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Just a Question

N

Northern Rancher

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 10, 2005
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12,247
Location
saskatchewan
A buddy and I just added a new breed to our crossbreeding program-it really doesn't matter what were using now or what we added. If the breeds are similar phenotypically-the carcass data is identical-and the colour is the same shouldn't the cattle be uniform enough both for the salebarn and the carcass side of things. I actaully am cutting back cow numbers a bit to try raise and graze a little more thrifty cattle. That three weeks of -60 windchills and snow answered some questions in regards to how ranch worthy some cattle are.
 
Northern Rancher said:
A buddy and I just added a new breed to our crossbreeding program-it really doesn't matter what were using now or what we added. If the breeds are similar phenotypically-the carcass data is identical-and the colour is the same shouldn't the cattle be uniform enough both for the salebarn and the carcass side of things. I actaully am cutting back cow numbers a bit to try raise and graze a little more thrifty cattle. That three weeks of -60 windchills and snow answered some questions in regards to how ranch worthy some cattle are.
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So why are you crossbreeding if they are the same??? Wouldn't you want to crossbreed for a better product? :P
 
What I'm getting at is they should be uniform in product and form to satisfy the need of the market. The bulls are all right where I'd like them to be for carcass etc so it isn't so much 'better' I'm looking for-it's trying to use some heterosis to get 'better' with less cost. I've seen crossbreeding approached from the standpoint of being hard to get uniform cattle phenotypically. What I'm pondering is if we can crossbreed and keep them uniform under the hide.
 
Already been done NR.....Black Simmental, Black Gelbvieh, Black Charolais, Red Charolais, Red Simmental, Black Limo...etc..etc. :shock: :lol:
 
In 20 years NR instead of AI ing cows you will likely be Cloning them :wink: Problem solved 8) 8) 15 years ago most herds in this area where rainbow. When I went back to one color cattle most people commented on how Uniform they where. But I knew they where not but sometimes perception is everything. But did it sway any of the cattle buyers?
 
NR you are right about that cattle can be crossbred and still being uniform. It all comes down to what you put in the mix. You could take a cow and breed her to a different breed of bull every year and get more consistant calves than if you bred her to her breed of bull every year. The main problem with not getting uniform calves when crossbreeding is that we always try and breed extremes instead of breeding like to like.
 
Andy said:
NR you are right about that cattle can be crossbred and still being uniform. It all comes down to what you put in the mix. You could take a cow and breed her to a different breed of bull every year and get more consistant calves than if you bred her to her breed of bull every year. The main problem with not getting uniform calves when crossbreeding is that we always try and breed extremes instead of breeding like to like.
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:agree:
 
NR, where are you on getting your operation in sync with your seasons?

Sorry if you have posted that, but I've been surprised that several of you Canadians posting here are calving so early, still during winter weather.

We are working toward getting later, but not sure how far we can go that way and not have calving cows suffering in the intense heat we can get in June, either.

Here (in west central SD) we plan (works more often than not) to graze all winter, start calving in late March (hiefers) and mid-April (cows), all out in fairly large pastures.

We do well to ride each pasture once a day. Still get very good calf crop, with exception of spring blizzards occasionally taking a toll (maybe once a decade or two).

I think we need to get a bit later, because grass doesn't reliably get going good till into May and we can get freezes up into June. May be too much later starting bluestem grasses in winter/spring calving pastures, but that is where the best natural shelter is.

What size cows are you working toward, or are you satisfied with what you have now? We still want to cut a bit lower. Not even sure what our average is right now, but want 1100 or a bit less, if they can wean a big calf. I'm still not certain we are on the right track to producing the best or the most beef we can, compatible with the climate we have, but may not be too far off.

Have a great 2008. What fun would it be if we couldn't dream a little about the best way to get our cattle and ranches where we want them to be????

mrj
 
I calve in May/June to miss the mud in April-if we have a late runoff April can be a toughmonth. Our dry cows sold grassfat in summer weigh right around 1200 pounds which is a smaller cow for my neck of the woods. weaning weight isn't a big factor for me as i don't sell calves at weaning. the weak point in my operation is wintering calves-were pretty tough on them but they gain good on grass and in the feedlot. I doubt I'll ever be satisfied that my cowherd is thrifty enough.
 
Mebbe lol. My order buyer was asleep at the switch or we would of had some more new arrivals. My buddy bought a welsh black bull on saturday -were going to use him to clean up the heifers that we A'I to Lad. A friend here runs Welsh Black bulls on Hereford cows and gets some tough baldie cows that he uses Angus bulls on.
 

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