What to look for when buying Brahman

[TennesseeTuxedo]

It is weird to me y'all sell pens.
Here every calf runs through the ring with the order buyers bidding.
No matter the barn you haul to.
If you don't like the price on one PO it bring it back in a week or so if you
don't think it's fair.

We can do the same here. You'll get a better price by selling in groups but there are a lot of singles going through as well.

 

[Caustic Burno]

It is weird to me y'all sell pens.
Here every calf runs through the ring with the order buyers bidding.
No matter the barn you haul to.
If you don't like the price on one PO it bring it back in a week or so if you
don't think it's fair.

We can do the same here. You'll get a better price by selling in groups but there are a lot of singles going through as well.

Here they are sorted by size into pens yours mine everyone's.
Then they are ran through the ring.

 

[cow pollinater]

It is weird to me y'all sell pens.
Here every calf runs through the ring with the order buyers bidding.
No matter the barn you haul to.
If you don't like the price on one PO it bring it back in a week or so if you
don't think it's fair.

That's telling.

 

[Caustic Burno]

What that tells you 92% of the cattle in Texas are in herds of 30 or less.
Last report if I remember correctly only 2% were in herds larger than 200 head.

 

[cow pollinater]

What that tells you 92% of the cattle in Texas are in herds of 30 or less.
Last report if I remember correctly only 2% were in herds larger than 200 head.

That's my point. I'm supposed to believe that every one of those is vaccinated and weaned?

 

[jedstivers]

I didn't read all 14 pages so it might have been said.
If your asking these questions then (and that's fine, you'll never know if you don't) don't buy off Craigslist or the auction.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

What that tells you 92% of the cattle in Texas are in herds of 30 or less.
Last report if I remember correctly only 2% were in herds larger than 200 head.

Same stat applies in Tennessee and Kentucky.

 

[WalnutCrest]

...and probably most of the lower 48.

 

[Caustic Burno]

What that tells you 92% of the cattle in Texas are in herds of 30 or less.
Last report if I remember correctly only 2% were in herds larger than 200 head.

That's my point. I'm supposed to believe that every one of those is vaccinated and weaned?

No your not.
I have actually seen better husbandry out of the majority of the small producers. There is no in between they are conditioned and slick or completely back 40 and not hard to recognize the difference.

 

[cow pollinater]

What that tells you 92% of the cattle in Texas are in herds of 30 or less.
Last report if I remember correctly only 2% were in herds larger than 200 head.

That's my point. I'm supposed to believe that every one of those is vaccinated and weaned?

No your not.
I have actually seen better husbandry out of the majority of the small producers. There is no in between they are conditioned and slick or completely back 40 and not hard to recognize the difference.

So if they're slick and conditioned they're vaccinated and weaned? or is it the other way around? Help me out here as I'm getting lost following the "logic".

 

[Caustic Burno]

Those calves coming through slick conditioned with ear tags you can bet they have been in a good program most of the time.
Those raggedy back 40 calves you can bet didn't come off a place with any type management program.
If you stand around when there unloading you will know where the majority come from.
I walk in the barn I have two buyers ask what I brought and what are the numbers. I am not the only one those order buyers want to know who brought
what in.
You not BSing a man at his own game those same order buyers are sitting
at all four sales of the week.

 

[cow pollinater]

Those calves coming through slick conditioned with ear tags you can bet they have been in a good program most of the time.
Those raggedy back 40 calves you can bet didn't come off a place with any type management program.
If you stand around when there unloading you will know where the majority come from.
I walk in the barn I have two buyers ask what I brought and what are the numbers. I am not the only one those order buyers want to know who brought
what in.
You not BSing a man at his own game those same order buyers are sitting
at all four sales of the week.

So it all relies on guesswork there??? They can tell that certain calves have been vaccinated just by looking at them???

 

[dun]

It is weird to me y'all sell pens.
Here every calf runs through the ring with the order buyers bidding.
No matter the barn you haul to.
If you don't like the price on one PO it bring it back in a week or so if you
don't think it's fair.

We can do the same here. You'll get a better price by selling in groups but there are a lot of singles going through as well.

Here they are sorted by size into pens yours mine everyone's.
Then they are ran through the ring.

Here there is one barn that has co-mingled sales. But the charge a fee to do it. The rest run through in what ever lot size there is by a single producer. Those lots are sorted to get the odd balls out and they are sold as singles.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Those calves coming through slick conditioned with ear tags you can bet they have been in a good program most of the time.
Those raggedy back 40 calves you can bet didn't come off a place with any type management program.
If you stand around when there unloading you will know where the majority come from.
I walk in the barn I have two buyers ask what I brought and what are the numbers. I am not the only one those order buyers want to know who brought
what in.
You not BSing a man at his own game those same order buyers are sitting
at all four sales of the week.

So it all relies on guesswork there??? They can tell that certain calves have been vaccinated just by looking at them???

So there it is on your word what a crock
unless certified by a vet that the vaccination protocol was adhered too.

 

[dun]

So there it is on your word what a crock
unless certified by a vet that the vaccination protocol was adhered too.

That's the reason we enroll all the calves in the Pfizer weanvac/selectvac programs and have documentation to go with them to the salebarn

 

[cow pollinater]

So there it is on your word what a crock
unless certified by a vet that the vaccination protocol was adhered too.

Doesn't have to be by a vet. There are lots of programs you can enroll calves in that will add value. You might want to look into it. Those flop eared calves need all the marketing help they can get. ;-)

 

[smoothmule]

Wowser. Reading through the posts here is a dizzy mess, lol

I am a hobby breeder. I have a preference to what I like and just do my own thing. Pretty glad I don't have to wade through all the politics of breeds and opinions but I DO appreciate reading posts with good, solid advice. Not that hard to sort it out.

Oddly, most of the readers here down the oddball cattle that are neither commercial nor seedstock or pure/registered. More oddly is that I sell both to individual breeders and through the sale barn here locally and have not really seen my calves go for any less than the rest, often more....and my eared calves have even brought the high dollar a couple of times. I understand the difference in having a commercial herd that buyers watch for and buy up like candy but I've not really seen why other than it's what they're used to and expecting and they are uniform.

I Like the eared cattle and crosses. I've had one cow that loved me and hated everyone else. I finally sold her but kept her last heifer who turned out to be extremely nice and a great producer for me. I hated selling Babe but didn't want anyone to get hurt. That said, when "I" look at Brahman type cattle....the eye and reaction to handling are number ONE on the list. Sounds dumb but it's worked for me. Temperament is extremely important to me with all the cows and the bull I use as well. Still...there are the numbskull calves. Seems to be part of the breed....especially crosses. And one cross done over a few times will yield totally different calves. So, I just breed and cull. I keep such a small number anyway.

As far as breeding, slab sided cows have produced exceptional calves for terminal calves. I breed to improve though too and watch what the generations turn out like....so far, so good. My calves are taken to our sons and worked and tagged and I wean them here before deciding their fate. I learn a little more every breeding season and my "eye" is getting better. I always love to read the posts that have to do with eared cattle....the responses are often priceless.

 

[smoothmule]

I just wanted to add that.....while I Love my long eared mamma's...the bull's I choose must be well bred, and generally registered. Beefmaster has been my Favorite cross to my mixed type eared cows. Nice nice calves. The bull we used the past 2 years gave me the ears I was wanting but I've bred to some that didn't pass that on so much. Even to my mixed breed commercial cows, I got so super nice calves by the Beefmaster.

Balancer bulls then Angus are the next in line for favorites. Very nice crosses. "Many" of the breeds have Brahman in them. There are breeders that Do like and prefer them with a little ear. Finding your market is the key and Loving what you're breeding. If your cattle make you feel good about what you're producing, you're there. There wouldn't be so many breeds/types if we could all be pleased with one type. If you spend time with your cattle and you love these guys, they know it....and a calm herd, a settled herd is a herd that will produce good calves too.

Mother and daughter....mother is Grey Brahman cow/reg Balancer bull....daughter is by a reg Beefmaster.


Beefmaster calves this spring






I love my short eared commercial cows too and to a Beefmaster, I get some awesome calves.




Post pictures of your Brahman cattle and crosses.
This was Babe. Had some really nice calves from her. But her temperament was scary for anyone going in her pasture but me. If there is Anything I'd recommend about Brahman type cattle, is that my own experience.....if they are good, they are wonderful but if they are bad....they are killer bad. I Loved this cow. But, not enough to let Anyone get hurt

 

[talltimber]

Same here dun. They separate steers/heifers, naturally, but also cut out any too far out in lbs from their respective group. As far as I know, Joplin is the nearest sale that does the co*mingling. I don't know of any other sale, none real close to me, that does it. I don't visit a lot of auctions though, it may be common. Not at Farmington (afaik), Fruitland, West Plains or Patton.

TT, I have heard the "reputation cattle" term here before.

 

[Brute 23]

Having a vet certify some thing just sounds like another hand in the cookie jar.