steer question

[Rustynail]

New here but I had to add as well, the larger the scrotal measurement of the bull, the larger pelvic measurement on his daughters. This allows the females to give birth easier, which is a priceless trait in cattle.

[Betty Buckshot]

I really tried, but I just can't resist.

For every 1cm larger scrotal circumference, their heifer calves (daughters) should reach puberty 4 days earlier.

I just know you were all dying to know that. (see, I did learn something in college - Livestock Judging Team)

[Tex]

Thank you, Southernmom. You just made my day.

I wish I could have met your Pop.


Tex

[southernmom]

uggggghhh dangit Tex and your common sense!

(Thanks for it, though. I"m sure I would arrive at the proper conclusions but only after a lot of trouble and time wasted.) You did say wayyy back there not to reinvent the cow. Things are done a certain way for a reason. I see that a little better, each day cause every time I ask your advice what you tell me is Just. Like. what my Pop did.

[doublel]

Tex is right, there isnt anything else to add...

[Tex]

If we did not absolutely have to have bulls, there is no way that we would keep them. The same goes with stud horses too. We like having new colts, but having a stud around these days is a liability.

As a steer, they will gain better weight and they will be alot less trouble and easier to handle. Are you running a ranch or a hobby farm?


Tex

[southernmom]

Southernmom, why are you keeping the one as a bull to sell or trade later rather than going ahead and cutting him?
Take his mind off ass and put it on grass. You will make more money and have alot less headache.


Tex

I'm honestly not sure why I'm so hung up on saving his balls. I guess cause he's such a manly little feller and I think he'd make purty babies, haha! But good point. It's not like there is a shortage of bulls around here.

[Tex]

Southernmom, why are you keeping the one as a bull to sell or trade later rather than going ahead and cutting him?
Take his mind off ass and put it on grass. You will make more money and have alot less headache.


Tex

[southernmom]

Here's the little bull that is gonna get cut this Tuesday.
10355375_10202699141532354_2187655466006528382_n.jpg

and this is the bull we will keep to sell or trade later:
10360477_10202699141812361_6906045295171288666_n.jpg

[Tex]

Exactly. The birthweight really comes into play when you are looking for a herdsire to breed first calf heifers. On older cows, it is not that big of a deal, but you still do not want to get carried away. The trick is to find a bull that throws small to normal size calves that has the genetics to really grow out well and pack on the structure and the pounds. Ranchers sell their calves based on weight, so the more pounds that calf weighs, the bigger the check. Fifty years ago cattle were alot less uniform and they didn't grow out well. Now we are selling weaned calves that weigh more than most yearlings did back them. Thanks to some vigilant breeders and alot of genetic modification, the cattle industry has really improved.


Tex

[W.Lynn]

If I understood previous posts correctly, you want the bull born smallish, but to reach full size and have large testicles? If someone's gonna breed him, they might see smaller huevos/lower capicity, and look elsewhere.

[southernmom]

My family has been running cattle for decades and never kept a bull from our own cattle. Now mind you, when we sell our calves we almost always top the market and ranchers buy our heifer calves as replacements. This is because we buy good quality bulls. Right now my dad is selecting bulls with carcass genetic markers, as well as his ever present low birth weight requirement. If you can't afford to spend money on a bull, I think tex is right with the AI your top cow to a really good bull. Sorry this wasn't exactly answering your which calf to keep question, but is my honest answer.

No, it's a great answer! I should clarify that the two bulls that have all the makings of good breeders will be traded for a new (young) bull or sold and I will buy more heifers. I'm just trying to decide who to cut to eat. I do love the funny marked calf but I know we can't breed back and he can't be a pet. We need to AI or get a new bloodline.

[southernmom]

Thanks for all the input and sorry I couldn't get a call to you yesterday, Tex-the day got hectic and then it got away from me. I think the bull I've decided on is perfect from what I'm reading. His balls are small and his mama is one of our smaller cows.

We have a small (22 cows) but strong, healthy herd. One thing I can say about my grandmother is that she does not tolerate a 'fraudy' cow. We have a couple angus, some solid hereford, a couple limousine, and santa gertrudis with a bit of brahma mix down the line. Now we also have a herd of angus that run on our property and I have a deal with the owner that we keep them watered and tended and fed and we get hay and access to an angus bull this next year. (I begged her 20 years ago to get more angus but nooo how could I know anything. ugh.) I think that it will be a pain in the ass to deal with moving our bull so I am really considering doing the AI thing with a few of the heifers this next year when they get old enough. We need a new bloodline. I just have to get my mind wrapped around the mechanics of it and timing.

Unlike last year, We didn't have one bit of trouble with calves this year except for the one sick calf and now she is perfectly fine, running around with all the other calves. We only had to pull one calf that had been dead awhile in the cow but that was in the angus herd, and it was a mess, a really messy mess. Frank handled it well, though. We kept the cow up and she is fine and bred, now.

I do admit I love a cracker cow...and when I was younger we kept a few shorter horned ones when the herd was in the 50+ range. They calve very easy but they don't bring much and there's not a lot of meat on them. But trying to pen those cows with those monster longhorns...yikes. So I haven't tried to get any. They were allll over the place last year but I don't see them as much, now.

Ok I'm going to reread the thread again and see if I hit everything mentioned.

[Tex]

Ok, but what is the reason for leaving the others intact?


tex

[southernmom]

They wouldn't happen to be some of those bulls on 50 they're advertising in Mascotte are they?

No, these are our bulls from our cows. I'm just trying to decide which bull to cut so I can get him butchered when the time comes.