HOW WE USE IT

from Redline Livestock Bull Sale 2023

WatchList Feature

Hello and welcome to our 2023 bull sale. The past year has been somewhat of a whirlwind for us here. The twists and turns of being involved in this industry are something we are constantly adapting to. Always facing new challenges; we have a growing need to find our feet in the midst of ever changing, busy seasons. Steep learning curves are continuous. Here at Redline, the cattle are the foothold for our operation. The cows gave us our start, and they are our main livlihood. Neither of us have earned off-farm income for the past 12 years. With this in mind, we have put into practise some stringeant measures to ensure that the herd is, and remains profitable.

You will notice throughout the catalog, that we have included some data that you don’t see in the other catalogs. We have decided to include traits that we ourselves find valuable, using in-herd evaluations and results of data we have been entering on our cowherd.

We have come to value numbers. By entering as much data as we can into our system, we can look at our cowherd with unbiased eyes and really pinpoint which cows are pulling their weight, which are excelling above and beyond the rest of the herd. Perhaps most importantly; we can see which cows are not meeting expectations.

Joining the Cow Calf Herd Health Management System (CCHMS) has been a significant tool for growth. We use Herdtrax to enter data on every detail we can keep track of. We enter pedigrees, calvings, breedings, weights, rations, feedings, costs, treatings and so much more. Dr Waylon Wise helps us to run reports and index the cowherd, based on many factors. These include calves weaned, thier respective weights throughout their lives, replacements and secondary replacements retained from the cow, calving interval, health, etc. After preg check and health, temperment and age related culls, we use the index to cull out an additional 60 cows anually; the lowest indexing.

Indexing the cows makes sure that every bull in our pen comes from a cow who is earning her spot at the feed bunk. The bulls you see are raised from cows in the top percentages. We cut well over half of our bull calves every fall. The culled group of steers are then castrated and backgrounded.

Using the indexing to cull in this way does put a strain on our herd; short term. It is a long-term gain achieved by sacrificing individuals now, to grow the group as a higher quality unit. The purebreds are competing against commercial cattle with a significant amount of hybrid vigor in their lineage. As a result, these cows are the most critically affected.

Our purebred cows are being run entirely alongside our commercial herd. The indexing will rank purebred replacement heifer high enough if the commercial replacements out-perform her; and they are outnumbered 3 to 1.

Of course; we agree that using our eyes is important in selections. But we don’t rely on them, or allow eyes alone to pick favorites.

With use of the numbers and reports, our favorite cows are now the ones that we trust are earning us a living. Who are paying for our farm. It is too easy to fall into a habit of carrying the cowherd. We need cows that can carry us.

We run 180 purebred females alongside 400 commercials. Essentially, 3 herds are run as a unit. There are no exceptions or second chances; regardless of the season. They winter, graze, and calve together. The purebred cows have to compete against the commercials in every aspect. This includes feeding, and on paper. The cattle are pushed to work hard, and there is no special treatment. All replacement selection is based on the whole herd comparisions. All culling is done the same.

-Ranked in 94% percentile for both weaning weight and weight gain per day of life

-We are currently running 3 replacements from his dam in our herd

-Dam indexed in the top 35 cows overall in fall of 2022

-Young dam, 2 of her first 3 calves have made the bull pen

-Currently running a maternal brother to the dam within our herd.

-Ranked in the 99% percentile for weaning weight

-Ranked in the 98% percentile for weight gain per day of age.

-Currently running 4 daughters, and 1 son in our herd.

-Dam is ranked Gold

-Dam indexed in the top 35 cows overall in fall 2022

-Ranked #1 in the entire herd for weaning weight in 2021

-Ranked #1 for weight gain per day of life.

-Moderate Birthweight

-Silver Ranked Dam, with 2 working daughters in the herd.

-Dam Indexed in the top 35 cows overall in fall 2022

-Currently running 2 maternal brothers in our herd, both featured on page 6

-Currently running 4 maternal sisters in the herd.

CoWs the index in the top 35 this is a comparitive number in the entire herd. meaning they ranked in the top 35 out of 580 breeding females. this puts them in the top of the entire herd.

-Ranked in the 87% percentile for weaning weight.

-Currently running 4 maternal sisters in the herd.

-Dam ranked Gold

-Dam Indexed in the top 35 cows overalll in fall of 2022

-Ranked in the 93% percentile for weaning weight

-Ranked in the 84% percentile for weight gain per day of life

-Running 4 maternal sisters in the herd.

-Dam ranked Gold have a look at his dam this cow is an easy ‘ yes’. she is big, broody, and everything we need in a cow to be a standout in the herd.

-Dam is the only Elite dam in the bull pen. Elite is the highest rank in the herd, only 2 cows out of 580 are ranked elite.

-Currently running 9 maternal sisters in the herd.

-Ranked in the 91% percentile for weaning weight

-Dam indexed in the top 35 overall cows in fall of 2022

-Moderate birthweight**

-One of the heavier weighing bulls in the offering

-Ranked in the 91% percentile for weaning weight in 2021

-Dam is ranked Gold

-Dam indexed within the top 35 cows overall in fall of 2022

-Moderate Birthweight

-Dam indexed in the top 35 cows overall in fall 2022 feet, legs, and leg struC ture we don’t mention feet and legs much throughout the catalog; as it has been addressed long before this point. we stand behind the feet and soundness of our bull pen. we don’t trim feet, and we don’t have time for cattle that require extra maintenance.

-Moderate Birthweight

-Maternal Granddam is one of only two cows in the herd ranked Elite, and is still working today. She indexed in the top 35 cows overall in fall 2022