This is great.

[15444]

Reading a post from farmers_son in one of the other threads where he names different names that are posting on here, I can't believe how many people now are a part of Agri-ville. I remember when I started posting on here about 5 years ago. It was a pretty small group back then with only cowman, dalek, cakadu, Kato?, Muttley, pandiana? and a few others. Regardless, it was a pretty small group of people. We only had about 1 new thread a day maybe and there were a lot of days where nobody even posted.

Since then, whiteface, Alicia, farmers_son, Joe-2, blackjack, grassfarmer, cswilson, CattleAnnie, rusty1, emrald1, rpkaiser, Bruce14, BFW, and whole bunch more have joined.

All I can say is that even though we all disagree with some opinions and strongly agree with others, it's great to see each and everyone of you posting, sharing your thoughts with the rest of us. This site becomes so much greater with every new person that joins.

[whiteface]

I'm pretty glad to have met all of you as well. Nice to have a place to exchange ideas, and a "safe" place to release frustration knowing that many others are having to cope with similar situations. I was introduced to this site by a good friend whom I actually seem to visit with more here than socially! (You know who you are!!!!) It's great when we're all so busy! Glad to have met you too 15444 and to have had the opportunity to get to know some of the cows in your herd. I might never have gotten the opportunity without haveing come here first! I'm going to miss the Royal, please get a good look at everything and report on what you like or don't like on my behalf could you? I don't know if Bobby Hull will be taking the bull he bought from me or not now as he is one of the proud new owners of $200,000.00 "Patriot" (yes, you all read that right, I didn't miss type the number of zeros!) and I understand he should be making his way out to Ontario for the National show. Still, I'd welcome your comments, keep us posted, let us know if Murray screws up or places 'em right! Have a good day all!

[whiteface]

Where ya bin Whitey. Sounds like making big money with those White face cattle eh.

[cakadu]

It is terrific that we have a growing number of people that are becoming regulars to the site. What is even better is that we are now seeing more new names come up periodically. In time, maybe they will become regulars too.

Agri-ville has been here for over 7 years and I am very proud to say that I have been here since the beginning and I know that many others have been too. It seems that in the last couple of years, during the rough and the good times, this is a place to come where we can share pain and joy, successes and soon to be successes.

I've learned a lot from the people here and have enjoyed the debates immensely.

[15444]

whiteface:

I thought you would be at Billy's sale today @ Douglas? Wish I was. Sadly, won't be in Toronto for the Nationals. Spent money for the trip on more of those red and white suckers :S. But neighbours of mine are going down, so will have to find out what bulls are making the big time from them.

[whiteface]

I had hoped to be in Douglas today also, but as I tell everyone, my money travels independantly of myself and if there's a good one to buy I don't necessarily have to be there to become a proud new owner. Actually, I'm in the dealing process of one out of Bill's herd that wasn't in his sale today...
so we'll see what happens.
What did you buy 15444? Anything I need to know about or have you added to your commercial herd now that beef is going to Japan and we all stand to make a killing when our infamous southern border opens up very shortly?
Sorry to hear you won't be at the Royal. I need someone who likes the right kind of cattle to be my eyes for me. I'll likely make it to Farmfair though, on at the same time as the Royal and see how things go there.
Hope everyone who got more snow than they wanted is making out okay. By the way RP, my bull's semen is good so far and Europe here he comes! Thanks for asking and overindulging my already inflated ego! Have a good day all!

[15444]

Oh, I picked up a couple of old bred cows that a good friend (purebred Hereford breeder) wanted to sell. His son's wife wants to move to Edmonton, so the son is getting rid of the older cows this year and then probably selling the rest of the younger cows next year. I had hoped he would sell these older cows first, so that I could possibly use their calves to finance the purchase of the rest of the younger cows next year.

Buying these old cows looks pretty foolish to most people. They are turning 13 and 14 next spring, but that is exactly why I bought them. Longevity is one of my key concerns and I consider my friend to be one of the few that has figured it out! (He is about 70 and has had Herefords since '62)

The 14 year old cow comes from Walpole breeding and produced one of our senior herdsires, when she was 10 years old. She weaned that bull at 810 lbs at 7 months, no creep. I absolutely love that bull and his progeny and always planned to buy the cow (no matter what age) as long as she kept having quality calves. Her calf this past year would have made a really nice herdbull as well, but my friend is done selling bulls, so he castrated the calf. Was a very nice looking steer. Looking to get at least 2 more calves out of her.

The 13 year old cow goes back to some Butler breeding and even a little Remitall breeding. I purchased a dandy heifer calf that she raised when she was 11 years old, and that calf (now a 3yr cow) is just blowing me away with the job she is doing on her bull calf that she had this fall, I mean, WOW. The one thing that will take your breath away on the 13 yr old cow, is her udder; she puts alot of first calf heifers to shame. I hope to get about 3-4 more calves out of this cow.

Both of these cows are super healthy. Clear eyes, awesome feet (you wouldn't believe the feet on these cows!), structurally sound, thick, loads of milk....I just can't say enough about them. I paid $700 for the both of them. That includes the cow and the cost of the transfers and hauling them to my place.

If I could give you an idea about the quality of my friend's cows, he had an 'X' (coming 17 year old) that I would have bought in a flash if she hadn't come up open. That cow is the most youthful looking cow I had ever seen. From a side angle, my father and I had both thought that she was a young 4-5 yr. cow; even her udder looks like a heifer's. I was blown away when the son told me she was an 'X'.

And if the border opens, then these two cows will definately be worth it. They hover around the 1900 lbs mark each. Even if I could get 40 cents in a open border situation, it will have made everything worth while. But regardless, even without a border opening, I can just about bet money on the influence they are going to have on my herd through their calves, in the years to come.

Not sure if I will be at Agribition this year, but I will be Ag Ex in Brandon, the first weekend in November. What is the breeding behind the one your looking at in Billy's herd whiteface? a Formula daughter?. Talked to a Manitoba breeder about the deal with Formula and the split between the possession and US interests into 2 lots. She said there are a lot of breeders just in Manitoba that are interested in getting in on Formula, but that alot of them are not going to as they don't know about how that deal would work and how much frustration it would cause them. I guess I will find out how that bull sold, at Ag Ex.

[grassfarmer]

Foolish? nah - golden oldies are the way to go 15444. Longevity is THE overlooked trait. If you wish take a look at one of my golden oldies at 18 1/2 years old on our website at
"www.luingcattle.com/custom.html" and the calf hadn't been creep fed either!

[15444]

And she is such a looker still! Balanced and thick, she looks a lot younger then 18 1/2 yrs. But if you asked anyone to buy her, they would freak out! Nobody wants an 18 1/2 year old cow, even if she produces a calf like that!, cept you and I. Now pause for the crazy stares from the others in the forum, who think we are right out of our minds! LOL

[cswilson]

Speaking of longevity I got thinking bout my bulls -my nephew is running a red angus I bought at Dylan Bigg's that is ten-my South Devon bull is seven and my Right Time son is seven lol. These old bulls haven't seen many warm blankets either they winter with the cowherd licking snow-the way I look at it if you baby a bull you'll baby his daughter's.

[cswilson]

My mentor had a 15 year old Welsh Black bull. A fair bit of line breeding in that herd. Stamped em pretty good.
He's got a froup of bred heifers for sale cs!!!!

[cswilson]

what the hell is a froup?