Opinions

[Critter Co. Livestock]

I had recently bought a heifer from a breeder early January of this year. She was sold to me on the basis of being a functional heifer that came from a very good cow family. We showed her off this spring and summer and when came time to breed she never showed a real strong heat so we tried a c'ider and had a genetics rep service her and she came back open we had tried again later this summer when it cooled off she showed the strongest heat she has shown all year and she came back open. We can her with an Angus bull just to get her bred and she was with him for 50 days and came back open again. When i had contacted the breeder of this heifer to ask if he would stand behind her and give me credit on purchase of another calf or work a deal he had told me that it was my loss he would only sell me another calf for $1500 ( which is what i paid for her). Also come to be told last night that she was bred before i bought her and that he had aborted the calf days before we picked her up, and she was only 8 months old. This being my first heifer that was gonna be my foundation heifer for a herd im trying to build has got me frustrated with the honesty of breeders and standing behind their herd. If you are a breeder and this happened with a calf you sold what would you do? stand behind it or say sorry its your loss go buy another calf? Im interested to see what you all think.

 

[Woodland Farms Show Cattl]

I stand behind every heifer i sell, she wont breed bring her back and pick out another one, just pay the difference on price. i havent had this happen yet, had one that was suspect that she may not breed so i didnt sell her, and then my bull bred her  (clapping)

I also would have given you a complete background on the heifer before you took her!!

 

[oakview]

There's a lot of variation on what could or should be done in a case like this.  There are so many things that can happen to show heifers anymore that a lot of breeders won't guarantee them to breed.  They get too fat, then they get turned out on cornstalks, they get whatever it is that some people do to their show animals.  I'm not saying you did anything wrong, but it happens.  You might be surprised at the number of show heifers that don't settle as soon as their owners might like.  At the very least the breeder should be given the opportunity to get the heifer bred.  I know of many instances where the purchaser couldn't get a heifer bred and she stuck on the first service at the original breeder's place.  If the heifer has had decent care, I would expect her to weigh 1,200 pounds at her age.  Sell her as a fat heifer if you want and all you're out is your feed.  I'm not blaming anyone in this case.  There are just too many variables to reach a universal, one size fits all conclusion.

 

[CMB]

I've noticed more and more of this. I think like the post above there are so many different variables to this. You never know how the calf is going to be fed. Heifers are often fed to hard. I would be a little upset finding out the calf had been bred at a young age and aborted. Best thing to do is make sure the breeder guarantees the animal to breed before you buy. I will not buy a female without a guarantee. You'd be surprised how many people don't care if the calf they buy breeds or not. I go to a sale every year the breeder clearly states no guarantees and the heifers consistently sell for $5000-$10000 and we are not in a market heifer show part of the country. This has happened to me one time and the breeder credited me the purchase price of the calf.

 

[jagerbeef]

I have seen quite a few people putting in the back of catalog that if a heifer is shown then no guarantee is given that she will breed.  Breeders covering themselves from people getting heifers to fat to show and then wondering why they won't breed.