Buying Replacement cows

[CowboyRam]

I went to todays cow sale today, mainly to pick up a check from my open cows I took in today. I didn't do all that well on them. but it is what it is; sometime you just have to take your lumps. While there I seen some 3 & 4 year old bred cows that late calvers, after the 15th of May, some even sold under $1000. In my program I start calving the first week of March. What are the chances of getting these late calving cows in time with my herd?

 

[Nesikep]

if they're well fed they should be within an acceptable calving time next year.. probably 2nd cycle. Of course some will do it and some won't.. I have a first timer this year that'll be late next year.. she really put it all into her calf, I'd probably be more interested in the thinner looking ones since they probably just didn't have the feed necessary to both raise a good calf and breed back, and stay away from any fat ones that evidently were fed well enough and still didn't do their job

Looks like arse but what a heifer calf she made

 

[MurraysMutts]

They either will
Or they won't

Been my limited experience.

I've had some move up, some move further. And sometimes it's the opposite of what you'd expect!

 

[Nesikep]

Here's a cow i very nearly shipped.. first calf was Aug 8th, I shook my finger at her and told her she better catch up.. she did by about 6 weeks a year, she's had the first calf of the year nearly every time since, including a set of twins and has made some of my best cows now


A pretty AND productive daughter of hers

 

[kenny thomas]

I went to todays cow sale today, mainly to pick up a check from my open cows I took in today. I didn't do all that well on them. but it is what it is; sometime you just have to take your lumps. While there I seen some 3 & 4 year old bred cows that late calvers, after the 15th of May, some even sold under $1000. In my program I start calving the first week of March. What are the chances of getting these late calving cows in time with my herd?

I bought some cows bred to calve that late last week for 650-800. Cows pretty cheap here.

 

[faster horses]

You might luck out, you might not. It's hard to move May calvers back as far as March.
I guess you can take a risk on them, or not. Maybe they'll bring a lot of $$$ next year even if they calve later than you want. At least you have options.

I like options.

 

[Stocker Steve]

What are the chances of getting these late calving cows in time with my herd?

Depends on genetics and weather and your management. Lower milking lines move up easily. For me - - average weather and going from continuous grazing to MIG resulted in over 50% success in moving them up two to three months after two years.

Harder question is how will you market the two-time losers?

 

[Stocker Steve]

I bought some cows bred to calve that late last week for 650-800. Cows pretty cheap here.

Cows are higher than that here, but still below what many people were expecting. Any thoughts on why?

 

[kenny thomas]

At a cow sale last Friday night the crowd was smaller than normal and the excitement just wasn't there. Slaughter cow prices are down here also so every little thing makes them cheaper. But our cow prices always seem to be way behind what some of you quote.

 

[Stocker Steve]

At a cow sale last Friday night the crowd was smaller than normal and the excitement just wasn't there.

Same here.
Could blame Covid...
I think there are fewer cattlemen, and more day traders, now days.

 

[gcreekrch]

When we keep lates they stay in a small breeding pasture the next summer. We can catch most up at least a cycle. A certain percentage of them will catch up 3 cycles, no more.

 

[gcreekrch]

Thought to buy a load of cows yesterday. Registered black and red angus 2 to 4 calvers from a fella I have bought bulls from for 30 years. He was cutting his cow herd back to 1000 and was worried they wouldn't sell well considering the bred market. I never even tapped the bid button on my iPad. Those 150 cows averaged $2600 and the 150 1/2 Simmental sisters to bulls he sells sold at about $2300 average. Happy for him he did well and happy for me I am not looking for a truck to bring them 800 miles home. Ooohhhhh they were good!

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Were the steers finished?

 

[gcreekrch]

Were the steers finished?

?

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Oh duh!! put my glasses on - it was SISTERS!! Sorry about that.

 

[CowboyRam]

I might give it a try, if the price is right. The pasture I start in is fairly small, about 10 sections, and only has one water.

 

[gcreekrch]

Oh duh!! put my glasses on - it was SISTERS!! Sorry about that.

No worry Jeanne. You can Google MC Quantock and learn a bit about the program. Mac has great cattle and he is the best to deal with. We have purchased well over 100 bulls from him in the last 30 years.

 

[StrojanHerefords]

I went to todays cow sale today, mainly to pick up a check from my open cows I took in today. I didn't do all that well on them. but it is what it is; sometime you just have to take your lumps. While there I seen some 3 & 4 year old bred cows that late calvers, after the 15th of May, some even sold under $1000. In my program I start calving the first week of March. What are the chances of getting these late calving cows in time with my herd?

Several times, I have bought cows that didn't breed up on time and put them into my fall calving herd. Buying off the ranch, I generally get about 3/4's of the open cows to breed up. Would it make sense for you to calve in May and June? I see a lot of lightweight calves show up here in California in November and December.
Alternatively, you could go out to a fall calving area and buy pairs or bred cows that are too late for us.

 

[CowboyRam]

Several times, I have bought cows that didn't breed up on time and put them into my fall calving herd. Buying off the ranch, I generally get about 3/4's of the open cows to breed up. Would it make sense for you to calve in May and June? I see a lot of lightweight calves show up here in California in November and December.
Alternatively, you could go out to a fall calving area and buy pairs or bred cows that are too late for us.

I ended up buying five head that will probably calve late May early June. One cow was supposed to calve in April, but she calved mid February.

 

[Dave]

Two of the five cows I bought last week have calves. The vet had 7 on all of them. Bought a cow in mid January that had an 8 on her. She hasn't calfed yet. I have learned to only trust the vet's opinion just so much. It sure isn't the gospel.