Why

[Caustic Burno]

I read more post everyday about poor performing cattle on this board. The only way to fix them is culling, period.
If you are going to stay in this business the first and most important rule is ruthless culling of the herd.

A cow here that can not produce a live healthy calf every 12 months and raise it to weaning age here by herself is fired no buts. Why retain bad genetics to produce more poor performing cattle.

 

[Cow_Town]

I agree, if you cull hard enough in the beginning you will naturally cut down on the probability of having to do it in the future. People most often dont think about the future.

 

[msscamp]

I suspect that a big part of it is that a lot of people don't have to rely on their cattle for a living, so they are more lenient with problems.

 

[rockridgecattle]

or they don't realize that what they do or don't do affects the pocket book a year later.
Come weaning time they forget all the bad stuff when they see that calf come in.
i have been as guilty as the next guy. So this year at calving we tagged the ship cows with their ID tag so we can't for get the reason why and come up with an excuse as why to keep her.

 

[Limomike]

I read more post everyday about poor performing cattle on this board. The only way to fix them is culling, period.
If you are going to stay in this business the first and most important rule is ruthless culling of the herd.

A cow here that can not produce a live healthy calf every 12 months and raise it to weaning age here by herself is fired no buts. Why retain bad genetics to produce more poor performing cattle.

Exactly Burno.. Its taken me years to get the herd I want, with good producing cows. If they are good cows, producing calves year in/ year out, I breed them till they die. If they become a problem... its hamburger time.

 

[pdfangus]

most folks don't understand that the first ten years of a cow herd is the establishment period and that is about how long it takes to establish a herd that can survive, adapt and perform to your environment.

too many folks expect to buy a few cows and turn em out on grass and produce next years denver champion.

As my daddy used to say,
"Hell boy, if it was easy anybody could do it."

 

[mnmtranching]

One thing, if people start of with poor cows or cheap cows and hope the build a herd with saving heifers. It takes a loooooooong time to breed the junk out of the herd.

 

[forageconverter]

I read one time the Five C's of being a successful cattleman. I can't remember what the first two C's were, but the last three C's were Cull, Cull, and Cull.

I remember fighting the scours in some of my cows' calves every year. I gave shots and pills, which did help, but the problem still persisted. I tried moving new pairs to a new pasture, tried changing the way I fed hay, and I was told it was in the ground and you can't get rid of it. I finally realized it was the same cows each year that had the scouring calves, and I also saw that my other cows being managed in the exact same way never had a scouring calf. So I culled the cows producing the scouring calves, and haven't had a scouring problem of any significance since.

This was just one problem cured by culling.

Culling really is the key to success for a cow/calf producer.

 

[Joy in Texas]

I cull alot tougher, than the hubby. He'll want to keep it for one reason or another. Thats why I had to pull 2 calves this year. I won't have to worry about them next year. They are the first 2 on the chopping block.
I think after doing this for so many years a person should be able to tell what animal is good or not. I have a group of heifers I held back from last year. Only half of them will get to stay.But thats not to say they are bad heifers. They are not going to work in my program.
What comes into play here And sorry guys is the difference between a rancher and a hobbiest. I'm here to make what money I can every year. And hopefully we end up in the black. I don't keep ol Belle's pretty little calf. Just because. Ol Belle might have been the best cow you have but that doesn't mean her heifers will be. So you spend alot of time and money in 2 yrs to find out . Then you end up with nothing but problems.

 

[Ryder]

One thing, if people start of with poor cows or cheap cows and hope the build a herd with saving heifers. It takes a loooooooong time to breed the junk out of the herd.

They don't believe that mnm. They hear the bull is half your herd and translate it to mean that a bull is totally responsible for the offspring.

 

[Dusty Britches]

I agree, but I also have more minimum criteria. Not only must she raise that calf every 12 months, but her calves have to grow and must meet our average daily gain goal. Also, that cow better do it without supplements or other input costs. We make allowances for heifers and during a drought, but that's it.

We buy replacements in lot sizes and I always find it curious to note that at least 1 in the lot will not preform as well as the others.

 

[bigbull338]

there are a few reasons why a cattleman loses money.buying run of the mill cows.that produce run of the mill calves.buying low qualty bulls.bad bagged cows wild cows an prob cows.cows that dont breed back on time.cows that dont wean a bcalf or cows that wean a real light calf.the reason these cows arnt culled is because most people on here are hobby or weekend farmers.an they dont cull their herds hard.nor do they make all their living off the cow herd.bottomline you have to decide whats important to you.cows for profit or cows for fun.

 

[endebt]

I agree with the culling process. We cull for everything. Calving time we run the bull for 63 days and expect the cows to calve in 45 days. They had better bring pounds of beef to the scale. We dont sell calves we sell pounds of beef. W'e weigh at birth and at weaning we know who is rasing a good calve and who isn't. CB we will be in Applesprings this week end for the Walton family reuion. So keep every thing slow and easy.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

.the reason these cows arnt culled is because most people on here are hobby or weekend farmers.an they dont cull their herds hard.nor do they make all their living off the cow herd..

Unfortunately this results in the continuas propagation and supply of crappy, poor doing animals.

I also agree with Ryder who said that some folks hear that the bull is half the herd and therefore think he will make up the difference. Yes, the bull is half the herd but the cow is half the calf.

I also agree with Joy's comment that just because old Belle is the best cow you've got, doesn't mean her heifers will be good.

Katherine

 

[shortyjock89]

Okay, I see what you guys are saying. Sure, you're going to get rid of the cows that aren't producing..but that's common sense right? We only have 15 cows that calve. But, this is how I make my money for the year (I'm only 18 ). This means that I want the best possible calves to make the most possible money. I don't keep all the heifers around just because I like their momma. I sell the ones that don't look they way I want. I end up with a half-dozen calves that can get me through the year. I guess what I'm trying to say is that just because you don't have alot of cows doesn't mean that you can just let things go. You have to be tough on your herd if you want it to thrive.

 

[mnmtranching]

One thing, if people start of with poor cows or cheap cows and hope the build a herd with saving heifers. It takes a loooooooong time to breed the junk out of the herd.

They don't believe that mnm. They hear the bull is half your herd and translate it to mean that a bull is totally responsible for the offspring.

You know, You can take a very poor cow and breed her to the top bull in the WORLD and guess what? Still get a very poor calf.

But take a very good cow mate her to the poorest bull in the WORLD and you guessed it, got a decent calf. ;-) :cboy:

Not saying we should do this, but nothing like having a good bunch of mother cows. 8)

 

[rockridgecattle]

okay so i have a whopper of a question along these lines.
I beleive in culling animals that cost $
My husband is a little more "just one more chance"
We have close to 100 cows. We try to do the right stuff...feed value, good bulls, decent genetics...although we have realized in the last five years that genetics place more if a role than say my father in law did. The inlaws were of the mindset good pretty cows, favorite cows, home grown bulls were what to keep. Not saying it's wrong but... Back to my whopper. We pull the bulls not as soon as we should but they are not out 365 any more. about 90 days.
So here is my question. We do all that and amybe more, raise our own heiffers from good stock.
The next guy down the road has tonnes of cows. bulls out all year, doesn't vaccinate, bys cheap cast off cows at the auction to calve out, and is one of the biggiest and richest guys around these parts.
What point am i missing?

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

The next guy down the road has tonnes of cows. bulls out all year, doesn't vaccinate, bys cheap cast off cows at the auction to calve out, and is one of the biggiest and richest guys around these parts.
What point am i missing?

We have a couple of those guys around here too, including my immediate next door neighbor. He buys the gummy breds and the refuse no-one wants, then sells the calves at weaning time for whatever weight those old cows can muster. Then he'll dump the cow back as a cull.

Its a risky game, but he makes good money doing it. It just takes alot of work. Many of those gummy old cows were probably good cows at one time who can raise a decent calf. But you'll need to feed some grain supplement or something easy to chew down, in addition to hay. He feeds freebie screenings from the local seed cleaning plant. And he loses a fair pile of animals, up to 33%. But he buys those animals for a hundred bucks or two hundred bucks heavy bred. These days it takes $350 to keep an animal for a year and take a calf in my area. Even if he only gets 2 of 3 calves, he's well ahead of the game, money wise.

I've never done it myself, as when I look out at my pastures I want to see solid cows getting their jobs done, not a bunch of rickety old critters on their last legs.

Rod

 

[msscamp]

Okay, I see what you guys are saying. Sure, you're going to get rid of the cows that aren't producing..but that's common sense right? We only have 15 cows that calve. But, this is how I make my money for the year (I'm only 18 ). This means that I want the best possible calves to make the most possible money. I don't keep all the heifers around just because I like their momma. I sell the ones that don't look they way I want. I end up with a half-dozen calves that can get me through the year. I guess what I'm trying to say is that just because you don't have alot of cows doesn't mean that you can just let things go. You have to be tough on your herd if you want it to thrive.

You're absolutely right, and the fewer cows you have the tougher you have to be in order to achieve your goals, because you have no 'room to play' - so to speak.