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Best way to grow our cow herd
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Jim
Posted 6/25/2022 12:33 (#9720574 - in reply to #9720394)
Subject: RE: Best way to grow our cow herd


Driftless SW Wisconsin

oakridge - 6/25/2022 10:11 We have always had a few beef cows. We have the facilities, pasture, and an excess of feed. We are looking to increase the cow numbers. What is the most economical way to do it? Buy older cows and retain heifer calves, buy bred heifers, or something else?

Speaking as someone who has tried many different ways of building a beef cow herd:

I feel the "BEST" way is to focus on buying a good, registered, calving ease BULL from a breeder who raises his bulls the way you raise your herd. Put him on your current cows, then keep every heifer calf. Breed this bull back to his daughters to calve at 2 years old, then put another good registered on bull on their daughters and so on. This is a fairly economical method to build a cow herd but slow. However if you choose your bulls correctly, you will have a good, locally adapted cow herd in the end.  Remember buying a good cow gives you one calf, buying a good bull can give you 20 good calves.

A faster way to go is to buy 3-in-1's, bred cow with a heifer calf at her side from a good breeder. There are a few of these around but good ones are not cheap.

Another way is to find a good breeder and tell him what you want to do. He can maybe sell you a couple older cows.

Basically though I have found the key to building a good cow herd is to focus on the bulls you buy. Learn about EPDs.

Folks RARELY sell good young cows and if they do it is at a premium price. I would never start or build a herd with heifers that you know nothing about.

Best of luck.

Jim



Edited by Jim 6/25/2022 12:38
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