Pics of new bull

[SF]

Pics of our new Miniature Hereford Bull
1 year old, 710 pounds, 40 inches high
Expect him to be 42 to 44 inches high at maturity and weigh somewhere around 950 to 1000 pounds.

My daughter is in the photo with him. She is 5'4"

The pictures don't do him justice, he is a very wide thick bull.

 

[la4angus]

Hell, This about the same size as the English breeds in the 40's and 50's.

 

[Cattle Rack Rancher]

He certainly seems quiet, anyway. :lol:

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

Dang nice gentle bull! You're very fortunate!

 

[mtnman]

Most of teh bulls of the 40's, 50's made it to 50 inches at least, and many up to 53 inches, most made it to 1800 pounds. Those bulls were frame 2-3, mostly.

These miniatures are way smaller than the 50's bulls. Most of these are frame 00 and 000, way smaller than the 50's animals.

mtnman

 

[Cattle Rack Rancher]

Most of teh bulls of the 40's, 50's made it to 50 inches at least, and many up to 53 inches, most made it to 1800 pounds. Those bulls were frame 2-3, mostly.

These miniatures are way smaller than the 50's bulls. Most of these are frame 00 and 000, way smaller than the 50's animals.

mtnman

I beg to differ.

http://www.msu.edu/~ritchieh/historical/cattletype.html

 

[la4angus]

Yep. mtnman is way ioff base on this as usual. Most bulls that got to 1800 lb was to fat to be able to settle a cow.

 

[Alan]

SF, what is an average birth weight of a "mini" Hereford? and please do not take offense to this question, but what is the market for mini breeds? Other mini breeders? I assume your not raising them to sell at the sale yard or feed lots.

Alan

 

[Chuckie]

That is a nice bull.

 

[SF]

SF, what is an average birth weight of a "mini" Hereford? and please do not take offense to this question, but what is the market for mini breeds? Other mini breeders? I assume your not raising them to sell at the sale yard or feed lots.

Alan

No offense taken Alan;
Speaking only on Miniature Herefords: Average birth weight varies between most of the breeders I know. My calves have ranged in birth weight from 30 pounds to 55 pounds. Most in the uper 40's. I've heard of some clear down in the 20's but most of the guys I know are not specifically breeding for that size.

I find that there is 3 markets for Miniature Herefords:

1. Show market. Quality animals that will compete in the show ring. Currently there are three shows that I know of for Miniature Herefords. The National Western in Denver, State Fair of California, and The Star of Texas in Austin. Confirmation is key to success. Size is secondary. Bulls must be under 47 inches tall and Females must be under 45 inches tall.
2. Beef market. These calves do well and feed out well. Many breeders sell their calves as locker beef. If fed naturally, one can get prices upwards of $2.00 per pound on the hoof. Cannot feed any antibiotics, hormones, etc... Cannnot implant. Must be natural or organic. Will generally yield about 200 to 225 pounds of packaged meat. Just about right for most families and a large upright freezer. Cuts of meat will be smaller, but I find more than sufficient.
3. Pet market. In order to be successful in this market one must breed small. The smaller the better.

I breed for show cattle and breeding cattle. I get the beef market as part of the process and I find that I am also able to capitalize on the pet market. I have found the miniatures to be very profitable for me. Much more so than standard size cattle. There are so many small landowners that I have found a great market for my breeding cattle, and I am willing to buy back their calves at weaning and feed them out and sell them as natural beef, providing they have fed and treated the calves in a manner consistent with natural beef guidelines.

Hope I answered your questions. If not, let me know, I'll try again.

Greg

 

[SF]

That is a nice bull.

Thank you. We have high hopes for him.

 

[Alan]

Thanks Greg,

Sounds like you have found a great niche, I raise Polled Herefords, just for an enjoyable hobbie. My plan for the ranch is to make the bigger money on Horses :roll: .

Now for another novice question. Two years ago I rented a bull to cover the five heifers I had raised from weanlings. Terrible birthing bull, lost one calf pulled two other and had one hiefer calf that weighed 28lbs. She is now 2 yrs old, I gave her to some freinds, at two she's probably only weighs about 450 to 500 lbs. but seems normal in every way (I don't know if she cycles). Sorry I'm rambling, my question is, could this hiefer be reg. as a Mini or can you only reg. mini to reg mini's. I hope you understand my question, if not let me know and I'll try it again with a little more thought behind it. Hazzards of typing faster then thinking.

Thanks Alan

 

[SF]

Thanks Greg,

Sounds like you have found a great niche, I raise Polled Herefords, just for an enjoyable hobbie. My plan for the ranch is to make the bigger money on Horses :roll: .

Now for another novice question. Two years ago I rented a bull to cover the five heifers I had raised from weanlings. Terrible birthing bull, lost one calf pulled two other and had one hiefer calf that weighed 28lbs. She is now 2 yrs old, I gave her to some freinds, at two she's probably only weighs about 450 to 500 lbs. but seems normal in every way (I don't know if she cycles). Sorry I'm rambling, my question is, could this hiefer be reg. as a Mini or can you only reg. mini to reg mini's. I hope you understand my question, if not let me know and I'll try it again with a little more thought behind it. Hazzards of typing faster then thinking.

Thanks Alan

I failed to clarify the registration thing. All miniature herefords are registered with the American Hereford Association. When you look up pedigrees or registration papers there is not anything to indicate that they are miniatures.

Regarding your heifer. If she is a registered hereford, then you could breed her to a Mini Bull and see what kind of calf she produces. Since you raise polled Herefords, that too is a nice mini market. Lots of demand for polled Miniature Herefords. Not many of them. I'd estimate less than 150 in the world at the present time.

I'm currently looking for some small typey, classic style registered Polled Hereford cows.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

Nice looking bull. Good luck with him, I hope he works out for you.

Katherine

 

[Bez]

SF

My comments as follows:

Pic #1 - hate the pic - he looks sway backed. I figure he was stretching or you set him up too far apart.

Pic #2 - It rocks! I have never seen a mini in real life - but this guy has some danged fine conformation.

Pic #3 - Tells it all !! I love the fact he is chowing down while your daughter leans on him. :lol: made me grin looking at the two of them.

Over all I say "Ya' done good!"

Bez

 

[Bez]

SF

Well, I will be darned. Re-read the posts and saw the comments about horns and polled.

The I looked at the pics. This guy has horns!

I raise HH and have to ask: Are you going to train the horns on him? Or, do you cut them all off?

Send us a couple of pics of them little gals if they have trained horns please.

Thnx

Bez

 

[bward]

What a Cutey!!

 

[SF]

SF

Well, I will be darned. Re-read the posts and saw the comments about horns and polled.

The I looked at the pics. This guy has horns!

I raise HH and have to ask: Are you going to train the horns on him? Or, do you cut them all off?

Send us a couple of pics of them little gals if they have trained horns please.

Thnx

Bez

I intend to put horn weights on him in about a couple of months. I've been told to leave them on for several weeks until the horns are at about a 45 degrees downward and then remove. Horn weights are a new thing for me. This will be the first time I've used them. I think I've got some pics of one of anothers small bull with curved horns. I'll see if I can find and post later today or tonight.

Thanks for your comments
Greg

 

[SF]

Here is a pic of a bull that has trained horns. Can't see the horns very well, but the only pic I have of one at this time.

This bull is not mine, but I have one of his daughters.

 

[Rustler9]

I like him.