Low feed costs

[rkaiser]

Oh I'm not confused cowman, just have to admit though that if you are going to breed any consistency at all into a herd of cows, you might just like to know where that bovine came from.

I think that the Welsh Black book says 15/16th on the heifers and 31/32nd on the bulls. I am one of those mentaly handicapped purests who only has fullblood cattle in my herd. Lied a bit there, maybe a couple of purebreds left. Galloways have a closed book and were the first purebred breed of cattle in Canada.

When I mentioned yer homesteader bulls cowman, I just wanted to set you straight. Weslh Black guys will not allow you to use that genotypically superior beast of yours to breed purebred heifers and call them half bloods. Even though you may think that would change the world for the whole cattle industry.

The angus beef thing,,, well I don't have a smart assed or any other assed comment to add.

[cswilson]

Those Angus tags are a big joke-if i run ten hfd bulls on a bunch of black cows I can't tag them as halfblood calves-but if I flip the program they are all eligible-I get lots of cattle go CAB on the grid and I've never supported the little association money grab.

[cowman]

Now I'm not sure(would have to look) but I think the RA bull calf we kept this year is 31/32 Angus! All from AI, all from ABS bulls. I know the original old momma was a Silver Standard Hereford cow. Guess I could consider him a purebred?
Now the other one is definitely a mutt! Only 3/4 Sim/Flec other 1/4 a purebred hereford cow. But he is fairly solid red other than that white face. Trying to keep a bit of Sim size in a herd that is getting too darned Angussy for my taste!
Going to maybe try some Gelvieh semen this year after about a 15 year break. Really like how the Gelvieh breed has gone forward! Would like to buy one of the neighbors "mutts"(M4 beefbooster) but he won't sell calves!
Come fall I have all these mutts running around, but the beauty of a presort is...it just doesn't matter anymore! Now at my local mart they have started yearling presorts and it seems to be really catching on?
In "commodity" beef it sure is an exciting time! No longer are cow/calf men restricted to one breed. They can experiment and see what works for them? I know this is sacriledge to the purebred industry, but the times are a changing.

[cswilson]

WEll of course they are mutts -you been buying your semen from the wrong company all along lol.

[cowman]

Please elaborate cswilson? Is ABS not a good outfit? It seems to me they have good numbers and reasonable prices?

[cswilson]

Sheesh man I've worked for Western Breders, Alta genetics and now Genex can't let an ABS customer go by unscathed now can I lol. I used to be an ABS customer myself lol. The last few years I think they've been selecting bulls a little too much on numbers only for my liking-they do have the odd good Charolais sired by a Genex bull lol. I finally gave up trying to find a good Horned Hereford bull in any stud so got one of my own and collected him. I think were gonna breed alot of cows Hereford this year -I'm kind of partial to Baldy cows.

[sundance]

Cowman: If you are really interested in a M4 Beefbooster bull, give them a call at
1-800-668-1529. They are on test now at Thorlaksons Feedyards east of Airdrie. They are for sale later in April.

[cowman]

This neighbor does have some bulls down there on feed and is going to take me down there in March.
I like the idea behind the program? And without a doubt I like this guys cattle! Big stout animals who are out hustling on the swaths all winter. A really good looking even herd of cows.

[rkaiser]

Don't you dare go near those red Welsh Black bulls down the road while you are there cowman.

I'll bet you would mess your pants if I threw out the names of some of the Beef Booster folks that have been in our pens.

Hybrid vigor affects more than bone and frame cowman. muscle expression can be bred into your herd with genetics other than Exotic cross.

[cowman]

Well I didn't know there was such a thing as Red Welsh Blacks...learn something new everyday!
I have a fair idea what sells well in the fall run and on the yearling market and try to provide what the buyers want...and I can live with!
A few years I got caught with cattle that were a little to much Simmentally, but that has turned around. Never saw the char cross take much of a hit...unless they were white!
Heres the trick(only in my opinion): Provide what the market wants. Pound as much weight on as possible and as cheap as you can. If you are selling in a regular sale don't bring the "off" calves to town. Get to know your buyers and always thank them for buying your cattle.
Now that last one may sound rather silly, but the fact is these buyers get to know you, think you are a good guy...and they might pay a cent or two more! When we used to sell in the regular sales about the same four guys bought them year after year! It works.