Starting a small club calf operation

I'm 15 years old and iv been showing steers and heifers for 2 years, but if only owned my current steer. I want to start a small herd of about 4-6 cows and breed my own calf's, and slowly grow it to a large club calf operation. What are some tips anyone would give me. I would also like to hear story's on how you guys got started, the troubles you had and such.

I would start with some true f1s, angus X Simmental, angus X Maine, of even some Purebreds, good structured and can milk. Then use the clubby bull on those females. Don't start with heifers out of the clubby bulls. Limits your choices of the power bulls to use. IF you start with just good clean of defect cows that look like females the steers will come.

I was in the same boat a few years back. Here are the things I have experienced so far...
1. My #1 piece of advice would be quality over quantity! I would take 5-7 really good cows over 10-13 average cows any day...spend the extra on those 5-7.
2. NO THC females! Matching up breeding is so much easier when you don't have to worry about the female being THC. Also allows you to bull/lease a THC clean up bull if you so choose.
3. This one kind of goes with point #2 and the above point. I would stay away from 90% of clubby pedigreed females. You'll find one once in awhile that is maternal/milks good enough and they are fine, but the F1's and PB's best IMO....they bring the consistency into the calves.
4. Maybe look into some females where that are high enough % breed wise that you can register their calves (such as a Chi-Angus female that is registered 30% Chi for example).
5. Be all ears to your elders who have successfully got to where you are trying to get your herd, maybe try to find a mentor who you trust in your area to help direct you.
6. Be patience, it takes time to produce the type of calf you are looking for. There will be some "misses" and there will be some "hits".
7. Most of all, have fun with it!

Feel free to PM me if you have any thoughts or questions, or if you just want to talk cattle! Good luck!

dot do what i did lol. i went and payed a ton of money for a heifer that looked like the steer i wanted short fat and fluffy. it is useless to me now because it is to small not sound and its babys dont grow. go get some sound big cows keep in mind alot of these bulls like monopoly will drop the calf a frame score or two or three.

Go out and buy 10 really GOOD recipient cows.  They are a whole lot cheaper than buying females that have the potential to produce top end Club Calves.

Now buy embryos from a PROVEN mating.  You can buy a mating that will produce the club calf you are wanting, or buy a mating that will produce the genetics that you are looking for in replacement females, or whatever need you are trying to satisfy.

Depending upon the part of the country you are in, you can hop in your pickup and drive out to one of the large operations.  Meet with the "best of the best", and tell them what you are looking for.  They will make you a whale of a deal on a package of 15 embryos...maybe even guarantee conception, etc..  They will also come and take a look at what you have produced, market the calves with you, and help you build a name for yourself.

That is my free advice, and that is what we will most likely be doing in the next 12 months.

Good luck! 

Whatever you do, don't tell anybody. They'll think that you are crazy!!!

Iv looked online for info on embryo transfers, and I can't find anything about how its done. Can  a average person can learn to do it themselfs or does a vet have to do it? If so how much does it cost for a vet to do it? Also what do you look for in recp. Cows? Basically how does the whole thing work?

zac_norwood said:

Iv looked online for info on embryo transfers, and I can't find anything about how its done. Can  a average person can learn to do it themselfs or does a vet have to do it? If so how much does it cost for a vet to do it? Also what do you look for in recp. Cows? Basically how does the whole thing work?

Click to expand...

Read this post, but I agree with Tallcool1. I would even expand to say buy a couple "replacement heifer" embryo matings and a few "steer" embryos if that makes sense.

http://www.steerplanet.com/bb/the-big-show/embryo-transfer-frequently-asked-questions-and-answers/

I have two kids that will hopefully both be showing in about four or five years......  First "bucket calf" show is this weekend......

While I do love the thought of breeding my own, I am leaning more and mor ero the thought of getting 8-10 big framed heavy milking cows and use them as recips.  We flushed a purebred cow this spring and got one good embryo, luckily it stuck, but we have over 500 in that pregnancy.....  That doesn't count the cost of cycling eight recips with the cow that wasted a cycle on them.    Right now you can buy good cows for 1500 plus or mi us at the sale barn with a calf at side and open.    If you have 7k to spend, go buy four cows with good calves at side then see what you can buy for embryos withe the other 1k.

Right or wrong, that is the way I am leaning right now, do have a few young cows and heifers that I have hopes for doing it the hard way as well though!

So would it be better to go buy 5 nice club calf cows or buy 5 recips and buying embryos and then keeping there calf's if there heifers for my herd, and once there at age to breed sell the recips?

Club calf daughters don't often make club calf mamas......    Buying embryos is cheaper then going through clubby female after clubby female looking for the one good one if you are limited on numbers.  Jmho

I can hook you up with some cows that have been solid producers for us. I am downsizing the herd over the next few years.

Because you're not very familiar with embryo transplant, I think unless you can find someone in your area to help you, I'd stay away from it for a while. What I'd do in your situation is buy some fault free, proven purebred cows. You don't need anything expensive, just overall good, funtional females. The breed is up to you, but I'd choose cows that are built a bit clubbier, long clean fronts, nice and thick, good hair. But be sure not to sacrifice good structure & udders. As stated in another post, bigger framed cows are probably a good idea because most club calf bulls will drop them a frame score or two. Then do some research to figure out what clubby clulls should (hopefully) click with them. Use sexed semen if you know what sex you want.

That's my two cents! Good luck!!

I agree with Larissa. Build a foundation before you do any ET.

OK so ET is out. Do you mean get pure breeds and make F1s out of them or to breed with club calf bulls to make club calf's? How much on average are good proven club calf cows?

I would start with either purebreds or the F1s and breed them clubby.

Frostie is steering you in the right direction.  Start with some nice registered cows.  Don't go clubby on your cows and make sure they are clean.  Bees clubby if that is what you want, and with registered cows, you can more than likely register the female offspring.  Registered heifers are generally easier to market.  Good luck, it's a long process that generally doesn't happen over night unless you have a ton of money

Zac, check your personal messages.

Depending on where you live a mentor may be close by.....  Find one, and I would not rule out buying embryos.  Are you going to Ai your own cows?  If not a tech will be involved.....  In my mind, buying embryos and having a tech implant them, is not much different then buying semen and having a tech ai a cow.  12-18 hours after standing vs seven days.......The tech will talk you through it  (either way) and you can spend money on embryos instead of cows.  Buying a good recip is way cheaper then buying a cow good enough to have a clubbie calf, and by buying embryos you can buy a proven mating in stead of hoping to hit something on a handful of cows.......