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Missouri | To avoid the issue of decreasing fertility and mothering abilities one must draw a line in the sand and at this operation it says bring me a calf as a two year old. It may be that a heifer looses it because I did not go give her some assistance at 3am or that she was stupid and had it in a snow drift, I try to have spares around to replace a calf, if time permits on heifers, they are already around the barns. These girls are the best of the best, just to get turned out with a bull in the spring. Over half of there sisters to feedlots. Start selection at breeding time with maternal bulls from older cows, then at calving time identifying the best female calves from the best cows, and on and on. This has evolved from embryo carcass genetic discussions where I said they would have masculine females that would not breed. I was wrong because they used the best Angus females available to move forward, giving me the opportunity for female improvement along with carcass qualities I never dreamed of. As for the two year old line, I can replace her with next years first calf heifers and not risk where the problem was. (Actual cost to keep her is not the problem) Accepted that selection can be applied relevant to the conditions on a 3-5 year old that dropped the calf in a ditch. She would not be required to go. Listened guys 30 years ago that would sell a cow that lost calf if calf hit by lightning or killed by a bear. Thinking changed as cost and genetic value of replacement animal went up. These are not feedlot checkout animals. Hope that helps, not easy to explain. Firm thoughts on calving difficulties also that are close to topic. We do not use heifer bulls on heifers, we use young bulls that are being developed for the main cow herd. No 60# birth wts bulls and no 100+ yearling EPD. Lucky enough to have enough different pastures, to keep animals separate till second calf, then girls join one of the two main cow herds. They are a modified grazing system, blended off pharos' philosophy. Hybrid of both extremes. Ordered Gerrish new book doing without hay and watching Doug Peterson evolve and mature. While I think they are extreme for my operation they offer sound thinking, that needs to be appreciated. | |
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cost to keep a cow
