Cattle size?

[LazyWP]

Since I seem to be able to stir the pot pretty easily, I am going to ask this, and I am going to pick on both Angus, and Herfords from the start.
A few years before I started showing cattle, everything was so short that a person had to check bulls for cactus in their sheath. In just a few years, we went to the other extreme. If we will all be honest, both Herford and Angus were crossed with something to get that size, that fast.
My question is... are we savvy enough not to end up with the short, poor growing cattle? The next question is, since the size of the cow is getting smaller, will heterosis still benefit? I guess I don't understand how you can go for a moderate to small frame cow, and expect to have larger weaning weights.
I understand that you can't starve a profit out of a cow, and neither can you afford to feed a 1400 plus cow, that won't produce. Besides that, those big cows are hard on my horse, when I get stupid.

I know there are good cattle in every breed, that are around that 1000 to 1200 pound mark. It just concerns me that we will go to small end of things, thinking we are making a profit.

 

[High Plains]

I think as a collective cow population we are a long ways from getting cows too small. The average cow in the country probably leans toward the larger end of the scale. There are lots of purebred and commercial breeders that are making a concerted effort to reduce mature size in their cows as they believe that cattle have gotten too big to be efficient. That movement gets a lot of press and discussion as feed costs get higher. Even so, the average producer's cows are not small and there probably isn't much selection pressure to get smaller.

I'm not a good one to talk, as my small (in numbers) cow herd contains large cows. My smallest cow weights 1285 and the largest is over 1550. I don't think I'm doing anything especially right or wrong, but they're bigger cows. I run them by the head with a set annual cow cost with the one guy that provides care, so I don't mind them big. He hasn't kicked me out so I'm fine with big cows. I also retain ownership of the calves and get the full growth benefit of those genetics since I sell fed cattle. I think they are more efficient to a finished weight of 1,400 or 1,500 lbs. If I were running in tough country, feeding hay over a long winter and selling a calf at weaning I'd probably consider that my cows are too big.

 

[LazyWP]

I sure don't mean to bash the smaller frame cattle. I think that on an average, I too think the over all US cow herd is probably too large. Its just that in less then 50 years, the so called experts, and by that I mean the Universities and educators, have gone from telling me that we need frame and depth, to now we need a moderate to smaller framed cow.

 

[Shortgrass]

I think there are a lot of guys talking about 1000 - 1200 pouns that are closer to 1400. I also think 1400 is a nice sized cow, and I will plan to stay there.

 

[Doug Thorson]

My though has been "when the cattle industry passes you going from one way to the other stay the course, they will be back"

My cows are bigger than my Dad's but smaller than most were in the 80's. I also have scale tickets to prove they weigh in that 1200-1350 range as mature cows.

 

[lazy ace]

Besides that, those big cows are hard on my horse, when I get stupid.

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We need to get you a better horse. :wink:

 

[leanin' H]

I am really glad the claves of the 80's are history. Trying to finish a 17 hand tall crossbred stockshow steer was like pouring feed into the grand canyon. :shock: I think an efficent cow is the key. I used to think a cow had to be 1200 or so, in order to not eat me out of house and home. But after doing some visiting and research, it's really all about how efficent a cow is with what she consumes. I guess i will try for moderation in size cause that's what fits my enviroment and if i can also find easy fleshing, efficent cows that wean soggy calves, i will be pretty happy with my program.

 

[jodywy]

Efficient cow also has to be matched to her environment, those crackers chase cows that have some ear and have to swim and fight alligators. Here in the mountain you don't want ear with -40 temps and the cow has to fight wolves and grizzly (that can be Gcreek's place too) There is southern hot, and high cold desert, to wet rain forest on the west coast. A cow a pretty versatile tool to harvest grass but she going to vary size and temperament from place to place .

 

[Anonymous]

Around 1970 the herford association had a ad featuring a herford cow with twin calves in a winter type setting. It stated how the herford had been made bigger, then smaller. Then stretched out then made more compact, and yet she was still the good funtional cow we all new. I believe this is true of what we have done to all breeds. Today I look at some of the long legged cattle and wonder if there is a corralation to the number of ribeye steaks they will yeild... Still the packer is the one who decides what we will get paid. Right now they are slaughtering heavier animals than usual because it pays to keep them in the feedlot two or three weeks longer.
Breeding for efficiency is a noble goal but if management isn't increased accordingly it will be futile. In poor management many a top young cow will be open and culled leaving lesser cows in the herd. Mel

 

[wdcook]

Besides that, those big cows are hard on my horse, when I get stupid.

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We need to get you a better horse. :wink:

Or a smarter rider. :wink: :wink:

I have thought for several years that we have gotten our cowherd way too big, and in MO I see little progress in downsizing.

I try to buy bulls no bigger than 5 frame as I think a cow in the 4-5 frame range will likely be the most efficient.