FW Bulls

[cowman]

I am sure there are still some areas where herefords are popular, but in my area, I would be very surprised to see anyone running either a horned or polled hereford bull. Most die hard hereford enthusiasts have either gone to charolais or simi on their hereford type cows, and gotten rid of the straight hereford influence and kept the hereford/char or simi cross females.

[whiteface]

There are two ways you could look at this:
One, you can choose the direction you would like to go in and be the best one at it, through perserverance, hard-work, and commitment with follow through on what you have started. I think the very best businesses in the WORLD went this route...
How many times has McDonalds and Microsoft been shot at, they stayed with the plan and outnumber all of us put together now. People call these EMPIRES, jealous people call them multinationals because they can't or won't compete. Those people fall into this category:
The "trendies."
Angus is hot!! Jump on it! Charolais calves are the biggest!!! Jump on it!!
Simmental milk!!! Holy cow!!! Jump!
I need more feed conversion with this drought, dump the Chars and the Simis!!! Fast!!
Thing is if you're trying to be so great at everything (uniformity, consistancy, market demands which change like your underwear) you end up being good at nothing. You're nothing more than a puppet being yanked around by peoples moods, whims, trends and bullshit and they will have ZERO respect for what you do because you have no conviction. And if you're changeing your mind every ten seconds and still trying to have this genectically predictable cowherd, you're so screwed, there's NO way to have that when you've changed your mind eight times and got twelve different breeds and at least four different directions in your herd. Then I have to hear you all bitch about how it doesn't work and blame something like polled herefords. Didn't we cover this one already, I just can't believe how many people can't get this. Just no way in hell it could be any of you all's indecisiveness that causing any of your problems eh?
Really don't matter to me, what your answer is. I was given a chance at polled herefords and found some good ones to work with, (as I could have with ANY breed) then made them even better with focus and direction, since whether you like it or not, every breed has good and bad traits, it's what you do with what you have that makes you a winner or a loser, period. I've changed a whole lot of DIE-HARD simmental AND CHAROLAIS breeders and would do the same with ALL of you out there who has any doubts if not for all your fears to think outside the box and do what the trendsetters tell you to.
The short version of this is that I'm NOT a flake, I'm not a hopeless follower, I DO make my own decisions and have on more than one occasion, simply AMAZED people with what I have been able to create that continues to give results generation after generation. When you have something this good, anyone would be an idiot to give it up. Yes, I know, there ARE idiots out there. I'm not one of them. Thanks for asking, hope you all have a good day!

[cswilson]

Ohh I think someone who calves on grass,uses and sells forage tested bulls,uses south devon bulls is anything but a hopeless follower. Ohh yeah we sell most of our production in the beef on a quality grid also. It's not the breed you raise it's what you do with it-I'd raise polkadot jerseys if they made me money-oops I have some paint horses almost the same thing.

[SASH]

We had herefords the whole time I was growing up. That was back in the late 70's and it seems to me that the cattle were smaller framed and wider back then. I used a hereford bull a few years ago and I had alot of trouble with pinkeye off his calves. Those black baldies did pretty good at the salebarn, though. I guess the problem I have with them now is that they look like a Simmental only without the milk and growth of the Simmental. The last bull I had was a Simm-Angus and I just bought another Simm-Angus this year for breeding my cows next spring. I imagine I may use another hereford in my rotation but he would have to be shorter and stouter with some pigment around the eyes.

[SASH]

whiteface, if you are making money and doing well with herefords, good for you. I say this about anyone who has found a breed or cross breed as their operation demands, that works well for them.
I sense that you are feeling slighted because folks are telling it like it is with the breeds they find work best. I have both red and black limo and they work well for me, but I am sure there are those that will find a lot wrong with them and right with their own choices.
You know what, whenever I walk out in my herd I am pleased with what I see, and if you feel the same, keep on doing what you like to do and more power to you.

[whiteface]

Thanks emerald, you're absolutly right!