Buying-in Replacements

just do it

So how successful are you at buying in replacements? Over the last few years I reckon only 50% of replacements bought have remained in the herd. Now a fair degree of this is due to being a novice, but it got me thinking...

So I suppose the best way to phrase the question for the poll is, "What percentage of bought-in replacements are you happy with?"

rayzorsharpest

U should first of all try and breed them urself from maternal bulls, then if ur unable to do this buy from farmers u know sre breeding for milk. I find best of the whole lot is LM out of FR cow. If u can source them

Bizzum

just do it wrote: »

"What percentage of bought-in replacements are you happy with?"

Exactly 41%. Where do I put that:D (keep it clean!)

redzerologhlen

Bizzum wrote: »

Exactly 41%. Where do I put that:D (keep it clean!)

Are all offaly men as awkward

I have bought a few Jd but most were at home from neighbour's and I would know their cows as well as our own. In the mart all you have is sight to go on which isint enough really for a breeding heifer in my opinion. I know a few people that swear by buying in calf cows but who sells their best cows

Bizzum

redzerologhlen wrote: »

Are all offaly men as awkward

Generally. Particularly of a wet year;)

We would tend to breed most of our replacements. Like Redzer (or Red Zero as I will now call him ) we would pick up the odd one particularly if we knew of a nice one locally.
The big challenge breeding them is to retain milk.

just do it

Bizzum wrote: »

Exactly 41%. Where do I put that:D (keep it clean!)

Looks like this poll doesn't apply to you Bizzum!

Mods can you amend to allow Bizzum to take part?;)

just do it

redzerologhlen wrote: »

I have bought a few Jd but most were at home from neighbour's and I would know their cows as well as our own. In the mart all you have is sight to go on which isint enough really for a breeding heifer in my opinion. I know a few people that swear by buying in calf cows but who sells their best cows

Words of wisdom Redz. I may just need to get to know my neighbours a bit better! Agree the mart is a bit of a lottery. At least with donedeal or the journal you get to visit the farm and get a feel for who you're dealing with. Still no where near as good as knowing the source like you do!

whelan1

i voted but voted wrong so cant change it, thought it was was % are bought in, , depends on the year you are talking about , satisfaction rate would be well below 50% promised the sun moon and stars in some cases ,also disease factor bought in such as johnes etc... also think about the 10 heifers i bought in where i now i have 1 of them left after 3 years and a court case to boot

redzerologhlen

just do it wrote: »

Words of wisdom Redz. I may just need to get to know my neighbours a bit better! Agree the mart is a bit of a lottery. At least with donedeal or the journal you get to visit the farm and get a feel for who you're dealing with. Still no where near as good as knowing the source like you do!

I bought 4 last year so it harmless enough and I got them for fairly right money aswell, I do odd jobs here and there for them but would still prefer to keep my own if I thought they suited. I have 2 fancy ones I bought as weanlings this time 2 years ago to calf in the spring. Havnt a clue what way they will be on the milk front, They have cost a lot to keep so long if they dont have it so I have tried to move away from doing that. There are very few people I know breeding for Maternal traits so they are hard sourced, a lot of Mas Du Clo and 52 influence around here and the few that have simmental's keep them short term for their own replacments.

just do it

rayzorsharpest wrote: »

I find best of the whole lot is LM out of FR cow. If u can source them

Funnily enough a neighbour ran a LM bull with his FR cows but changed tack as there was no market for the calves. I approached him a year too late :rolleyes: