How do you decide which calves get sold?

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shortyjock89

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The last couple years, we've had some really good interest in our top few calves.  I'm really happy about that, but the thing is, these are my last couple years, so I would like to show something I raised if it's pretty good.  I know that some people sell their best stuff no matter what, and keep back maybe their 2nd or 3rd best calf back, and some people keep their best, and some people sell them all and go buy a calf.  I think I just need some feedback from some people that have been in my situation.
Thanks!!
 

BCCC

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Sell the Black heifer to me and then keep the other good calf and sell the rest ;D
 

TJ

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Or you sell her to someone like TJ & then you try to talk him into letting you keep her & show her.  ;)
 

SWMO

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In my experience, we can usually raise em better than we can buy them. :D  Especially for the junior heifer shows.  You certainly don't want to go to someone who has kids showing.  You know that they are going to try and keep the best for themselves in most cases.
 

TJ

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We sold probably the 2 best steers that we ever raised during a time period when I was showing.  1 won the KY State Fair 4H Show & the other one was undefeated in southern IL & won it's class at the Duquion State Fair.  I played the "what could've been game" 1,000 times in my head, but I am glad that we sold them.   When somebody else wins with animals that you raised... you win too!!  Remember that.  ;)
 

shortyjock89

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SWMO said:
In my experience, we can usually raise em better than we can buy them. :D  Especially for the junior heifer shows.  You certainly don't want to go to someone who has kids showing.  You know that they are going to try and keep the best for themselves in most cases.

Lol, that's been my problem too.  I seem to raise better calves than what I could buy, but this year I have an extra bull and heifer that I KNOW are getting sold, so if I sold my best heifer too, I could probably spend a pretty good chunk of change..tough tough choices..
 

TJ

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SWMO said:
In my experience, we can usually raise em better than we can buy them. :D  Especially for the junior heifer shows.  You certainly don't want to go to someone who has kids showing.  You know that they are going to try and keep the best for themselves in most cases.

That was our experience too.  We raised our own & sold a few to other people  We knew what our own genetics would do, but the ones we bought from others were unpredictable & more times than not, they didn't turn out as well as our home raised calves.  Plus, it's more fun to win with something that you raised than it is something that you buy... that's been my experience anyway.   
 

kanshow

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Other things to think about...   Are you in it to win the big ones?     What are your long term goals for your breeding program?  Is this heifer a key to those goals?   Or is she just more of the same and won't move your herd in the direction you need her to?  Do you have sibs in the herd?   What are they like?    Would you be way ahead to buy something and let this one go - with respect to where you want to be with your breeding program or wins?  

As far as buying from other families that have kids showing...   Just have to know the family.   One of our local families only show their females and let some great steers go.   Another family has a great herd that runs pretty deep in quality, and only one kid showing - they always have some good ones to sell.  
 

shortyjock89

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kanshow said:
Other things to think about...   Are you in it to win the big ones?     What are your long term goals for your breeding program?  Is this heifer a key to those goals?   Or is she just more of the same and won't move your herd in the direction you need her to?  Do you have sibs in the herd?   What are they like?    Would you be way ahead to buy something and let this one go - with respect to where you want to be with your breeding program or wins?  

As far as buying from other families that have kids showing...   Just have to know the family.   One of our local families only show their females and let some great steers go.   Another family has a great herd that runs pretty deep in quality, and only one kid showing - they always have some good ones to sell.  

Kanshow, thanks a bunch for giving me stuff to think about !  I think that the answer to most of those questions is that this heifer that I'm considering keeping is going to be one that will really help my operation improve.  The best two cows that we have are maternal sisters, one is a PB Shorthorn, and the other is out of Hoosier Hot Shot.  This is the Hot Shot's second calf, but her first one was still born. This year she has the best calf in the pasture.  She's a really moderate and eye appealing cow, and she won a whole lot as a heifer.  I want to raise show calves that will make good cows, so I think it's fitting to keep heifers out of cows that did just that.  I also want to be able to sell heifers and steers that will be competitive at all levels. I really want to have a good solid cow base, so would it be best to keep heifers out of my best cows, or to sell them and get a wider assortment of genetics.  I know people that have very related cows, and I really like the consistency of that, but the ones with the assortment seem to have that one super special calf.  I think I'll keep the heifer unless someone offers me unworldly money for her.  Thanks everyone for your adivce, this wasn't the first time I've been helped out, and I doubt it will be the last! O0
 

red

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I decide based on defect tests. with the test available I'll sell the cleans ones. The carriers will go to feedlot or farm herd.
did sell a carrier last year but we discussed it to great length & the heifer suited the girl to a T. I'll work w/ them on future breedings.
I try to sell my best. at the point were I'd love to find a young person that wanted to show a nice steer or heifer. Would certainly work w/ someone on that!

Red
 

itk

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I guess I have the luxury of not showing myself so it was easy to decide what stayed and what went. I always think it looks better if you sell a winner in the jr. thing then have your child or yourself win. It shows potential buyers you are willing to part with the good ones. I just want my son to be competitive and we are able to do this while still selling or top end. I have also found that the heifers that just miss the top cut usually make the best cows so it works out nice for keeping replacements.
 

chambero

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This past spring, I let my son pick out one steer that we designated as not for sale.  Doesn't work too well when others show up and of course that's the one they want.  But, my priorities right now are for him to do the best he can.  He helps us with everything he can, shows an incredible amount of interest, and my long term goal is to set him and his brother up for their careers.  So, its no big deal to me to turn down money on a calf.  Of course everything has a price though.......  Folks just didn't hit that price this year.
 

DLD

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We tried selling the best ones and showing out of what was leftover. The problem with that is most people think like this ;

SWMO said:
... You certainly don't want to go to someone who has kids showing.  You know that they are going to try and keep the best for themselves in most cases.

After our oldest had been showing a couple of years, our local market dwindled away to nothing, even though we had been showing leftovers. Fortunately, we have a pretty strong Texas market, and the better ones for there and the better ones for here are usually not the same ones anyway, so it hasn't affected that any. And it doesn't bother most of the traders - they generally look at whether the calf works for them or not, except for a few that are insanely jealous about getting first pick, no matter what.

Considering that, plus the fact that we've found it's alot more fun to show cattle we've raised ourselves, at this point, I'm not promising anyone that we're not keeping the better one(s). The exception would be if we had one that would bring noticeably more than we figure we'd ever make showing him (steer) or showing and keeping a heifer.

 

NHR

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if someone is willing to pay what I want then I will sell. everything is forsale just depends on the price.
 

AAOK

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Olson Family Shorthorns said:
The last couple years, we've had some really good interest in our top few calves.  I'm really happy about that, but the thing is, these are my last couple years, so I would like to show something I raised if it's pretty good.  I know that some people sell their best stuff no matter what, and keep back maybe their 2nd or 3rd best calf back, and some people keep their best, and some people sell them all and go buy a calf.  I think I just need some feedback from some people that have been in my situation.
Thanks!!

Our girls showed Bred and Owned heifers.  The family decision when we first started was to raise and show our own.  Now that those days are long gone, and I come across questions on the boards such as this one, I'm positive we made the correct decision.

I can't imagine the thrill of winning a show ( local, county, state, or national ) being even half when you're dragging a purchased calf.  Where is the sense of accomplishment, or self worth?  Sure you have to feed, fit & groom, but I just can't see how the reward can be within eons.

We couldn't show them all.  All calves were For Sale; but, I let the girls pick first, and they also priced the calves.  Those they planned to show were priced mighty high.  So high that we never sold one of the calves they wanted to show.  We did however face some of those calves we sold, and a few times got shamed by them.  What better way to lose than to be beaten by your own stock?

"Show what you Grow"...PERIOD!
 

Jill

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I am pretty much in agreement with AAOK, you have to decide if you want to be a seller or a shower and then the rest is easy. 
Every calf at our house has a price, we will sell anything, but the ones we would like to keep we put a price on that the purchaser would have to want the calf worse than we want to show it.  At our house a really good bred and owned has a high price tag, we have won the National Jr. Maine Steer Show twice with bred and owned calves and that is just incredible fun, in both cases after the show those calves were sold, so we got to have our cake and eat it too, double fun!

From a buyer perspective, there have been people that try and sell calves to us that don't show their own and you have to wonder if they aren't good enough for them to show, why are they good enough for me. 
 

chambero

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At least for us, showing our own requires some flexbility in what you put in the barn.  To my surprise (I've always been a "steer guy"), I really enjoyed the past couple of years helping my young son show heifers.  He got off to a very good start.  This year, we didn't really get a heifer that would run at the top level down here.  We've got plenty of good ones, but not "the one".  Our best one didn't have a lick of hair.  Otherwise she would have worked.  So, we've got a barn full of steers this year.  But, not a black crossbred.  Our best calf is a red one and a black Angus-type calf with a Shorthorn for a backup.  

I've done it both ways and winning with your own trumps everything else I've done.  I could take the money I spend on bulls, AIing, and other stuff and go buy about any steer I wanted.  Might resort to that someday down the road if we don't ever get it done, but right now we're having a great time doing it the hard way.  My sons had two of their steers named by the time they were 60 days old and the oldest already reads the magazines trying to figure out what he wants to breed "his cows" to.
 

Throttle

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Jill said:
you have to decide if you want to be a seller or a shower and then the rest is easy. 
 

This might put it the best that I have seen. If your long term goal has been to raise the right kind, sell em high and into good hands, and you feel like these calves help you to reach that goal, then sell them. If your long term goal has been to be competitive at certain shows and these home raised calves give you a better chance at reaching that goal than calves you could go out and buy, then keep em. If you want to be a seller, I think it looks much better to say that you sold a good one than showed a good one. If you want to be a shower, then you can't beat doing well with a home raised one, period. It's all a matter of your own personal goals and aspirations. JMO
 

RSC

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chambero said:
At least for us, showing our own requires some flexbility in what you put in the barn.  To my surprise (I've always been a "steer guy"), I really enjoyed the past couple of years helping my young son show heifers.  He got off to a very good start.  This year, we didn't really get a heifer that would run at the top level down here.  We've got plenty of good ones, but not "the one".  Our best one didn't have a lick of hair.  Otherwise she would have worked.  So, we've got a barn full of steers this year.  But, not a black crossbred.  Our best calf is a red one and a black Angus-type calf with a Shorthorn for a backup.  

I've done it both ways and winning with your own trumps everything else I've done.  I could take the money I spend on bulls, AIing, and other stuff and go buy about any steer I wanted.  Might resort to that someday down the road if we don't ever get it done, but right now we're having a great time doing it the hard way.  My sons had two of their steers named by the time they were 60 days old and the oldest already reads the magazines trying to figure out what he wants to breed "his cows" to.
Chambero, My oldest is doing the same now in checking out the SC and telling me what he wants his cows bred to,  he even makes decisions what he wants a couple years away when they're mature cows.  Do you try and breed the cows to their decision.  My son for the most part got his choice this year, he wanted Eye Candy.  He first brought up Highlander and Pappa quickly said NO.

As per the original thread, I have been thinking about how I will handle this as Grant starts showing our own.  I know most people want your best if they are going to buy.  As long as  we are pretty deep at the top with quality,  I thought about selling choice of the top 2 and we will show the second choice.

RSC
 

C-CROSS

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We sell all the Steers, simply because in south Dakota they don't pay that much to win the state fair, and we rodeo fairly hard so they don't get the knid of care they need.  As for heifers we keep the best just for our own use as cows, we are lucky if we get 1500 for a heifer so they usually don't go in the sale.
 
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