I have been looking at this as well. Bred cows are 1300-1400 and heifers are 7-900. I can't see the advantage if I'm paying an extra 5-700 up front(about what the calf will bring if I have 100% calving rate). Either way, I'm waiting on the next calf to pay off. What am I missing here??
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Originally posted by BrianL View PostI have been looking at this as well. Bred cows are 1300-1400 and heifers are 7-900. I can't see the advantage if I'm paying an extra 5-700 up front(about what the calf will bring if I have 100% calving rate). Either way, I'm waiting on the next calf to pay off. What am I missing here??
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I use to be the one to promote the sell them and buy cows routine.
After my last batch i bought from an individual I have decided just to keep all of the heifers and raise them up. I know what there momma was and i know the history. For me its not necessarily about the most cost effective but the most trouble free.
Now if i know the history on the cattle then i would suggest buying a set of bred cows.
But if it was me i would keep the heifers until i found a set i was comfortable with.
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Originally posted by Stolle View PostA lot less risk of loosing a calf or worse calf and momma during birth.
Biggest problem with heifers is getting them to cycle reliably unless you shoot them up. If you do it naturally you are liable to have some that wont cycle as quick as other then you have your calving season spread out over 6 months.Last edited by dclifton; 07-11-2018, 11:05 AM.
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If you've got into the cattle industry to make money fast, heifers probably not the deal. If in it for purebred programs like me, I would rather keep them good heifers and breed them at 21 months old and have a great cow/calf at 2 1/2 years old that will breed right back.
Of course if someone offers too much money for a few, they are all for sale! I've got too much time and money invested in a program to sell all my heifers.
Beefmasters, after all it's about the number of pounds that's hitting the scales in the shortest time possible.
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Originally posted by dclifton View PostI use to be the one to promote the sell them and buy cows routine.
After my last batch i bought from an individual I have decided just to keep all of the heifers and raise them up. I know what there momma was and i know the history. For me its not necessarily about the most cost effective but the most trouble free.
Now if i know the history on the cattle then i would suggest buying a set of bred cows.
But if it was me i would keep the heifers until i found a set i was comfortable with.
Out of the 4 that remain - one rebreeds late (as in every 14-16 months, not 11-12 months) and she is a dangerous witch when she has a calf. I'll be selling her soon. So 3 years after buying these 8, I'm down to 3 that are worth the money I paid. And that's just one set that I've bought in the last 4 years. We won't talk about the other set.
From the 10 heifers I've kept over the last 6 years, only 1 was sold because she didn't breed. The rest are healthy, rebreed quickly, grow a good calf and are docile.
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Originally posted by dclifton View PostIll take my chance with a set of first time heifers calving over a set of unknown cows any day.
Biggest problem with heifers is getting them to cycle reliably unless you shoot them up. If you do it naturally you are liable to have some that wont cycle as quick as other then you have your calving season spread out over 6 months.
I agree with you, but I don’t have the time to check on calving heifers every day.
My best experience lately was from a heard of pairs and bread cows I bought that were on the same bull. I had zero issues with calving and could continue to check them 1-2 times per week.
I’m sure I’ll try raising heifers, but I’ll have to be retired first.
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