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Selection works

Big Swede

Well-known member
Back in the mid 90's our cow herd had gotten to a point that I was totally disgusted and ready to start a new direction. We had gotten caught up in the race for frame in Angus bulls of the 80's. Our young cows were tall, lacked capacity and volume, and had very little milk and even had some disposition issues to top it all off. I was ready for a new direction.

My cousin river rat and his family had bought some bulls from Jorgensen's back in the early 90's and were making great strides in all the areas we needed to correct. I bought my first commercial bulls from them in 98 and have done so every year since. I think that's about the time they became a cooperater herd for Jorgensen's bull lease program.

Anyway the reason for that history is that I now have a squeeze chute for sale. It was a manual Powder River that I had converted to hydraulic. I started freeze branding my bred heifers back in 99 and never used to have a problem working them without them getting stuck in the chute. Now just about every one barely makes it through and there was one we didn't even try, we just backed her down the alley. I wouldn't even consider running my mature cows through it anymore.

Anyway if someone is interested in a good usable chute let me know. Thanks a lot Wade, no really thanks. :wink:
 

George

Well-known member
I bought my chute in the early 1970s and it worked well until I bought some Charolis about 8 to 10 years ago. Instead of trading chutes I reworked it to allow the big girls access - - - I can still squeeze it down when needed.

Cows sure seem to have grown over the decades!!!
 

river rat

Well-known member
I can't remember the movie this phrase is from, but I'll reuse it anyway Big Swede. "I love it when a plan comes together!!"
 

Big Muddy rancher

Well-known member
river rat said:
I can't remember the movie this phrase is from, but I'll reuse it anyway Big Swede. "I love it when a plan comes together!!"


Hannibal Smith the A team :D

I bought a bull that went back to Jorgensen's Ideal. Last fall I was a bit disappointed as I thought some of the bull calves lacked the hair i like. I did cull a couple because of that but the ones I kept seemed to hair up over winter nice and they look real good now. :D
 

C Thompson

Well-known member
Hello Big Swede,
This might be a silly question but how much would the cows weigh that won't fit the chute? Or are they just too long to get the tail gate closed on them? Our cows weigh about 1250 to 1300 lbs and we are trying to get them smaller. We do have a couple that will go 1500 and we would like to send them to town because they don't wean very big calves but they keep coming in bred in the fall. Culling for us has always been easier to talk about than to actually carry out.
 

Soapweed

Well-known member
Big Muddy rancher said:
river rat said:
I can't remember the movie this phrase is from, but I'll reuse it anyway Big Swede. "I love it when a plan comes together!!"


Hannibal Smith the A team :D

I bought a bull that went back to Jorgensen's Ideal. Last fall I was a bit disappointed as I thought some of the bull calves lacked the hair i like. I did cull a couple because of that but the ones I kept seemed to hair up over winter nice and they look real good now. :D

Some Galloway infuence could put more hair in your herd. :wink:
 

Big Muddy rancher

Well-known member
Soapweed said:
Big Muddy rancher said:
river rat said:
I can't remember the movie this phrase is from, but I'll reuse it anyway Big Swede. "I love it when a plan comes together!!"


Hannibal Smith the A team :D

I bought a bull that went back to Jorgensen's Ideal. Last fall I was a bit disappointed as I thought some of the bull calves lacked the hair i like. I did cull a couple because of that but the ones I kept seemed to hair up over winter nice and they look real good now. :D

Some Galloway infuence could put more hair in your herd. :wink:

I think I found something better and I will let you know in a couple of years. :wink: :D :D
 

Soapweed

Well-known member
Big Muddy rancher said:
Soapweed said:
Big Muddy rancher said:
Hannibal Smith the A team :D

I bought a bull that went back to Jorgensen's Ideal. Last fall I was a bit disappointed as I thought some of the bull calves lacked the hair i like. I did cull a couple because of that but the ones I kept seemed to hair up over winter nice and they look real good now. :D

Some Galloway infuence could put more hair in your herd. :wink:

I think I found something better and I will let you know in a couple of years. :wink: :D :D

Scottish Highlander? :)
 

Big Swede

Well-known member
Hey C Thompson, the thing about these cattle now is they are so much broodier and wider than they used to be. Our cows used to be probably 6.5 to 7 frame and now I would guess they are 5.5 to 6 frame but they weigh 100 to 150 pounds more than they used to.

The thing that really struck me is when these heifers are about to wean their first calf they already look like cows. Years ago they were all shriveled up looking like they needed to go to a feedlot so they could survive the winter. They are so much more functional and cheaper to feed now than they used to be.
I think most people could say the same things about their herds. The Angus breed as well as other breeds have really improved over the years. Just look at an AI catalogue from the 80's if you don't believe me.
 

badroute

Well-known member
Not only has the phenotype and structure improved since the 80's and 90's but I beleive the disposition has also. Now dont get me wrong the breed could still improve in that area but I think we have come a long way. I was only a kid in the 80's and 90's but what little I do remember was there was some nasty bulls and cows associated with the frame race.
 

loomixguy

Well-known member
I see LOTS of cattle everyday. I see some folks' cattle more often than they do. In my travels, there are only 2 breeds I will actually stop my truck to take a good long look at. Herefords and Red Angus. I have a customer who was bitching and moaning about buying Angus bulls every year or two to breed to his Angus cows. I asked him why didn't he buy some Hereford bulls and raise baldies. He did, and is tickled with the results.....FWIW.....

There are some mighty fine Red Angus out there anymore, too.
 

PureCountry

Well-known member
C'mon BMR, there isn't a better choice than Galloway. Highlander - just as good, not better. Welsh Black - just as good in some ways.

Kaiser's Welsh Blacks, just as good for sure, as long as you avoid the jug-headed ones. lol Hope he reads that.
 

littlejoe

Well-known member
Soapweed said:
Big Muddy rancher said:
river rat said:
I can't remember the movie this phrase is from, but I'll reuse it anyway Big Swede. "I love it when a plan comes together!!"


Hannibal Smith the A team :D

I bought a bull that went back to Jorgensen's Ideal. Last fall I was a bit disappointed as I thought some of the bull calves lacked the hair i like. I did cull a couple because of that but the ones I kept seemed to hair up over winter nice and they look real good now. :D

Some Galloway infuence could put more hair in your herd. :wink:

they're hairy enuf. BUT--you got anything that'll work on my haid?
 

Big Muddy rancher

Well-known member
PureCountry said:
C'mon BMR, there isn't a better choice than Galloway. Highlander - just as good, not better. Welsh Black - just as good in some ways.

Kaiser's Welsh Blacks, just as good for sure, as long as you avoid the jug-headed ones. lol Hope he reads that.

I never said anything about Galloway/ Highlanders. That was Soap's fantasy. :wink: :lol: :lol:
 

George

Well-known member
My neighbor across the road picked up 4 purebred yearling Angus bulls that are at my place till breeding - - - never been out of the county but are the hairiest Angus I have ever seen.

Even now with temps. in the lower 70s they have about 3" of hair all over - - - With some of my cows across the fence it sure is different. I thought my cows had plenty of hair but the hair on these bulls will flow in the wind!

I will take some pictures later today.
 

Big Swede

Well-known member
Calving on grass certainly hasn't hurt their condition score this time of year that's for sure but the real difference is genetics. I don't think I've told this story here but about three years ago one of my cows got into a guys herd that my brother pastured cattle for. I took a four wheeler through this herd of about 400 head of cows that looked like mine used to look, tall, lanky, high flanked. Anyway about 15 minutes into my search from about 300 yards away I see a cow and I said to myself "Now, there's my kind of cow." Deep, broody not so tall and sure enough it was my cow. So genetics is the main factor.
 

George

Well-known member
Here are the pictures of the hairy bulls.


A pair of half brothers

Longhairedbulls_zps1cfffe0a.jpg


Last of the long hairs - - - they were hot today at +80F

Longbangsonabull_zps97698b40.jpg


So hairy he looks fuzzy

Longhairedbull_zps8ff5c6e3.jpg
 
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