Author Topic: Here's the bull  (Read 6331 times)

MrsKK

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Here's the bull
« on: November 12, 2009, 07:21:25 PM »
I decided to use a Red Angus bull this time, as I really liked our neighbor's RA bull and the calves he produced. Unfortunately, he got rowdy this summer, so they decided to put him down and I was unable to use him as a sire for Buttercup.

Here's a link to the bull I chose, New Deal: http://www.accelgen.com/htm/sire_pages/014AR02031.html

I picked him because of calving ease, growthiness of calves, and because he passes on a milky tendancy to his daughters (just in case I get a heifer).

Any feedback from those who are in the know?

FarmerJd

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Re: Here's the bull
« Reply #1 on: November 12, 2009, 09:37:45 PM »
That is a nice looking bull. So are you "renting" him as a breeding bull or AI'ing your heifer or did you buy him? I am curious as to why you chose a beef type over a dairy type for your breeding. I do the same sometimes too but just wondered what your thinking was.

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Here's the bull
« Reply #2 on: November 13, 2009, 06:01:30 AM »
He sure is a proud looking bull.

MrsKK

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Re: Here's the bull
« Reply #3 on: November 13, 2009, 12:48:49 PM »
We use bull calves out of Buttercup (our cow) for meat purposes, so I'm looking for a calf that will grow faster and put on more beef.  Jerseys are sweet and we prefer their beef over all others and I'm hoping to find a sire combination that will compliment the Jersey side. 

We used AI, as we did for the calf we got this year.  The first year, we AI'd once, unsuccessfully, but we had a neighbor with a Jersey bull, so she went over there for a week when we were expecting her to be in heat.

So, keep your fingers crossed for me that the tech won't have to visit again in three weeks!

FarmerJd

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Re: Here's the bull
« Reply #4 on: November 13, 2009, 04:19:48 PM »
It has been very hard for me get an AI to work. Having to call somebody over to do it at just the right time is just hard to coordinate. I will say though, that having a beef/dairy cross is a very good combination for a family milking cow. I have had trouble over the years keeping the pure bred dairy cows healthy looking because they put so much nutrition in their milk; they leave nothing for themselves. All skin and bones no matter what I feed them and they are finicky eaters as well. But my hereford/guernsey cross eats everything, and stays fat, and gives almost as much milk as the jersey and Holstein. And her calves are 3/4 beef so they bring more when I sell them or butcher them. I said all that to make the point that the angus cross is a good idea to to me, especially if you are hoping for a heifer to keep for milking and raising more calves.

hplace

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Re: Here's the bull
« Reply #5 on: November 13, 2009, 09:32:40 PM »
FarmerJd, I'm glad to hear someone else has had difficulty keeping the purebred dairy cows healthy looking. My Jersey is, just as you say, a finicky eater and by the time it's time to dry her up she looks pretty ragged. I would be interested in trying a cross next time to see if she will keep the fat on a little better.

Lucky for me, I have a guy that will do AI living within 20 minutes of me and he is always willing to come out any time. My cow is hopefully pregnant with her 5th calf - brown swiss sire - and due the first part of July. I wonder if two purebred dairy cattle crossed would produce a more vigorous hybrid. The Brown Swiss are supposed to be very good for cheesemaking due to the ideal percentages of protein and fat in the milk.

If this calf in July is a heifer, I may consider keeping her. My dad is a long-time cattle rancher and used to keep a cow (way before my time) and told me the beef crosses make for a wild milk cow. I suppose a lot depends on which cow you use for the cross.

Anyway, I wouldn't be opposed to trying a hereford or angus cross next time as a replacement cow. Sounds like it is working well for you.

FarmerJd

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Re: Here's the bull
« Reply #6 on: November 13, 2009, 10:01:25 PM »
The brown swiss mix sounds great! I am a sucker for great dairy cows and am constantly scheming about my next great cow. The mix probably won't help much on the eating and staying healthy end because Brown Swiss are bred like Jerseys to put everything in the milk where beef cows are bred to eat and put on fat. I am not real familiar with all their characteristics though so I might be wrong. Your father was exactly right about most beef cows being ornery and making stubborn kickers instead of gentle milk cows. The trick is to find a very gentle bull and then raise the calf early on to respect you. If you bottle feed her ( not exclusively but enough to build her trust) and halter break her early, you can make a great milk cow out of her. Herefords are known for being gentle so this is probably why I got so lucky. Some angus are gentle too, but just like with people it probably depends on the individual cow. Each  one is different. :)

MrsKK

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Re: Here's the bull
« Reply #7 on: November 14, 2009, 01:45:38 PM »
My cow is 3/4 Jersey and 1/4 Holstein.  She does get a bit thin, but I honestly don't feed her or milk her for highest production.  I leave her calf with her until I'm not getting much milk, then start separating overnight.  Once the calf is starting to get rude (cutting teats or butting really hard) I figure it is time to wean them.

If I've got too much going on to want to be milking TAD every day, I buy a foster calf to put on her.  That system has worked really well for me, except that sharemilking results in her holding back the cream for the calf.  I'm willing to give up some of my portion of the cream for a built-in relief milker, though.

I have heard that purebred dairy calves can be hard to raise, and have to say that the calves we have gotten out of BC have been very vigorous and healthy.  They are on their feet and nursing in a very short time.  I'm pleased with what we have.

MrsKK

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Re: Here's the bull
« Reply #8 on: November 27, 2009, 12:49:41 PM »
He's not my bull, he's the one I used for AI.

According to the catalog, his mature weight is 2105 lbs.  Big boy!  365 day adjust weight is calculated at 1264 lbs, so we should get a nice fast growing calf out of this pairing.  If I really like it, I will continue to use him as long as they have semen available.

cath s

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Re: Here's the bull
« Reply #9 on: January 05, 2010, 11:43:04 PM »
just found this....
the 'proof' as such will be in the pudding...
If you like the offspring then all is good.
From a commercial dairy farming perspective, the proof of the bull has only 4 daughters, so I would be cautious about the accuracy of the figures.

Yes we go for 'dairyness' in our animals.. and they are the ones that will milk and milk and milk.  They need looking after and the best time for weight gain is close to the end of their lactation, while you are still milking them, their metabolism is higher to gain weight with.

I can understand that this can be a problem tho - they do lose alot of weight and if this is a problem then I would go for the older style Jersey.. bulls born in 1980's are good, they arent very dairy at all - well in NZ anyways.  And yes the semen for these bulls is still available.
Ayshire is a very good breed to hold condition..  They are voracious eaters and will eat anything, temperament can be a problem - if you let it.

good luck

judec

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Re: Here's the bull
« Reply #10 on: January 06, 2010, 02:51:06 AM »
We keep dairy cows because of the good milk production.  Have a couple of beefie girls and they just don't put out the milk that the jersy/ayrshire/freisian do.  But I spose if you want to eat them the beefies do better, don't seem to lose the weight like the others do.
We had an ayrshire that made the most fabulous cheese.  Could always taste hers so always seperated her out for a good cheese brew.

MrsKK

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Re: Here's the bull
« Reply #11 on: January 06, 2010, 02:51:46 PM »
I'm going to a beef sire so that the offspring will produce larger carcasses - I always hope for a bull calf, as we need beef, but aren't interested in more milk cows.  With our small property, one cow is plenty.

I'm still waiting for her to settle.  We've tried AI'ing twice, but her heats have been really quiet ever since she impacted her rumen in September.  I guess we will try synching with Lute this next time and if it doesn't take we will wait until June or July, as I don't want a dead-of-winter calf.

blackthorn

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Re: Here's the bull
« Reply #12 on: January 11, 2010, 01:25:30 AM »
Anyone having trouble keeping weight on their dairy cows may be interested in Normande dairy cows-they're duel purpose and tend to milk well and have beef. http://www.normandegenetics.com/
I'm personally getting some Montbeliarde cows http://www.ausredgenetics.com.au/pages/bulls/montbeliarde.php , apparently there really good for making cheese-as are Ayrshires :)
Vanessa