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Post by chuckie on Jan 27, 2022 14:24:21 GMT -6
OK, the forum seems not to be about cows as I am not sure if everyone has sold out or what, but my Grandson wants to take over his Grandaddy's part of the cattle and I told him I would help him, and would see if there is any information to be pulled out of this once lively group of cattle men and women.
We have got to sort through the cows that are in the pasture and weed out the older ones and keep the best heifers. We need to bring in a new bull too, and really concerned about how the hips were getting so bad in Angus before. It seems impossible for it not to show up in the herd. I can pick out a really smooth walking bull and cow, and the calf can walk like it is playing "Twister." Not very often it happens that badly, but when you plan on keeping breeding stock, and your best calves sling a leg like they are kicking at a bucket to the side, you have to start figuring out where is that coming from.
Are any of you crossing your Angus with other breeds and getting a really good successful result? Right now, if it isn't black, that is still the rule. A white cow is docked highly, Brahman, spotted, and Herefords just don't make it to the top.
Anyone want to share what is working for you and your crosses?
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Post by bulltrader on Jan 27, 2022 22:19:28 GMT -6
I'm using Simangus, 3 bulls and some cows. So far much happier than with the Angus
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Post by the illustrious potentate on Jan 29, 2022 3:12:43 GMT -6
Some of the best we raised were Maine Anjou Angus crosses Chuckie. But finding good Maine bulls now is about impossible. Everything is pretty much show ring genetics.
I do have some straws of non-showring shorthorn that are predominantly old Maine genetics I'm going to have to use up some time soon. There's potential here to take a ding with the mottled appearance like you say, but seemed the few blue roans always sold right in with the rest. But they we're pretty fancy. Buyers seemed to like them. With keeping some, I don't recall much if any coloring in the next generation (1/8th) using black bulls.
I like some of the simmental crosses. Like any breed, there's probably as much variation in them as between them. Had some hard doing cows that just didn't last here. But some of the fleshier ones make a real nice cross. Lot of solid colored cattle to choose from. Blaze faces sell pretty good here.
I think there's some good stuff going on in limousine as well. I really like some of the limflex cattle. Solid colored cattle. Known for efficiency. If we ever get away from just hide color, I think they've got a lot of data already going for them.
I don't know if it's still accurate, used to be 1/4 to 1/8th continental was considered about perfect for feeder calf.
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Post by okie on Jan 29, 2022 17:33:19 GMT -6
A good limo will fix it. You want one with two copies of muscle.
I really like the look of some of the sim genetics, as well but my experiences with them have not been good. It seems like they like to be pampered a litle more than I was willing to pamper them.
As TIP said, shorties are a good option. You get some heterosis going back on a black cow without changing things too drastic. They don't have the yield problems that angus tends to have but still marble really well.
If you did something like shortie/angus with high percentage lim or sim bull you'd be pretty well set.
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Post by the illustrious potentate on Jan 31, 2022 23:35:57 GMT -6
A good limo will fix it. You want one with two copies of muscle. I really like the look of some of the sim genetics, as well but my experiences with them have not been good. It seems like they like to be pampered a litle more than I was willing to pamper them. As TIP said, shorties are a good option. You get some heterosis going back on a black cow without changing things too drastic. They don't have the yield problems that angus tends to have but still marble really well. If you did something like shortie/angus with high percentage lim or sim bull you'd be pretty well set. You got any names of some black and some red limi bulls that have semen available you like? |
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Post by Allenw on Feb 1, 2022 9:21:58 GMT -6
I would keep any of the older cows that are still holding condition and bred, especially if they got old by doing their job and not getting culled.
If keeping heifers you want a bull that will make cows that can live on your forage and environmental conditions without a lot of extra feed. Any bull referred to as a curve bender I would stay away from.
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Post by chuckie on Feb 1, 2022 21:37:05 GMT -6
I am going to have to get used to looking at the prices they are showing for these animals. Some are private treaty. They are expensive. Still so many more to look at from other farms. Saw some for $4,000 range and some for $17,000. I think the $17,000 bull must have had an extra nut or two and you could add a few more cows to the line up. That would be nice, but we don't have that many cows. Like what Allenw said, we have some older cows that hold their condition well and have good babies. We will hold those. We will just have to go through the herd and take our time and pick and choose.
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Post by Allenw on Feb 2, 2022 11:05:24 GMT -6
Take a bit of time to get to know them. Time spent with your livestock is time well spent.
I have a small handfull of cows decended from my dad's herd so I understand your grandson wanting to keep some of his granddad's cattle.
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Post by chuckie on Feb 2, 2022 20:49:44 GMT -6
We have several cows here that are from a great group of cows that reproduce their own family. Very full bodied and wide hips. They are cows that I would bring home again from the sale, and I continue to retain the heifers they raise. I just have to bring in a bull as good as the cows, and that is where I run into trouble. The sales are getting further and further away.
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