bull pic to rip apart

[blackdiamond]

I guess different strokes and all that, but I see more problems with animals being pushed to reproduce earlier than life than I do with animals that are allowed to mature a bit. Is it worth it to have your heifers calve at 20 months if you can't get them to milk enough or breed back in a timely fashion?

I think it's the direction of the intended breeding program...

First calf heifer-- just weaned her first calf just over a month ago.  I'd say BCS is acceptable- and even though I haven't preg checked yet-- I haven't seen her in heat but once. 

 

[shortyjock89]

With your admittedly poor heat checking protocol.

 

[blackdiamond]

With your admittedly poor heat checking protocol.

That's what bulls are for... 

Confidence in your own genetics...

I'm not the only one who believes in bulls-- if I have to pay for them- may as well use them.

 

[knabe]

what ever you saw in sweet pea isn't your bull.  personally, your bull should be a clean up bull, not the whole herd breeding bull.  for that, he needs to be better.

i would find a producer who feeds like you and buy a bull from them.  maybe pay double.  forget about the hair, you can always add that with a TH bull.

 

[Doc]

See to me that heifer looks like one that she be about ready to breed, not one that just weaned a calf a month ago.
As far as AIing aids go, try using some tail glue with the patches. I personally use groung marking paint from Walmart. It works fine.

 

[frostback]

Do you calve year round> Sounds like you dont have much of a program except leave bulls out and wean calves at 3 months. If you did some management you could plan for some AIing with syncing and such.

 

[shortyjock89]

With your admittedly poor heat checking protocol.

That's what bulls are for... 

Confidence in your own genetics...

I'm not the only one who believes in bulls-- if I have to pay for them- may as well use them.

I've got great confidence in my own genetics.  I'd go so far as to say that I'd rather use my bull (read:herd sire) than all but just a very select few Shorthorn bulls out there.  We have all but stopped with AI'ing our cows.  This year we are putting in embryos exclusively from our own cows for the first time ever. Anything that doesn't settle an embryo the first time gets bred by the bull.  Odds are, the resulting calves will at least be a very superior feeder calf.

In regards to your program pushing for early-maturing cattle with growth and skeletal width, good luck. Genetics are not on your side on that deal.  Cull your bull calves harder, buy a bull from Kaper, Sneeds, or Lovings.

 

[blackdiamond]

With your admittedly poor heat checking protocol.

That's what bulls are for... 

Confidence in your own genetics...

I'm not the only one who believes in bulls-- if I have to pay for them- may as well use them.

I've got great confidence in my own genetics.  I'd go so far as to say that I'd rather use my bull (read:herd sire) than all but just a very select few Shorthorn bulls out there.  We have all but stopped with AI'ing our cows.  This year we are putting in embryos exclusively from our own cows for the first time ever. Anything that doesn't settle an embryo the first time gets bred by the bull.  Odds are, the resulting calves will at least be a very superior feeder calf.

In regards to your program pushing for early-maturing cattle with growth and skeletal width, good luck. Genetics are not on your side on that deal.  Cull your bull calves harder, buy a bull from Kaper, Sneeds, or Lovings.

I'll stick to Redline and the Maines=no offense to those three programs, but not my cup of tea, I don't mind the birthweight- and want more hip shape.  Red bores me, matter of fact, every solid red on the place is getting bred to redline- then those heifers to the Ali bull-- and eventually working them up to purebred Red Maine status. 

 

[Doc]

With your admittedly poor heat checking protocol.

That's what bulls are for... 

Confidence in your own genetics...

I'm not the only one who believes in bulls-- if I have to pay for them- may as well use them.

I've got great confidence in my own genetics.  I'd go so far as to say that I'd rather use my bull (read:herd sire) than all but just a very select few Shorthorn bulls out there.  We have all but stopped with AI'ing our cows.  This year we are putting in embryos exclusively from our own cows for the first time ever. Anything that doesn't settle an embryo the first time gets bred by the bull.  Odds are, the resulting calves will at least be a very superior feeder calf.

In regards to your program pushing for early-maturing cattle with growth and skeletal width, good luck. Genetics are not on your side on that deal.  Cull your bull calves harder, buy a bull from Kaper, Sneeds, or Lovings.

I'll stick to Redline and the Maines=no offense to those three programs, but not my cup of tea, I don't mind the birthweight- and want more hip shape.  Red bores me, matter of fact, every solid red on the place is getting bred to redline- then those heifers to the Ali bull-- and eventually working them up to purebred Red Maine status. 

Red bores you , but you are breeding your red cows to Redline? Isn't he the kinda solid red bull that you have?

 

[shortyjock89]

Red bores you, so you plan on breeding them to make them red. Again.  

 

[blackdiamond]

yup, if I'm going to be bored, may as well be bored in another breed. 

 

[shortyjock89]

So you hate red Shorthorns so much that you'd rather breed red Maines? But you're a Shorthorn breeder. Kind of.

 

[blackdiamond]

Do you calve year round> Sounds like you dont have much of a program except leave bulls out and wean calves at 3 months. If you did some management you could plan for some AIing with syncing and such.

No, just Aug and Sept...  have a few stragglers worked into spring breeding-- less than 10 percent of the herd. 

 

[frostback]

Dont know what gestation table your using but your bull is out for Oct and Nov calves.

 

[Doc]

yup, if I'm going to be bored, may as well be bored in another breed. 

If red is so boring, then why are going to quit raising cattle that have so many color variations. Not that I'm complaining. Now you are going to raise cattle that are black or red.

 

[blackdiamond]

Dont know what gestation table your using but your bull is out for Oct and Nov calves.

Now, but he's been there for 2 months, so theatrically-- they should all be bred.

In case you cared- we just moved into a new house- that was top priority-- breeding the heifers was not.  they got pushed back..  hence, why I decided to turn in a 10 month old bull calf to breed them.  

I started in my new office the end of Oct. I stayed in a hotel for a month.  CLosed on the new house week before thanksgiving- built fence that week.  started hauling animals t'giving day= been on the road every weekend until today.  finally all the animals are here- mostly I guess...  

other things been going on, and as I said above- I've had plenty on my plate.

 

[Doc]

If conditions required you to turn in a 10 month old calf, then why didn't you try to help him some? I would have given him some grain to try to help him settle some hfrs, instead of bragging about how tough he had it and hoping that he got everything bred.

 

[frostback]

He turned 12 months in Jan


So is a Jan calf a spring or outlier. I dont think you are keeping your BS straight.
On your reg #s you posted earlier also you have another Jan and then a May. Sure thats not all year.

 

[Quick fire]

In regards to the original bull, I wouldn't want him near any of my cows. Don't really like much about him, doesn't even have bull characteristics. That's not even a crest.....yes I am aware of his age. What your doing isn't a "breeding program" it's just throwing the bulls with cows. I am not sure anyone is clear with your direction, if you are. And you have talked about what you do so much we should all know it like the back of our hands but I am still confused, especially with this "red is boring" thing now, you have posted your solid red bull on here more times then I have ever been on this site I think....

 

[Quick fire]

Have your animals ever had a good couple months? Seems like they are always at some disadvantage you are talking about.