finished fall calving

had our first calf crop using a purebred angus on the purebred shorthorn cows...went great! 100% live calf crop first time! the only bad part is...I don't know if ill ever get the hubs talked back into using a shorthorn bull again...he's sold!  so...I need some suggestions on the angus side, because we know nothing about them...I like the bull we used, using him again this year, he has net worth top and bottom...but will be keeping a few daughters out of this crop and the next... I would like to find maybe a more "showy" angus but keep the calving ease...any suggestions???

more pics

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If you AI-DMCC Bodybuilder sired bu OCC Anchor is one of the thickest easiest calving black bulls there is-for quality calves-one of his sons Bouncer-is the lowest BW bull in the maine breed: I have semen. The Angus I like the looks of the most are the Canadian bulls-like Soo Line Thor-dont know about the calving ease tho.Also DEB Juneau is cool JMO O0

Those are some great looking calves!! When selecting you next bull I would really be sure you use a high docility bull. Net worth is one of the worst Bulls in the angus breed for docility and they can be extremely wild. We have been using hf tiger 5t here he's a showy heifer bull with great prefomance.

Nice group of calves LJ! The bull calves show some very masculine traits and are really nice. I like your heifers too, how can you not like a blue roan. Wish I knew more about the angus folks. Goodluck on that front. Enough of them on here you should get some great feedback.

mark tenenbaum said:

If you AI-DMCC Bodybuilder sired bu OCC Anchor is one of the thickest easiest calving black bulls there is-for quality calves-one of his sons Bouncer-is the lowest BW bull in the maine breed: I have semen. The Angus I like the looks of the most are the Canadian bulls-like Soo Line Thor-dont know about the calving ease tho.Also DEB Juneau is cool JMO O0

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Really like the occ stuff...have an occ legend x shorthorn, only black cow right now, and she does it all! I'll check those out, thanks!

Very nice calves and congrats on a very successful calving season! It's amazing what getting away from high bw and show genetics can do for live calves. I think you could find something fairly easily in the Angus breed to AI to that could give you both. Even though I say that and had a bad experience with a Black Angus bull on my Shorthorns. We are using a stabilizer bull from Leachman's named Leachman Testify. We will be calving out heifers soon but he might be something you could look into for performance and eye appeal.

kiblercattle said:

Those are some great looking calves!! When selecting you next bull I would really be sure you use a high docility bull. Net worth is one of the worst Bulls in the angus breed for docility and they can be extremely wild. We have been using hf tiger 5t here he's a showy heifer bull with great prefomance.

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I didn't know that about net worth, but it explains a lot! Lol when these calves hit the ground, they were wilder than bucks! They would take off if you got within eye site of some of them. They have calmed down a bit, you can at least get within a few feet of them.  So halter breaking should be exciting this year? Lol

Kiblercattle beat me to the punch on the disposition deal - NW is well-noted for siring less-than-desirable disposition - and your bull has him on top & bottom?!?
Can't help you at all on the 'show' deal, but you should be able to find an AN sire that'll accomplish that AND bring some docility back to the equation.

Have been real pleased with the daughters of B/R Destination 727-928 here (out of ANxSimAngus cows); nice solid cows with good disposition - may not be showy, but should be bringing good marbling/ribeye/tenderness to the table.  Looking forward to seeing what their SH-sired calves look like; should have some hitting the ground in a month or so...

BEB Juneau is decent on calving ease
Satchmo throws some really nice calves
Hobart
HF Tiger
Prowler
Or just about any OCC Bull

These are just a few
Nice lookin bunch of calves!

If you don't know much on the angus deal when selecting our ai bull imo you should select a bull with double digit docility epd. I am not a big epd guy but this one works for sure. You could also consider sav Bismarck he's a pretty good heifer bull and his calves show well. But they can be pretty shallow heeled. like i said above I really like hf tiger 5t big bodied cattle with good feet one of the few imo that work well in the commercial and show sectors.

guess its a good thing my whole herd is halter broke!  ;D  thanks for all the suggestions!  when we bought this bull, I walked out in the field, looked them over and said I want this one, let me see his dam, show me a pic of his sire, and then lastly checked his epd's...I guess I didn't put much thought into the pedigree not knowing much about angus nowadays, and epds being he was only 18 months old and no calves yet?? ...I will be sure to check out the doc number next time...although the bull himself is not that bad...he can be a little snorty when confined, but seems ok out in the field...I just usually keep my distance, he is the first bull we've had that wasn't halter broke or hadn't been shown...

LJ

Showy angus on our heifers we have used that worked well- remember not an angus guy

Northern Improvement- Very Very nice head neck. Great haired and length of body. Females have made wonderful mothers and seem to pass the low birthweight high growth rate we have experienced. I saved a small stash of him for certain heifers.
SS Traveler T510 8607- Used him for great birthweights and growth rates. Calves turned abotu better than expected. The females were very brooder but shorter necked and more moderate. Milked great and were good mothers. Steers gained well and performed for fat steers to be shown. Use him on cows with hair the calves had hair.

OCC Legend- Classic bull for use. Soft made deep bodied easy fleshing. NOt quiet as showy but made nice replacements.

Limestone Jupiter- I talked to the breeders- they said he tended to follow the females on birthweight. If you were calving fall no prob on birthweights, early winter. But some folks that calved spring had little more weight. The calf we had out of him was super showy but so was his mother. He grew like a weed. Very little hair but was a gainer and one of our top weaned calves coming off the cow. 

I have found interest in the Soo Line herd too and the bull Red Ter-Ron Fully Loaded 540R Red Angus bull I think would be awesome on shorthorn females. . Want to try some of Ter-Ron.

I'm glad top hear you are happy with your calves.  I've used plenty of Net Worth so if you have any questions, let me know.  FYI he's not really a "calving ease" bull but we didn't have any trouble with him.  If you like your Net Worth calves, I'd be careful using a "calving ease" angus bull.  The calves you get may be much smaller than you are looking for.  Probably aim for a BW EPD in the 2.0-2.5 range.  OCC genetics are great but in general they are smaller framed cattle.  They would be significantly smaller than your Net Worth calves.  HF Tiger is a great suggestion, as well as Soo Line Motive.  Both are sons of HF Kodiak who is known for female making, performance, and short gestation/calving ease.  Those blood lines have dominated the commercial bull sales and the show ring in Canada for a few years.  If you want to stick with SAV, Angus Valley should fit the bill and I plan to use him this spring.

SAV PIONEER

-XBAR- said:

SAV PIONEER

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Yes Pioneer would be a solid choice.  Lots of growth and good calving ease.  Would cross really well on shorthorn.

Thanks for all the suggestions! going to be weaning soon, when this weather breaks...excited too see how they do!