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Cattle selection is the
beginning to any successful cattle producer. As producers, we sometimes
believe that we can overcome poor cattle selection through other
management practices. With numbers of quality cattle being available for
you to select being down, it is still very important for you to select the
right cow and not just any cow.
I talk to
cattle producers on a daily basis and find it interesting that producers’
sole criteria for selection is based upon the cost of that animal. While
cost is very important, a producer should only consider cost after other
criteria have been met. At this point, the producer can then make the
final decision as to the cost of purchasing that animal.
As
mentioned in last month’s article, consistency within your herd should
be your first area of consideration. Before purchasing cattle, evaluate
your current situation. "Know what you got, before deciding what you
need."
Go through
your herd and make notes based upon the following: What color is the
majority of my cows, what body type, (long, short, tall, thin muscled,
heavy muscle) what is their current breeding status, what is the
predominant breed in the herd (Angus, Charlois, Hereford, other), what
size is the majority of your herd. These factors all play an important
role before you should consider adding cattle to your herd. The reason for
this evaluation is for you to have a consistent group of cows that have
the same nutritional needs, breeding status, and the ability to produce
similar calves that can be grouped for maximum dollars at your market
place.
After
evaluating your current herd, I would hope that you have at least 90% of
your herd to be consistent on the criteria that we discussed. If your herd
is less than 90% consistent, then I would look at my most consistent group
and start at that point.
Now that
you have evaluated your herd, let’s look at why we should consider each
of those areas. The two main reasons that we want a similar herd are in
meeting nutritional needs and bull selection.
Always keep
in mind the goal of producing a similar calf for the least amount of
money. Cattle that are similar in body type, size and breeding status will
have similar nutritional requirements. It is impossible to develop a
feeding program for a set of cows that range in size, weight and breeding
status. It is difficult to feed in a pasture that has bred cows, cows with
baby calves, and cows with 400 weight calves without over feeding or under
feeding one of the groups. Feeding for the average will not work because
you will be over feeding one group while under feeding the other group,
costing you money and performance. It is also impossible to properly feed
a set of cows that weigh from 700 to 1400 pounds. Nutrition is the most
expensive part of raising cattle and you want to manage this area to
provide you with the best value for dollar spent. Similar cows with
similar nutritional demands will allow you to develop a feeding program
that will cost you less money and will provide greater nutrition to your
herd.
The other
area of consideration is bull selection. When it comes time for you to
select a bull, it is much easier to select a bull for a uniform herd. The
goal of a cow calf producer is to produce a uniform product at market
time. A bull that matches the cow herd will assist you in this goal. It
does not matter if your cows are big, small, short, or tall; if they
match, then you can select a bull that should produce a calf that will
demand a premium at the market place. A producer who can sell a group of
matched calves will get top dollar for that set, no matter what your
market preference.
Hopefully
this information has provided you a starting point to develop a consistent
cattle herd. I realize that when cattle are bringing as much money as they
are today, it makes it more difficult to cull and select like cattle.
There will come a day, when cattle will be cheaper and it will be at that
time that paying close to cattle selection today will pay tomorrow.
Jimmy
Hughes is AFC’s animal nutritionist.
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