Summer time droughts. Restricted assets. Solely probably the most resilient cattle make it by way of such harsh challenges. Roy Lee Criswell of Pep, New Mexico trusts Hereford-cross cattle to do it greatest.
“These Hereford Bulls on these black cows, getting that F1 cross, is placing extra feed effectivity together with extra hybrid vigor into these calves,” Criswell says. “The longevity of those bulls is of their toes. They do not break down. Out right here on this desert nation, they have to have good toes to have the ability to journey. Getting on prime of those cows and coming off on these rocks, we want these bulls to maintain going. We don’t need them to wish lots of feed to get them to breed again.”
Within the Southwest, the place rainfall is scarce and feed prices are climbing, ranchers and feeders want calves that acquire weight extra effectively, like Criswell’s F1 cross cattle.
“On the finish of the day, the yield grades are rather a lot greater, which is extra helpful to our pocket and our feeding operation on the yard,” says Chris Adkins of Adkins Cattle Co. “If you get greater yields and higher high quality carcasses, you get dividends. Right here we’re, seven months later they usually’re weighing 1,350 and 1,400 kilos. That’s what’s enjoyable — if you drive by their pens each morning and see the expansion in them.”
Black baldy cows devour two kilos much less of voluntary forage consumption per day than straight-bred black cows. That is in line with an Oklahoma State College examine that reveals a $50 financial savings per cow, per yr.
“They’re the simplest to work with, the simplest to get on feed, they usually’re in all probability a few of the greatest changing cattle,” Adkins says. “And if you happen to can maintain them calm and laying down, particularly in instances like these the place it’s 101 levels, they’re simply going to proceed to transform feed and acquire. And man, it pays on the again finish.”
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