which breed

[BC]

Since you already have a Charolais, I would suggest that if you catch a calf in the calf scramble that you get another Charolais. That is what the scramble program is for - to let young people get a start at developing their own herd.

 

[DavisBeefmasters]

i am kind of considering beefmaster, now that you guys have thrown it out there.
i love the array of colors they come in.
but i really like hairy breeds.
how big do beefmasters get generally?

Our cows range from the small frame 900# to our largest frame who is our boss cow and still producing at 14 years old of 1300#. We have been transferring our breeding program to moderate our frame size to be between 1000 and 1200 pounds which is where most of the cows are and they wean great calves. Our butcher graded our steers last year at prime and choice for quality so we believe our breeding selections are doing what we want...moderate frame size, natural thickness throughout the animal, the 6 essentials, and quality of meat.

Whatever you decide -- the majority of animals take on the disposition in which they are handled... of course there are always exceptions that should be put in the freezer immediately.

 

[chippie]

I agree about getting another Charolais heifer especially since you want to become a Charolais breeder.

 

[gabbyellepaige]

but the thing is i dont know if i can afford, another
charolais.
a smaller breed would be better for my budget, right now.

 

[deenranch]

Murray Greys are better looking than Charolais.

???????

If you want to become a Charolais breeder, then you just answered yourself as to what breed you want!!!

 

[showing71]

I would think (and hope) that there would be a Charolais breeder out there who would help you out on getting another Charolais heifer if you think money will be an issue.

I suggested getting another Charolais because you said that's what you wanted to breed. When I was to the point of getting my own show animals, I bought all Red Angus show heifers because that's the kind of animals I wanted to have when I got older and got a herd established. I would show only the one breed, and I had 3-4 heifers a year, I just made sure they weren't in the same age group.

If you decide to show another breed, are you going to sell that heifer at the end of the show season to keep building your Charolais herd? Just something else for you to think about.

 

[BC]

but the thing is i dont know if i can afford, another
charolais.
a smaller breed would be better for my budget, right now.

Just how much less do you figure you will save a day by owning a smaller breed? All show heifers are going to eat 2% to 2.5% of their body weight in feed. You are not going to see more than about 30 to 35 lbs. difference in the amount of feed you would use in a week in the total feed bill between a medium frame and a large frame heifer.

If you want to be a Charolais breeder, use this opportunity to build your herd.

By the way, I would love to show you some Gert. calves.

 

[VLS_GUY]

Gabby,

If you want a hairy bred look at the Luing. It is a Highland Shorthorn composite that is as tough as nails and is very moderate sized. How all that hair would translate in the Texas heat is anybodies guess. learn About them at: http://www.luingcattle.com/aboutbreed.html
Dr. Bob Church has some heifers for sale getting one from Alberta to Texas might be a challenge...

 

[BC]

Gabby,

If you want a hairy bred look at the Luing. It is a Highland Shorthorn composite that is as tough as nails and is very moderate sized. How all that hair would translate in the Texas heat is anybodies guess. learn About them at: http://www.luingcattle.com/aboutbreed.html
Dr. Bob Church has some heifers for sale getting one from Alberta to Texas might be a challenge...

There are certain breeds the Ft. Worth stock show will accept for their calf scramble program. There are no exceptions to that list.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

Gabby,

If you want a hairy bred look at the Luing. It is a Highland Shorthorn composite that is as tough as nails and is very moderate sized. How all that hair would translate in the Texas heat is anybodies guess. learn About them at: http://www.luingcattle.com/aboutbreed.html
Dr. Bob Church has some heifers for sale getting one from Alberta to Texas might be a challenge...

i got a fair guess and it aint a positive one, why do folks spend their lifes developing a breed for their enviroment ... to have some one take it to a place, its not suited for is beyond me

 

[chippie]

Gabby,
Whatever way you look at it, raising a Scramble Heifer for show is one of the most expensive projects out there. The Scramble Chairman are quick to point that out. Many kids scramble and catch, and then their parents are shocked at the cost of a good heifer and then the cost to raise it. If you are lucky and find a breeder that will help you, your scramble certificate may cover the cost of the heifer.

I don't really know what you mean by a smaller breed. Do you smaller in size or not so popular so that it will be cheaper to buy? Our daughter's Beefmaster cost $1250. She is a middle of the road type heifer. She will make a good commercial cow, but she was not in the top half of her class at the fair. She was purchased with the goal of producing market cattle (not breeding stock). It cost our daughter about $1100 to feed her for 7 months. She fed a basic cattle feed (no show feed) and supplements and occasional hay. The heifer was on pasture.

Put the pencil to the paper and see what you can afford and what you want to do. Your Charolois heifer is very nice. I would think that you would want to stay with the same quality of cattle since your goal is to have a breeding herd in the future.

It's tough when you have to be practical, it's a part of growing up. Making decisions and having to do things that you don't want to do is the pits. You don't want to sell yourself short. Remember it costs the same whether you raise a good heifer or a mediocre heifer.

Do you have to pay to keep your stock at the Ag barn?

 

[VLS_GUY]

Alacowman,

The Luing sheds out in warmer weather. My concern about adaptability is because no one has tried them in Texas yet. If some one is looking for a small breed with good maternal, calving ease and longevity they may work in a cross breeding situation in Texas particularly with the American breeds as they are easy breeders and marble very well.
By the way the Murray Grey and Tarentaise are known for their adaptability to hot conditions. The Murray Grey was developed on the Australian range and the Tarentaise is the go to breed in North Africa for fertility improvement with heat resistance. Do you see a place for breeds with these traits in Texas?

 

[sim.-ang.king]

Simmy all the way

 

[BC]

Alacowman,

The Luing sheds out in warmer weather. My concern about adaptability is because no one has tried them in Texas yet. If some one is looking for a small breed with good maternal, calving ease and longevity they may work in a cross breeding situation in Texas particularly with the American breeds as they are easy breeders and marble very well.
By the way the Murray Grey and Tarentaise are known for their adaptability to hot conditions. The Murray Grey was developed on the Australian range and the Tarentaise is the go to breed in North Africa for fertility improvement with heat resistance. Do you see a place for breeds with these traits in Texas?

You can not show Marray Grey's or Tarentaise or Luing's in the junior shows at Ft. Worth or the other big shows like San Antonio or Houston. Please refer to the previous post with a list of breeds that the show will accept and lets help this young lady.