Your Cattle Goals??

[MoGal]

I've been thinking about this for a while now and a comment by Caustic made me decide to finally ask this,

The reason cattlemen live so long is trying to accomplish the perfect herd, then they die and the kids haul the cows to the first salebarn.

Perhaps I think too much and I'm one of these people that can't sleep more than six hours anyway..... but for those of you that have been at it for a while ............... do you ever get to goal??? or does the goal constantly change?? Then another question comes to mind, with all the changes going on in this country, will or how will that change the cattle we raise?
What is the "perfect herd"?? If any of you all are there, how long did it take?

 

[Hippie Rancher]

I went through a health issue that has taken a couple years to resolve, and we had 2 or 3 years of extreme human migration problems. Couldn't keep a fence up, couldn't manage the herd - it was a nightmare.

My current goal is to get back on track to where I was 5 years ago! THAT took about 15 years originally. Hopefully this time it will only take a few.

 

[novatech]

I met the owner of this farm several years ago. He has set his goals and has come very far since I met him. If he can accomplish what he has accomplished with the breed he has selected then I believe it can be done with any other breed. My goals are pretty much the same. The big difference is that he has deep pockets and I don't. http://www.kallionfarms.com/program.html

 

[Caustic Burno]

There is no such thing as the perfect herd . Cattlemen are absolutely the worst of the fad chasers.
In most cases I think we just get old enough to finally figure out what works best where we are at.

 

[hrbelgians]

There is no such thing as the perfect herd . Cattlemen are absolutely the worst of the fad chasers.
In most cases I think we just get old enough to finally figure out what works best where we are at.

CB, I think you hit it dead on!! :tiphat:

 

[Cowdirt]

My goal is continuous improvement. If I ever arrived, I think I would lose interest

 

[bigbull338]

There is no such thing as the perfect herd . Cattlemen are absolutely the worst of the fad chasers.
In most cases I think we just get old enough to finally figure out what works best where we are at.

you are right cattlemen chase anything they think might help them.an there will never be prefect herd.you cant breed the prefect cow.because by the time you have the herd updated the needs/fad change.what i try todo is breed cows that best fitt my needs.once we get to old to mess with cows or die most kids haul the cows to the sale barn.the kids need to realize what went into building that herd they are selling.my personal goal is to breed the best cows i can.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

I've been thinking about this for a while now and a comment by Caustic made me decide to finally ask this,

• >The reason cattlemen live so long is trying to accomplish the perfect herd,< then they die

and the kids haul the cows to the first salebarn.

Perhaps I think too much and I'm one of these people that can't sleep more than six hours anyway..... but for those of you that have been at it for a while ............... do you ever get to goal??? or does the goal constantly change?? Then another question comes to mind, with all the changes going on in this country, will or how will that change the cattle we raise?
What is the "perfect herd"?? If any of you all are there, how long did it take?

must be why i aint feeling too good lately..... reacon i could squeeze out a few more years if i trick life into thinking i aint satisfied yet

 

[George Monk]

CB
I am not going to wholey disagree with the statement about chasing fads because I don't know who you talk with but in my cattle world I don't know those types. The people I have been priviledged to do business/consult with have been raising cattle that work on the farm.
I can think many people feel that increasing frame in cattle was a fad. It was absolutely not a fad. There was a real need to increase the size of most cattle. Sure the size did get out of hand and there has been a movement to correct the excessive. But the movement will not be to the small frames, but to a moderate frame. Fad???? I don't think so maybe over exuberance

 

[Susie David]

Goals like your business plan is a living enity, constantaly changing as you evaluate your program and make the changes necessary to improve upon the current situation. Culling and herd reduction is a necessary part of the operation although not always planned as well as is new genetics being added to improve upon your goals.
We culled real hard this fall and considered going to strictly a feeder operation due to the limited availability of reasonably priced hay...still under consideration. We did keep some cows and heifers that are easy keepers. We have a pasture lease opportunity to consider and will modify our goals and plans as the weather dictates this spring and summer. The local hay grower's association has let it be known that feeder quality hay will start at $200.00 a ton this year; if this is the case then we'll probably just keep a few steers to satisfy the orders on the board and maybe a cow or two and really go into semi-retirement.
Would like to stay around long enough to see how the Limousin influence that we introduced this year yields in the calves...the only calf so far is a real sweewtheart and gaining rapidly.
I'm ambling on again...
Anyway...goals are changed as the situation is effected by the effect of outside factors, the market, the weather, the availability of new genetics, a change in family or ecomonic factors.
Just my two bits worth.....DMc

 

[Caustic Burno]

CB
I am not going to wholey disagree with the statement about chasing fads because I don't know who you talk with but in my cattle world I don't know those types. The people I have been priviledged to do business/consult with have been raising cattle that work on the farm.
I can think many people feel that increasing frame in cattle was a fad. It was absolutely not a fad. There was a real need to increase the size of most cattle. Sure the size did get out of hand and there has been a movement to correct the excessive. But the movement will not be to the small frames, but to a moderate frame. Fad???? I don't think so maybe over exuberance

I have seen them Chasing the fad of the day, seen the time when dang near every pasture had a Brimmer Hereford, Gerts, Beefmasters, Chars, Simms so on and so on now anything black. Every few years it changes with the new hot bull. The one thing that has been consistant since I started messing with cows is the flavor of bull is going to change.

 

[Mahoney Pursley Ranch]

People will always chase fads,or whatever you choose to call it,in an attempt to better the life they live,the cattle they raise,the children they raise or anything else in life. As they say " Hope springs eternal". ;-)

 

[sidney411]

The way I see it is that there is always room for improvement. You can pick one to work on, in my case at this time it is pasture improvement, and meet your goal in that area. As soon as you do, or in most cases before, there will be another area you will decide to work on improving. It is a never ending cycle, but you will meet a lot of goals along the process. I don't think ou can ever get everything done on a farm, things will always need working on. Same with your cow herd. You will always have replacement cattle - bulls and cows/heifers as long as you have cattle, there will always be one or more that need improving.

 

[George Monk]

okay can't argue black is hopefully a fad. The image that a steer is better because of color is a bit foreign to me. Same thing in our area. If you look into my pasture you will see nothing but black 'cept my hereford bull. Looks as if I am a fad chaser too. Although the purpose is not to produce a black hided animal but a quality cow on our farm. I was counceled many years ago by a good man - Charlie Angel - who said the black white face never goes out of style. I have been raising cattle black white faced calves (some RWF) since I have started. Looks like the fad caught up with me :lol: :lol2:

 

[Caustic Burno]

okay can't argue black is hopefully a fad. The image that a steer is better because of color is a bit foreign to me. Same thing in our area. If you look into my pasture you will see nothing but black 'cept my hereford bull. Looks as if I am a fad chaser too. Although the purpose is not to produce a black hided animal but a quality cow on our farm. I was counceled many years ago by a good man - Charlie Angel - who said the black white face never goes out of style. I have been raising cattle black white faced calves (some RWF) since I have started. Looks like the fad caught up with me :lol: :lol2:

George I have been guilty of the chase as well.
The perfect cow herd to me would be a hereford type cow and a Brangus bull as you have more options with a red cow.
Second choice would be a pasture full of Brangus girls and a Hereford bull ,calves will always ring the bell at the salebarn.
At my age I would rather have to deal with one Brangus than a herd of them.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

do you ever get to goal??? or does the goal constantly change??

As to the first question, I like to believe its possible. As to the second question, for me, the primary goal in regards to my cattle doesn't constantly change. I have aimed for and continue to aim for cows that do well in the environment in which I raise them, regardless of their color. Then much like Sidney posted smaller goals regarding the farm do change as each one is reached, another is worked on.

Then another question comes to mind, with all the changes going on in this country, will or how will that change the cattle we raise?

It may change the types of animals raised. I'm sure some things will change. As the industry changes, feed costs, supplies, fuel etc. change we need to change/evolve with them in order to continue to 'make it' in this business.

Over the years the animals have 'changed'. I'm sure to some extent they will continue to do so. Just look at picures of cattle from 20, 30, and even 50 years ago. The majority of those breed representatives from back then (conformation-wise) look nothing like they do now.

What is the "perfect herd"??

I don't think there is "perfect herd" that would be "perfect" across the globe or across the board. There may be such a thing as the "perfect herd" for individual ranchers/farmers.

If any of you all are there, how long did it take?

I'm not there, not even close, don't know if I ever will be. But I'm not about to give up any time soon. :lol:

Katherine

 

[Wewild]

There is no such thing as the perfect herd . Cattlemen are absolutely the worst of the fad chasers.
In most cases I think we just get old enough to finally figure out what works best where we are at.

i recall the chasing. We have had most of all of the big breeds at one time or the other. I never recall a hereford bull though. That don't mean we didn't have one.

Goals can be short or long term or even intermediate.

May dad told me his dream was to have a big Registered Sale one day when he was younger. He never was able to pull it off and his dreams were dashed rather quickly when compared to his days on earth. The reasons are evident to me. i wish I could pull it off for him. The fact that i could is fairly clear to me if he lives long enough.

Happiness for my Dad is my goal. My Mother already has the before mentioned. With my Dad's condition it don't last past the morning.

Dad gets hung up on the Red Lims being mixed in with the black Lims. I almost have that fixed.

He didn't like the black angus heifer bull ... as some recall the man who brought him to the farm last year this time... bought him on the trailer picked him up yesterday ... i guess i'm out the daily upkeep rate for breeding . The buyer is putting him in with a commercial herd.

Dad don't like the Red Poll bulls I got for next years heifers.

Dang you got to love him.

 

[TheBullLady]

The thing is.. fad chasing isn't just for us in the cattle industry. Almost every aspect of everyone's life has that type of change. It's a matter of how much of it you want to chase, and how content you are where you are right now. Fashions, cars, investments, where to live etc. all involve "new and exciting" things that we as consumers are coaxed to buy. Whether we do or not is our own choice. But if we didn't have these opportunities, wouldn't the economy stall? If we all had the same cattle, like carbon copies, we wouldn't need big breeders developing the next big bull.. or better heifers. Sounds pretty boring to me... :roll:

 

[novatech]

I've been thinking about this for a while now and a comment by Caustic made me decide to finally ask this,

The reason cattlemen live so long is trying to accomplish the perfect herd, then they die and the kids haul the cows to the first salebarn.

Perhaps I think too much and I'm one of these people that can't sleep more than six hours anyway..... but for those of you that have been at it for a while ............... do you ever get to goal??? or does the goal constantly change?? Then another question comes to mind, with all the changes going on in this country, will or how will that change the cattle we raise?
What is the "perfect herd"?? If any of you all are there, how long did it take?

If your goal is to have good, that is the most you can ever hope to attain. If your goal is perfection, you have a better shot at reaching good.

 

[jvicars]

Make money off my small herd is my goal. Everything I do is to make money in the cattle business. I enjoy it so I am less frustrated when I dont.