Cash Cows

Bob Riser admits to a certain reluctance to cull a good cow, even if she's past the 10-year mark. But that doesn't mean he isn't looking to put wheels under any cow who looks like she's going to be trouble.

"We look at overall soundness when we make that call. I don't cull strictly based on preg checks," said the Downsville, La., cattleman. "We watch her udders, her feet and her eyes. After that, we look at whether she's open or not. It's hard, and expensive, to replace a cow and get one like you want. And right now, with heifer prices so high, the longer you can keep a productive cow in your herd the better off you are."

VALUABLE GENETICS

Riser, who farms with his two sons, Seth and Jared, believes in the value of Brahman genetics. His cow herd is about 50% Brahman blood, mostly F1 crosses between Hereford bulls and Brahman cows. He has recently started bringing in some Charolais bulls. Riser said he likes their good bone and the fact they seem to help the cows have bigger calves that gain and mature well. But the Brahman genetics are key, he believes, to productive longevity.

After a recent culling that moved 60 cows out, Riser said the age of his cow herd now ranges from 5 to 8 years. But he adds he still has one cow he bought in 1998.

"If you look at her, you'd say she's just an average little cow. But she's had 15 calves, and they load up with the rest of them. She is a good producer."

LONG-TERM INVESTMENT

Riser said, in his experience, these crosses can be productive for a long time. Their teeth, he aded, will last 14 to 15 years.

"And once they're mature, you've got a real investment in them," Riser added. "The longer you can keep them, the more of a return you get on that investment."

Jason Holmes, Extension livestock specialist with Louisiana State University, said these F1 Tiger Stripes are hard to beat here, where there's no ready access to commodities to feed, and cows need to be hardy and maternal.

"Longevity and mothering ability. That's what producers like about these cows," he said. "These are some milking machines. That means they eat a lot. But in a normal year, we've got grass running out of our ears. We may have to reduce stocking rates if we get in a drought situation, but in a normal year, there's no problem feeding those big girls."

Holmes said average weaning percentage on these cows is 90%, and they will wean a calf that's about half their body weight. If there's any downside to the cross, he said it's simply that it can be hard to get a producer to cull them.

SELLING CALVES, BUYING REPLACEMENTS

Riser's fall calving operation is geared toward raising calves that will go to a feedyard in late July, most straight off their dams at 600 to 650 pounds. The calves generally go to Colorado where they are conditioned and fed out. Calves that don't make that first cut are held back, weaned and preconditioned on the farm. They are then sold based on market conditions.

Riser sells through Superior Livestock's video auctions, using area representative Rayburn Smith, out of Clarence, La. Riser met Smith in 1975 and has been relying on him to help market his calf crop for the last 15 years.

Riser doesn't grow his own replacement heifers, preferring to buy them locally. Last year, bred heifers cost him on average $2,000 a head. He operates a cow herd of around 500 head. One bull is run per 20 cows.

GROWING A FAMILY FARM

The Riser farm started with only 200 acres. Riser bought the land when he was 19 and paid $200 an acre. Later, he expanded his land base with cutover timberland that cost $300 an acre. The last time he bought cutover land he said it was a shocking $2,000 an acre.

The acreage expansion has been geared toward building a farm where his whole family could work together. Both sons got their degrees, Jared from Louisiana Tech University in forestry and Seth from University of Arkansas at Monticello in ag business. Judy Riser, Tom's wife, is the accountant for the farm. "The brains behind the operation," he said. "I never would have been able to build this and live out my dreams without her."

To add to the farm's diversity and income potential, the Risers have more than cattle to pay the bills. They raise 300 to 400 acres of bermudagrass for hay, some of which is put up in small square bales to sell into the horse market.

When Riser feeds hay in the winter, he said they can cut consumption in half if they unroll it on the ground.

"The cattle just graze it all lined up," he said. "They don't trample it. They just line up like they're feeding at a trough, and they all get the same amount. The more dominant cows don't get more. The disadvantage is that you have to feed daily, but for me this is still the best way."

There's the added benefit that when the cattle finish the hay, they will tend to pick over any forages they can find. Riser started this practice in 2012, after drought ruined the hay crop and they had to get serious about saving hay.

POULTRY AND PASTURES

In 1980, the Riser family got into the poultry business. Today, they operate 22 broiler houses, raising chicks for Foster Farms of California.

With poultry comes poultry litter. Riser said they use all of it on their pastures. Between February and June, the litter is surface-applied at a rate of about 1.5 tons per acre.

"Without the poultry litter to help build up this soil, you could starve a herd of cows," he said. "But the litter builds up the soil and adds to the nutritional value. Without it, I think we'd be having a hard time staying in business; we just couldn't produce the grass we need."

While he loves cattle, Riser has focused on adding acreage over the years for his family.

"My goal has been to build a place where we could all work," Riser said. "For me, I was 29 when I guess I woke up, and I knew I had to make it. It had to be quick, and I didn't have a lot of options.

"So I did what I knew and loved, which was raising cattle. Today, I'll tell you, I have been blessed."

WHY COWS LEAVE HERDS

There's longevity, and then there's productive longevity. Jim Sanders, an animal breeding and genetics professor at Texas A&M University, said commercial producers need to always consider the latter as they cull cows.

"Culling criteria can differ greatly between producers," he said. "Generally, in a commercial herd, a cow should be culled when she can no longer be expected to be profitable in that herd."

In a USDA study, beef producers were asked to list reasons they culled cows. The top five responses given by producers with 50 or more head were (1) pregnancy status; (2) age or bad teeth; (3) other reproductive problems; (4) temperament; and (5) producing poor calves.

1. Reproductive Performance.

The No. 1 reason given for culling is an open cow, or one that has aborted a calf. Sanders said various things can cause poor reproductive performance, including age and overall health. He adds producers with defined breeding seasons are more likely to cull based on whether cows are open.

2. Age.

Some commercial producers cull strictly on age, especially if they have a specific breed or cross, and they have the experience to know at what age, in their conditions, those cows tend to lose productivity. Sanders added market conditions should also be factored in, with a goal of selling culls while they are still in good condition and can bring the best price.

3. Teeth.

The condition of a cow's teeth, or her mouth, is a common criteria to include in the culling decision. That's because the ability to graze impacts everything from body condition to breedback to milk production. Sanders said the mouths of crossbred cows usually stay sound and functional longer than those of straightbred cows. This is especially true for Brahman/British and other Bos indicus/Bos taurus crossbred cows.

4. Udders.

Udder problems can mean a cow lacks milk or the size of the udders and/or teats make it difficult or impossible for the calf to nurse. In research herds, Sanders said they did not cull cows because of the appearance of the udder/teats unless it was clear calves would be unable to nurse.

5. Eyes.

Most eye problems that cause cows to leave a herd are associated with cancer eye. This is more common in cows with white pigment around their eyes.

(VM/CZ)

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