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Pictures of our Charolais Cross Steers to be sold on Wed.

JF Ranch

Well-known member
Tomorrow morning at 7:00, we have two trucks coming to load out these charolais/angus cross steer calves, to be sold at the Bassett Livestock Auction, Bassett, NE on Wednesday. This is our heavy end that we've been caking on hay. It was a pretty New Years Day morning and I thought I'd take a few pictures of them before they are gone.

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The following four shots are a panorama of the steers on cake, from left to right:

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The full circle:

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For variety, here's a happy, handsome Soapweed:

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...a fairly fuzzy foto of my 2006 World Qualifier buckle (I dropped my camera from the top bleecher at a ball game. Although it still works, it might need to be sent it for repairs):

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...a one red eyed, black white faced cow:

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...proof that she's red eyed on only one side:

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Soapweed

Well-known member
Those Charolais cross calves are looking mighty good. Too bad one weed had to show up among that good crop of cowliflowers. :wink:
 

Silver

Well-known member
Mighty fine set of steers. I'm also curious to know what your brand is, I cant seem to see one. Reason is, our old family brand is J reverse F over a bar, and your Ranchers name fits pretty close.
 

JF Ranch

Well-known member
Silver said:
Mighty fine set of steers. I'm also curious to know what your brand is, I cant seem to see one. Reason is, our old family brand is J reverse F over a bar, and your Ranchers name fits pretty close.

Our brand is J over F (or J F "stacked") and located on the left hip. It represents the initials of my name and also of my Dad and Grand Dad, although neither of them used it. I was able to get it about 25 years ago. Therefore "JF Ranch" is the business name of our outfit. It takes a careful brander to get it on straight, but it doesn't blotch much.

These calves are sporting a thick coat of winter hair that makes the brand hard to see in the pictures. It actually shows up fairly well on most of them and I should have tried harder to get a good picture of it.
 

Tap

Well-known member
Great looking calves JF Ranch. I hope you have great luck with them at the sale. It looks like they will sell themselves!
 

High Plains

Well-known member
Nice set of steers JF Ranch. Looks like they're ready to go on feed and get the job done. One of the best breed combinations known to the business. Performance and carcass quality can sure be realized in those cattle. It'd be interesting to know what they accomplish once they leave your place. I know, I know, the main measure that you're looking to take is the $$$$. :nod:

Thanks for the pics.

HP
 

JF Ranch

Well-known member
High Plains said:
Nice set of steers JF Ranch. Looks like they're ready to go on feed and get the job done. One of the best breed combinations known to the business. Performance and carcass quality can sure be realized in those cattle. It'd be interesting to know what they accomplish once they leave your place. I know, I know, the main measure that you're looking to take is the $$$$. :nod:

Thanks for the pics.

HP

High Plains,

We fed out the heavy end of our cattle for many years and still have all the close-outs. So I know they performed very well back then. When the feeder market went up, I couldn't resist those prices and I haven't fed any since then. Of course it's the $$$ in pocket that counts, but if they don't perform for the next guy, you'll loose buyers. The vice-versa is also true.

I always contact my buyers hoping they'll let me know how they do for them and if they have problems to let me know. I've yet to hear back from a single buyer! I guess no news is good news. But I really don't think they want us or anyone else to know how they do... trade secrets, I guess.

When we finished them out, I found the same thing to be true with the packers. Getting carcass information is next to impossible to get by selling on the rail. Again, I don't think they want us to know any of the important details. I never sold on the grid and that would probably be a different deal.

Concerning Soapweed, I wouldn't be surprised if he could play the harmonica, but that's not what he's holding in his hand. It's his trusty camera and in fact there were a couple of "dueling cameras" on that occasion. In one of his earlier posts, he had a picture of me with mine. This one of him is my response, only much less timely than his! He takes a much better picture than I do, I must honestly say.

Did you get all the snow last week, we've all heard about?
 

JF Ranch

Well-known member
JF Ranch said:
Silver said:
Mighty fine set of steers. I'm also curious to know what your brand is, I cant seem to see one. Reason is, our old family brand is J reverse F over a bar, and your Ranchers name fits pretty close.

Our brand is J over F (or J F "stacked") and located on the left hip. It represents the initials of my name and also of my Dad and Grand Dad, although neither of them used it. I was able to get it about 25 years ago. Therefore "JF Ranch" is the business name of our outfit. It takes a careful brander to get it on straight, but it doesn't blotch much.

These calves are sporting a thick coat of winter hair that makes the brand hard to see in the pictures. It actually shows up fairly well on most of them and I should have tried harder to get a good picture of it.

Early this morning while getting ready to load out the steers, I took a couple pictures of calves with the brand showing. The light wasn't good and they were milling which made photography a challenge:

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Here are some of the last ones going up our old, delicate wooden chute:

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Here is our ranch sign at our turn-off from the highway. It needs repainting and so far, I haven't found the time to do it.

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Texan

Well-known member
A very nice and uniform set of calves. Thanks for sharing. I've never quite had big enough huevos to test the market just as soon it cranks back up after Christmas. You're a helluva lot tougher than I am. Good luck! :lol:
 

Shortgrass

Well-known member
I must approve. I've had good success with Charolais. They have their problems, but all breeds do. What problems do you want to deal with? Never seen any other red eyed, black baldies. a conversation piece and a good solid cow underneath. I knew a Joy Fairhead No of Merriman, bet you did too.
 

JF Ranch

Well-known member
Shortgrass said:
I must approve. I've had good success with Charolais. They have their problems, but all breeds do. What problems do you want to deal with? Never seen any other red eyed, black baldies. a conversation piece and a good solid cow underneath. I knew a Joy Fairhead No of Merriman, bet you did too.

You bet I know a Joy Fairhead north of Merriman. Two of them in fact, my Dad and my Grand Dad, both named Joy. I assume you may have known my Dad. He is nearly 82 and still winters in AZ. Grand Dad died the last day of the year in 1985. You'll have to tell me how you knew him.

Charolais have done us a very good job as a terminal cross. Calving ease has improved through the years and they make a nice cross on Angus cows. We really don't have any problems with them at all. Most of our cows are black but still have a few black white faces as is noted in the picture of the red eyed cow. Of course to raise black replacement heifers we have black steers to sell too. A load of them and one of char heifers will be sold later this month.

Did you get buried in the snow storms? I hope you didn't but if you did, I know you'll be looking at it from the bright side. I've noticed your Sunday Morning remarks and you have a great outlook on life.
 

Big Muddy rancher

Well-known member
JF Ranch said:
Shortgrass said:
I must approve. I've had good success with Charolais. They have their problems, but all breeds do. What problems do you want to deal with? Never seen any other red eyed, black baldies. a conversation piece and a good solid cow underneath. I knew a Joy Fairhead No of Merriman, bet you did too.

You bet I know a Joy Fairhead north of Merriman. Two of them in fact, my Dad and my Grand Dad, both named Joy. I assume you may have known my Dad. He is nearly 82 and still winters in AZ. Grand Dad died the last day of the year in 1985. You'll have to tell me how you knew him.

Charolais have done us a very good job as a terminal cross. Calving ease has improved through the years and they make a nice cross on Angus cows. We really don't have any problems with them at all. Most of our cows are black but still have a few black white faces as is noted in the picture of the red eyed cow. Of course to raise black replacement heifers we have black steers to sell too. A load of them and one of char heifers will be sold later this month.

Did you get buried in the snow storms? I hope you didn't but if you did, I know you'll be looking at it from the bright side. I've noticed your Sunday Morning remarks and you have a great outlook on life.

I have even had the pleasure of meeting Joy Fairhead from Merriman. :D
 

feeder

Well-known member
Showed the pics of your cattle to the hubby. We sure wish we had room for them. They are a nice set of chars. Good luck today!!!
 

High Plains

Well-known member
High Plains,

We fed out the heavy end of our cattle for many years and still have all the close-outs. So I know they performed very well back then. When the feeder market went up, I couldn't resist those prices and I haven't fed any since then. Of course it's the $$$ in pocket that counts, but if they don't perform for the next guy, you'll loose buyers. The vice-versa is also true.

I always contact my buyers hoping they'll let me know how they do for them and if they have problems to let me know. I've yet to hear back from a single buyer! I guess no news is good news. But I really don't think they want us or anyone else to know how they do... trade secrets, I guess.

When we finished them out, I found the same thing to be true with the packers. Getting carcass information is next to impossible to get by selling on the rail. Again, I don't think they want us to know any of the important details. I never sold on the grid and that would probably be a different deal.

Concerning Soapweed, I wouldn't be surprised if he could play the harmonica, but that's not what he's holding in his hand. It's his trusty camera and in fact there were a couple of "dueling cameras" on that occasion. In one of his earlier posts, he had a picture of me with mine. This one of him is my response, only much less timely than his! He takes a much better picture than I do, I must honestly say.

Did you get all the snow last week, we've all heard about?

JF Ranch,

Loud and clear on the issue of not getting much information back from the guys buying your calves. If they let you know how good they are you might want more money next time! :shock: The carcass data feedback from the packers isn't nearly as tough as it used to be. Of course, if you want ear tag numbers attached to each carcass, it's going to cost you a little something. Pretty valuable information though, and not very expensive at all if you intend to make some decisions or changes at the ranch with it. Otherwise, getting the percentages on Quality Grade, Yield Grade as well as the dressing percentage from the packer-buyer will normally suffice. Any buyer worth his salt ought to be happy to share that information via the feedlot manager that fed the cattle. I know, many on this board probably have war stories that would refute that. Like I said, I'd love to feed those nice steers that you so graciously pictured for us. Takes a little more up-front equity than I can muster.

It's amazing the difference in actual value when one compares some of the best cattle (entire calf crop, not individuals) to the plainer ones. Good performance and carcass quality (for grid sellers) can make good out of a bad market and make a good market awesome.

As for the snow, we didn't get much over an inch where I live. My Ranchers.net handle is a little misleading, as I'm now living east of Jigs in northeast Kansas. The banana belt. :wink: We did trek to the plains of Colorado for Christmas. Slipped in and out between the storms. Did some flatlander sledding with the kids. Wishing well for all those stockmen that have to face up to those nasty drifts, though. :(
 

DOC HARRIS

Well-known member
JF Ranch - GREAT bunch of feeders! You are to be congratulated! Also for the Qualifying Buckle. Lots of work and dedication to achieve that accolade!

DOC HARRIS
 
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