Which replacements to buy?

[stocky]

there have been alot of good points made on buying those cows. you can pay way too much at any sale for a cow, dont get caught up in the bidding. right now is probably the most dangerous time we have ever seen to invest a whole lot of money in cows---dont go for the fanciest or prettiest looking cow. buy cows that will raise good calves because you said you sell at the stockyards---the calf is where your return is. very few registered cows will produce calves the size and frame that a good crossbred cow will---crossbred vigor is important in selling feeders.
if you go to the sales barn, make sure you look at the cows in the pen before they sell, find out the owner and see if he brought culls or his whole group. compare the ones you want to the rest he brought in. at a farm sale, dont buy on what the auctioneer says----they are only words and he is paid to get a higher price.
i have done very well cows with large calves that are bred back. this way you can see what the cows raise and then you can sell the calves and have a cow more reasonably priced. when she is suckled down, she wont bring the premium that the slick ones will---but you will have a better cow.
remember, at a special sale or special farm sale, the cows look better than they ever will again. buy from a whole herd sellout---you get the real deal, then.
as far as the two cows in the pictures, i dont believe the charlois gives enough milk, but 1100 would be cheap for that pair in my area. the hereford looks like she has the milk to raise a huge calf, but she is gaunt and she has milk, so, to me, she looks like she has just had a large calf pulled off of her. that is the stage that is good to buy to get the best calf raisers for the best price

 

[tom4018]

as far as the two cows in the pictures, i dont believe the charlois gives enough milk, but 1100 would be cheap for that pair in my area. the hereford looks like she has the milk to raise a huge calf, but she is gaunt and she has milk, so, to me, she looks like she has just had a large calf pulled off of her. that is the stage that is good to buy to get the best calf raisers for the best price

The Hereford did just have a calf pulled off her and I know the guy she came from. The guy promoting the sale had contacted him wanting him to put some in the sale. I feel good about her and she is 5 months bred. The Charolais came out of ane of the local vet's herds at his annual female sale. I had the same concerns about the calf but the cow looks like she should milk good even though her sack is larger than I like. Seems like I can always find something wrong with something I buy after I get it home. Heifers at these sales were bringing more than 4 and 5 year old cows and they were open at that.

 

[Crowderfarms]

Hey Tom, I'd be happy to own em' Charolais especially!

 

[stocky]

i am sure the charlois will be fine, she sure has the look of a fine animal. if something happens that you dont like her, in august, you can probably weigh her out for 60 cents times maybe 1400 lbs and the calf 500 times 1.25---that would be close to 1500 dollars----looks like a real buy to me. I can't believe the prices these people are paying for open heifers. a neighbor of mine sold some 900 lb open heifers for 1000 dollars 2 days after he priced them. but, i guess they were worth 1.05-1.10 per pound to go to the feedlot, so that was just market price----figure what the buyer will have in them by the time he has a calf to sell in 16 months and the losses of first calf heifers calving----will be tough

 

[jerry27150]

i wouldn't be afraid to buy either one. both look good

 

[sidney411]

I would watch the herford for ballon teats next go around, she may need to be milked out for the new calf to get on her. I've notinced that once they start to swell out like that, each year they keep getting bigger, expecially when they 1st calve and the calf only nurses 1 or 2 teats.

Good luck!