WHY ARE HERFORDS WEAK?

[Anonymous]

I buy groups of feeder cattle each year and have noticed pure bred herfords are alot cheaper than other breeds and some buyers will not even bid on them.I am also considering not buying herfords.They seem to get sick easier take the pinkeye and just don't gain as much.Is it just in their genetics?Have any of you noticed this?

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[Anonymous]

Herefords becaue of the pinkeye situation (proper managment takes care of 99% of that) are docked heavily in this area. 75 miles west they're hardly docked at all. We still have one old purbred Polled Hereford, never a sick day in her life, prolapsed, but never sick. I'm afraid that right now in the scheme of things Herefords aren't being bred for the productive traits (not all but a lot of them) and they're trying to make club calf parents of them. They also seem to be still chasing the showring and height fads. We use them in our crossbreeding program and have been well pleased with the health, growth and carcass and maternal. I'm curious if you are in one of the areas that just has crappy Herefords. We are in an area like that with Gelbviehs and had to travel a good bit to find any worth buying.

dun

> I buy groups of feeder cattle each
> year and have noticed pure bred
> herfords are alot cheaper than
> other breeds and some buyers will
> not even bid on them.I am also
> considering not buying
> herfords.They seem to get sick
> easier take the pinkeye and just
> don't gain as much.Is it just in
> their genetics?Have any of you
> noticed this?

 

[Anonymous]

Although it is considered heresy,I also prefer the CHB beef to CAB for flavor.

dun

> Herefords becaue of the pinkeye
> situation (proper managment takes
> care of 99% of that) are docked
> heavily in this area. 75 miles
> west they're hardly docked at all.
> We still have one old purbred
> Polled Hereford, never a sick day
> in her life, prolapsed, but never
> sick. I'm afraid that right now in
> the scheme of things Herefords
> aren't being bred for the
> productive traits (not all but a
> lot of them) and they're trying to
> make club calf parents of them.
> They also seem to be still chasing
> the showring and height fads. We
> use them in our crossbreeding
> program and have been well pleased
> with the health, growth and
> carcass and maternal. I'm curious
> if you are in one of the areas
> that just has crappy Herefords. We
> are in an area like that with
> Gelbviehs and had to travel a good
> bit to find any worth buying.

> dun

 

[Anonymous]

Depending on your location in the country, Hereford calves may not perform well. Here In Texas they have to have some ear in them, and then cross with Angus or Limousin to get a calf that can perform well enough to be profitable in the feen yard. With tight or non existant profit margins in the feed yard, why would you pay for poor performing cattle, pay for the ones that will make you money, not lose it, that seems to make the most sence, since they don't yeild well, and have mediocre quality grade.

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[Anonymous]

Big difference between a good quality Herford and bad quality Herford. Here in Oklahoma (Clinton sale)if they are in good shape and nice they do alright. Altho Black calves good and not so good bring the best prices. Ruth

> Depending on your location in the
> country, Hereford calves may not
> perform well. Here In Texas they
> have to have some ear in them, and
> then cross with Angus or Limousin
> to get a calf that can perform
> well enough to be profitable in
> the feen yard. With tight or non
> existant profit margins in the
> feed yard, why would you pay for
> poor performing cattle, pay for
> the ones that will make you money,
> not lose it, that seems to make
> the most sence, since they don't
> yeild well, and have mediocre
> quality grade.



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[Anonymous]

So people don't shoot me in the foot so I can't run from them, suffice to say that I grew up on a farm in N. Central Texas where Dad raised Registered Herefords, several that won ribbons. There was ALWAYS a pinkeye problem it seemed. Dad decided he had enough of these and other problems and switched to Registered Black Angus which he kept until he died at 84. Angus had their problems too. (Might add that Dad was a serious breeder and was well-respected for his quality animals as well as had been to Texas A&M University in his college days). After getting into the cattle business as an adult, I elected to go with Registered Texas Longhorns. Easy calving, small birthweight calves, highly efficient browsers, predator control, excellent mothers, will "babysit" other cows calves while their mamas rest, and are virtually IMMUNE to pinkeye (as in have never had it with mine and haven't heard of other Longhorn breeders having problem either). Longhorns have very lean meat, and if properly fed and grazed, etc., can be very "beefy" in appearance, with cows weighing in the 1000 to 1200 lb range and bulls in the 1600 to 2200 lb range. Yes, they are docked heavily at the sale barn (because of horns, coloring, and because serious Longhorn breeders would never take a quality Longhorn to a sale barn--bring MUCH more $$ at private sales and specialty Longhorn auctions).

 

[Anonymous]

"
> You are right that longhorn cattle have alot of good traits.You are also right about the salebarn aspect of it.The order buyers in our area s****** at them when they come in the ring.I have also noticed Santa gertrudis cattle are reduced at the salebarn but not as much.I have noticed that good gert cattle double in weight gain for me as opposed to the more domestic breeds but some will not buy them.I have heard that feedlots in the north and the midwest donot like cattle with big navels maybe someone here will have some insight on this.

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[Anonymous]

Big navels are considered a sign of Brahman influence. Brahman influence cattle (reportedly) don't do as well in colder climates.

dun

 

[Anonymous]

My Longhorn/Brahman cross cow was born and raised in Oklahoma and has been to Florida and back with me, and she seems to do better here then she did in Florida!

> Big navels are considered a sign
> of Brahman influence. Brahman
> influence cattle (reportedly)
> don't do as well in colder
> climates.

> dun



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