Who would you pick - warning, many pics!

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cypressfarms

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I love this time of the year. Not because of the hot weather, but because you get to see the calves growing out and your able to justify (or not) your breeding decisions. So this year I've decided to keep a couple of my own heifers to grow out as replacements. If your so inclined, give me which one's you would keep and why. I've put on my "critical" hat, so you won't offend me if you post negative comments. The contestants are:


Bachelorette #1, whose moma (pictured with calf) if a very good beefmaster cow. Moma's bag is pretty good and she's never missed having a calf in her six years. Daddy is an Angus plus bull with fairly good mothering epd's. Caught her with milk on her mouth. Her and her moma are very docile. Calf is 6 months old.
girl1.jpg

girl11.jpg


Batchelorette #2 looks like a full blown hereford, but her moma is a simmental cross (pictured with calf) that has a really good bag. Moma has calved religiously every year. Daddy is a registered hereford with good maternal epds. Grandmothers (sires moma) bag is good as well. I've wanted to keep a daughter from her for a while. This girl was about 50 lbs. at birth and has a very good temperment, along with her moma. Calf is 6 months old.
girl2.jpg

girl22.jpg


Batchelorette #3 is a black baldy sired by the same bull as Batchelorette #2. Moma is a Brangus cross with a decent bag. Moma "skipped" one year when she was three. This calf has the mysterious "wild gene" and was red shaded when born, but now black. She's 8 months old and somewhat flighty, as can be seen by her head/stance in the pics. Moma of #3 does have a good temperment.
girl3.jpg

girl33.jpg



Batchelorette #4, although looks similar to #1 is different. Moma has a good bag (she's the sister to the cow of #1) and has calved every year with no problems. Both are very docile. Daddy of #4 is the same bull as #1. Calf is 7 months old. Caught her drinking from the fridge as well.
girl4.jpg

girl44.jpg



Batchelorette #5 , unfortunately has a "dink" for a moma. Moma is a beefmaster, but was bred too early by the man I purchased her from, and her growth suffered. Moma does have a good bag, and she's had three straight calves without missing a beat, she just looks worse for wear. Daddy is the same as #1 and #4. Calf is 8 months old; her and moma are very docile.
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So take your pick, please. They will/could be paired with a future bull to complement their breeding, perhaps the Angus, hereford, or maybe a new charolais.
 
Like 1,4, and 5 and 2 might be ok. Would not keep the baldy if it is flighty.
Sure does not like the heat has bothered them. Good condition on them even with the big calves.
 
kenny thomas":19w2a38h said:
Sure does not like the heat has bothered them. Good condition on them even with the big calves.

I'm not real happy with the cow's condition. They are all almost a full BCS score leaner than same time last year. Mostly because I've been out of commision for 6 months, and they've had to fend for themselves. I'm planning on pulling the calves within the next few weeks to let the momas gain back before winter.

An Angus plus is a Angus crossed with a Brangus, or the offspring of two Angus plus's. Actually registered with the red angus association, but their black. I like them because they put less ear on calves, but still have some brahman blood. Some call them double black, Angus supreme, etc. Pick your poison, but they seem to cross very good with beefmaster cows.
 
They are all decent prospects and your cattle look healthy and in good condition. #1 was kind of leggy/rangy for my taste. The hereford-looking one looked like she will be an easy keeper but she's a little pinched in the heart girth. Although we have one cow with that conformation flaw and she has been very fertile and productive nonetheless. I liked the bwf and the last one the best.
 
If I had to pick only 2 of them, from the pics I would choose 4 and 5. All of them look good and would give you some nice calves.
 
You have some very nice cattle. Not a junker in the bunch. Thanks for posting the pics. I enjoyed seeing them.
 
Cypress I cannot see the pics from here at work but can read the words.

It sounds like the sire for all cases is an ear trimmer. A terminal bull for my climate. You'd be money ahead to part ways and replace them in my opinion.

I'll see their pics tonight - on dial up.
 
All good looking calves- I like the baldy, she might gentle down some later, who know? The #5 heifer is a really nice heifer. Gotta give her momma credit for raising that one. Shows you that a little cow can do a good job. I'd keep that one for sure.
 
all of those heifers will work for replacements.i think you need to breed them to a beefmaster bull.
 
backhoeboogie":2v2trx2z said:
Cypress I cannot see the pics from here at work but can read the words.

It sounds like the sire for all cases is an ear trimmer. A terminal bull for my climate. You'd be money ahead to part ways and replace them in my opinion.

I'll see their pics tonight - on dial up.

Howdy Backhoe. I sometimes sell heifers as replacements, depending on how "fancy" (I hate that term) they look. As weird as it sounds, replacements with some ear to them bring more here. If they are black, then add some more to the value. Almost all of the replacemment sales around here intended for commercial cattlemen have either brangus types, tiger stripes, or black baldies. So while a terminal bull, like a charolais, would yield better/bigger calves, you'd take a hit if you sold heifer calves as replacements. There isn't any magic bullet that I know of. Below are two pics of the Angus plus bull that I have. He's no show boy, but he puts some nice calves on the ground, and not one born dead yet (I just jinxed myself) He was a two year old in the pics.

23pfront.jpg

23pside.jpg
 
nothing wrong with that bull,, as far as the heifers, thats all on you,, you know the momas and the sire.id hate too endorse one, and a teat blow out on the second calve."although their momas look good" after all that time spent developing em
 
Forget about #3. That leaves 1,2,4 and 5. I think those have good potential. Temperament is important to me. I can live with being a little high-headed, but flighty no way. The rest (1,2,4 and 5) all 'look' good. And knowing the history of the dams certainly helps with the decision making. They're a nice looking bunch of heifers.

Katherine
 
#1, #4, and #5 would be the ones I'd bid on. I really like more ear tho.

By the way, eared heifers fetch more here too.
 
cypressfarms":2oyhtk0u said:
[I'm not real happy with the cow's condition. They are all almost a full BCS score leaner than same time last year. Mostly because I've been out of commision for 6 months, and they've had to fend for themselves. I'm planning on pulling the calves within the next few weeks to let the momas gain back before winter.
Those cows look in pretty good shape to me. They look to be at least a 5?
 

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