Northern Rancher
Well-known member
Ty is branding his new heifers today but he is also putting in a tag that saves a skin plug to test for BVD and record DNA. Not sure if there is a $ return for doing it now but hopefully down the road there is-we plan on doing the entire cowherd-itsure helps with grazing management if after A'I we can run all the cows,hfrs and bulls together so we can maximize herd impact on our pastures. Our deal is focused on making momma cows so every bull we run will calve on hfrs. Dont ever be deluded into thinking light bw genetics can't have bigger calves. One of our best customers breeds our cows to power black simmies with no trouble-they calve about 600 on grass in the heart of wolf country.
. One of our neighbors purchased 450 head of 500 pound weaned steers this fall, and started having terrible sickness in them. They were diagnosed with mucosal disease, and 40 head were confirmed BVD PI's :shock: . The previous owner had his cows on a killed vaccine program, and when these calves were stressed, than challenged with a MLV, they started tipping over. I've never had much faith in killed vaccines, and this story confirms why. It's too bad, my neighbor is close to a $50,000 loss, and no good way to salvage the few surviving PI's. Luckily the pharmaceutical companies are helping pay for some of his losses. The really terrible part is the previous owner sold two loads of bred cows a few weeks ago 
