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A good day to run black cattle

Big Muddy rancher said:
What constitutes a "FAD"? If it was one or two years that exotics were discounted would that be a fad? what about ten years?
Like soapweed said we have freedom of speech but we also have freedom to run what we like. It seems strange how many that run other then "Black" can dis a black cow but somebody running blacks can say a thing about others. :???:

If the market turned around and exotics fetched a premium and we stayed with our blacks would that make us more right? :?
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Looks like you missed my point. My point is that buyers / markets (I'm not saying producers) every few years decide something previously considered good is now bad, and what was previously bad is now good. At one time you couldn't give smokeys away, feathernecks sold well. Blacks were good a long time ago, then no good, then good again. Carcasses were too small, then too big. The list goes on and on. THEREFORE it is my opinion that I will continue to raise the best beef cattle I can that fit my operation and kudos to everyone else who does the same thing.
My little grumbling about british breeds lean meat yields is me expressing my sour grapes at the present buyer prejudices. I think everyone with any breed stays the course their day in the sun will come.
 
Went to Town yesterday so have been catching up.

Baxter Black had a poem called "The Cow Commitee." I remember part but not all, anyone know all the words? It seems to fit this discussion. 8)

I'm the guy called "crossbred Jack", just make em' so they grow. :D
 
gcreekrch said:
Went to Town yesterday so have been catching up.

Baxter Black had a poem called "The Cow Commitee." I remember part but not all, anyone know all the words? It seems to fit this discussion. 8)

I'm the guy called "crossbred Jack", just make em' so they grow. :D
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I like it, and I agree. We don't have a purebred anything anymore, just cows that do their job. (And some that don't, but I've got big plans for those :wink: )
 
Silver said:
Big Muddy rancher said:
What constitutes a "FAD"? If it was one or two years that exotics were discounted would that be a fad? what about ten years?
Like soapweed said we have freedom of speech but we also have freedom to run what we like. It seems strange how many that run other then "Black" can dis a black cow but somebody running blacks can say a thing about others. :???:

If the market turned around and exotics fetched a premium and we stayed with our blacks would that make us more right? :?
Click to expand...

Looks like you missed my point. My point is that buyers / markets (I'm not saying producers) every few years decide something previously considered good is now bad, and what was previously bad is now good. At one time you couldn't give smokeys away, feathernecks sold well. Blacks were good a long time ago, then no good, then good again. Carcasses were too small, then too big. The list goes on and on. THEREFORE it is my opinion that I will continue to raise the best beef cattle I can that fit my operation and kudos to everyone else who does the same thing.
My little grumbling about british breeds lean meat yields is me expressing my sour grapes at the present buyer prejudices. I think everyone with any breed stays the course their day in the sun will come.
Click to expand...



I don't think I missed your point.
Soapweed had a problem with sunburned udders and HE took steps to avoid the problems that HE had. HE was running the cattle that fit his environment. :cowboy:
 
Silver said:
Big Muddy rancher said:
What constitutes a "FAD"? If it was one or two years that exotics were discounted would that be a fad? what about ten years?
Like soapweed said we have freedom of speech but we also have freedom to run what we like. It seems strange how many that run other then "Black" can dis a black cow but somebody running blacks can say a thing about others. :???:

If the market turned around and exotics fetched a premium and we stayed with our blacks would that make us more right? :?
Click to expand...

Looks like you missed my point. My point is that buyers / markets (I'm not saying producers) every few years decide something previously considered good is now bad, and what was previously bad is now good. At one time you couldn't give smokeys away, feathernecks sold well. Blacks were good a long time ago, then no good, then good again. Carcasses were too small, then too big. The list goes on and on. THEREFORE it is my opinion that I will continue to raise the best beef cattle I can that fit my operation and kudos to everyone else who does the same thing.
My little grumbling about british breeds lean meat yields is me expressing my sour grapes at the present buyer prejudices. I think everyone with any breed stays the course their day in the sun will come.
Click to expand...

Even within the Hereford breed, there were sure enough fads to go around. "Mellow yellow" was one of them. You could hardly give a dark colored Hereford away at one time. Heaven forbid if you had one with a line down its back. :? Some of those old Hereford breeders were sure not above "plucking" any white hairs out that went down along the back.

There is a great book called "LOOK WHAT I STEPPED IN" by Paul Swaffer, published in 1972 by the Lowell Press in Kansas City, Missouri. He was a field representative and managing Secretary to the American Hereford Association for many years. This book contains great stories and interesting anecdotes from his experiences in a lifetime of going to bull sales and other Hereford events.

Here is one little tale from the book:

"Hereford men are rather choosy and strict about the color markings and here in America most of them strongly object to any white along the top line which is back of the typically white mane. Occasionally the unscrupulous will pull out any white hairs, neglecting to point this out to unsuspecting customers. Bob Taft is an honest guy and would never resort to such misrepresentations. One year, Bob's best bull had a considerable patch of white hairs right over the loin area. Knowing the objection to such marking, he decided to put this particular bull about last in the sale. However, he being one of Bob's best bulls, a number of buyers ignored the white and as a result the bidding was lively with the bull bringing the top price of the sale. As soon as he left the ring, Bob took the mike and said in his usual droll manner, "If I'd a known you people didn't mind white in the back I wouldn't have bothered to pull it out of the others." " :-)

If I were ever to raise Herefords again myself :???: :roll: :shock: :-) my preference would be the darker the better, and the more eye and teat pigment the better.
 
Big Muddy rancher said:
I don't think I missed your point.
Soapweed had a problem with sunburned udders and HE took steps to avoid the problems that HE had. HE was running the cattle that fit his environment. :cowboy:
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Yes, you have. Completely. Like.... over your head and right under your feet. :shock:
 
Sundancer said:
You know. "old" Soapweed might just know what he is talking about. All you got to do is look at all the pictures of those calves he and his crew produces and you will notice how those calves GROW! They exhibit lots of potential for the feeder and recently he posted pictures of heifers that he was keeping for mommas. So what he has going there should not downplayed too much. I'm sorry, but pink noses, chocolates, rat tails, and linebacks are NOT in demand. Why produce a product that the feeder doesn't want? Of all the cattle pictured on this sight, Soapweed's are the only ones that I would be interested in putting in my feedlot....why?...because of the breeding. Simple as that. Keep showing us those good Sandhills cattle, Soapweed.....it is like a breath of fresh air! :wink:
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'Ol Soap generally cleans up on carcass contests, too. He's pretty modest, but he knows he knows cattle.
 

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