You are very perceptive, Jeff! Yes, I have sold some of my largest, most photogenic but least profitable cows after weaning this fall. 

But I am retaining some replacement heifer calves that are in another weaning group not shown in the pictures above. I am growing the herd but from now on I am doing it internally.  Slow but sure method. I have a diverse range of female genetics and except for buying a new virgin Huth bull every few years I am going to grow my own the way I want them.

I am also in the process of reducing my average cow size. Each fall I am going to sell 2 or 3 of my largest cows and retain 4-6 heifers from my smaller more productive cows.  I want to end up with all of my cows in the 1200-1400 lb mature weight range. Leaning even more to the 1200 lb end.  I also cull based on the calf 205 day adjusted weaning weight to cow weight at weaning ratio. I am also selecting for dressing percent: the beef in the box as a percent of hanging carcass weight.  I don't want big heavy fast growing steers but which are all bone.

In the end I want a herd of moderate size cows that can outwinter, calve unassisted, raise a 205 day calf at least 50% of their weight at weaning, give me a calf that can hit 1100+ lb at 13-14 months old off of grazing standing corn and have a respectable 480-500 lb of lean cut beef in the box and do it all on just what I raise, except for winter hay.

I have very limited time and land to work with so I want to be careful not to overstock. With intensive rotational grazing I can produce a lot of beef per acre but there are still those times when nature does not give us the rain we need to produce that beef.  I am building a wrapped bale hay reserve but still want to grow slowly. I am also still learning the cattle business.

To the above suggestions regarding adding a Char or Black bull - if I sold into conventional markets these would certainly have some advantages. However for what I am doing ("natural" freezer beef) I think pure Hereford is the way I will stay.

Thanks for your comments.

Jim at Dawn