

[Caustic Burno]

U of Neb publishes an annual Beef Heifer Replacement Forecast. They use the government forecast of future cow-calf returns each year to calculate a breakeven replacement value today for different levels of annual cow care cost and cow longevity. The lower the annual cow care cost and the lower the culling rate - - the higher the breakeven value of a replacement. This value is the same whether you buy or raise the heifer.

The underlying issue is they are not expecting a beef market come back for several years. So then you can not afford to pay much today for a replacement, that will be producing most of her lifetime calves in the upcoming low return years, if your goal is to make a profit.

When I was running wide open for me I used a calculator by one of the Ag Universities. I don't remember which one but it was a really good one for cull cows as well.
Lost it in computer changes somewhere along the line.
I thought it was out of Oklahoma.

 

[TCRanch]

Well, here's my $.02. I haven't bought a cow or heifer since our original 33 bred coming 3 year olds (still have one, bless her ancient heart). I love retaining my own heifers. I know absolutely everything about them, including their dams & sires history. The ones I retain are selected based on lineage: early calvers, health history, docility, structure, weaning weights, etc. My heifers are also pelvic measured and bred to a calving ease bull so I know (appx) when they're going to calve and don't anticipate any problems. Plus I have no concerns about biosecurity.

Am I losing money initially? Maybe. I don't put the pencil to the paper because my goals are long term. My calves sell extremely well - same buyer every year and they know they're getting healthy, preconditioned calves.

Am I running just a business? Nope, not at all. I love what I do - and that's worth a lot.

 

[gizmom]

I sure like the look of that cow, Oldhe bloodlines are know for their mothering ability as well as their ability to maintain condition. We visited their operation three years ago and the cattle are sure impressive. I didn't know you had been sick AC sure hope your on the mend! Your cattle look great!

Gizmom

 

[Caustic Burno]

I guess mine are all just crap as all but one have came through the salebarn.
I will take this garbage all day.

 

[Post Oak]

their sire..

Who's the daddy of that bull?

I smell an Ohlde in the woodpile