From the Bennett Co. Booster

[Sandhusker]

Mar. 28, 1985

A 2,970 lb. Chianina-Angus cross steer was slaughtered at Martin Locker Wednesday morning, which belonged to the Wayne Anderson ranch East of Rapid City. The eight-year old steer dressed out at 1872 lbs. The animal was brought to Martin because no facilities large enough in the Rapid City area could be located to handle the job. The steer had been in a feed yard for the past five years.

This should be all the proof SH needs to show feeders can hold out on the packers. :wink:

 

[Murgen]

Didn't someone forget he was there? :shock: I know a few Dairy farmers that use Free Martins for heat detection, they can get pretty big!

 

[Brad S]

Guess them South Dakota boys play the waiting game better than us Kansans. If that date's correct, hell they even beat the dairy buyout, savy south dakotans.


When I played baseball, I planned on getting a hit on the first or second pitch and avoid all the drama - same for swapping a pen of fats.


As for the chi calves, about 10 or 12 years ago I was at a the Valentine salebarn seeing alot of chi X calves. Later I mentioned to Doug Krause that I'd always had great respect for sandhills cattle, but it seemed like a promoter from Cody/Merriman had led alot of producers down the wrong path. Doug agreed and allowed the chi cattle had "screwed up alot of good cow herds." Now I understand we all need miniature cattle to keep up with the Codians.

 

[Sandhusker]

Guess them South Dakota boys play the waiting game better than us Kansans. If that date's correct, hell they even beat the dairy buyout, savy south dakotans.


When I played baseball, I planned on getting a hit on the first or second pitch and avoid all the drama - same for swapping a pen of fats.


As for the chi calves, about 10 or 12 years ago I was at a the Valentine salebarn seeing alot of chi X calves. Later I mentioned to Doug Krause that I'd always had great respect for sandhills cattle, but it seemed like a promoter from Cody/Merriman had led alot of producers down the wrong path. Doug agreed and allowed the chi cattle had "screwed up alot of good cow herds." Now I understand we all need miniature cattle to keep up with the Codians.

Those Chis are pretty much isolated to a few herds now. I think you and Doug are right.

 

[Mike]

If the Chi cattle screwed up so many herds it's because ranchers didn't do their homework regarding use of "Terminal sires". Crossbreeding systems do work as has been proven over and over and heterosis is the only "free ride" we can get. Cattle still sell by the pound.
Don't blame it on the breed, blame it on ignorance. And I don't mean ignorance as demeaning.
Talking about "screwed up", has anybody read the article in "Beef" magazine entitled "Gone Flabby"? If the Angus seedstock producers don't make a fast turnaround the angus breed is destined for the bottom. Only 3% of all the angus bulls sold have enough ribeye area EPD's to qualify the calves for the top "Yield" grades. They have lost muscle and gained fat exponentially trying to increase carcass size within the breed.

 

[katrina]

We sell our cull cows and bulls at Cimpls in Yankton. A few years back we had a angus bull that was too big to kill at Cimpls so they called and gave us the option of paying trucking to Minniapolis or taking cash for him. He came from Banner county too. :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

You are right on the money with that post Mike!


Back fat is expensive to feed on and expensive to trim off. It adds nothing of value to the carcass.

If back fat was required for all cows to rebreed, as the angus breeders would lead us to believe, then higher yielding cattle wouldn't rebreed.

We both know that's not the case.



~SH~

 

[Brad S]

Mike, so you're saying crossbreeding is good, but you must have a plan?

So, what frame cow would you use a frame 8 or 9 terminal chi cross on to stay in the frame 5 or 5.5 area? I ain't got many of them frame 2/3 cows.


Ever fed any high % chi cross calves? THey'll feed like steins.

I want yield and growth, but won't accept the shortcut of oversize cattle.

I'm sure Sandhusker is privy to the chi promoter's dogma, and it sure as hell wasn't "terminal cross" stuff.

 

[Mike]

Mike, so you're saying crossbreeding is good, but you must have a plan?
So, what frame cow would you use a frame 8 or 9 terminal chi cross on to stay in the frame 5 or 5.5 area? I ain't got many of them frame 2/3 cows.
Ever fed any high % chi cross calves? THey'll feed like steins.
I want yield and growth, but won't accept the shortcut of oversize cattle.
I'm sure Sandhusker is privy to the chi promoter's dogma, and it sure as hell wasn't "terminal cross" stuff.

Yes, I'm saying crossbreeding can be good. But use common sense concerning extremes. As for me, I have made the most money on calves that were 6/7 frames even up to 7.5. They graded just as well, helluva lot more efficient on feed, without the fat waste, and pushed down hard on the scales.

I'm just saying that many of the "Continentals" are used in a terminal breeding program with much success. There is not one breed that will "do it all".

BTW, did those promoters' "FORCE" those chi's on these people? Sounds like they got a miniature frenzy started in that area that got carried away.