Selecting AI Sires -- a search for recommendations

[ivychurch]

There is always a lot of information to go through when trying to choose the right one, and since I am newer to the club calf bulls I am going to ask for recommendations. I am looking to produce club calf momma's over the next few years in hopes of being able to produce above average calves for my nieces to show in a couple years when they are old enough.  Our commercial cow base is heavy Limousin, with some younger Limousin/Angus, Limousin/Shorthorn, Limousin/Red Angus cows in the mix as well.  Our cattle are good and functional and we have always focused on calving ease. While going out an buying some heifers would be a good idea, finances determine that raising heifers is better for us. 

With the end goal of producing cows that will have great calves when bred to club calf bulls in the future:

What sires would you use to sire these cows?

 

[Woodland Farms Show Cattl]

Carpe diem, hes dead tho might be hard to get semen
whitch doctor is also known to be cow maker as well as meyer 734

 

[frostback]

If you are trying to build a cow base you should not be looking at Clubby bulls yet. You need to get a good sound base of F1 females, then when you are ready for the steers go to the clubbies. If you start retaining clubby sire females now you will not have a base for predictable product. You will lose some milk, and maybe structure, and limit your sires to use on your cows without linebreeding.  Look into purebreds or half blood F1s themselves but I would stay away from getting a herd of 3 way cross females.

 

[countyagent]

I-80, who made who, irish whiskey, meyer 734, chopper, or lifeline...ive seen cows out of these bulls be productive females.  However, if youre going to utilize an ET program you dont really need to worry about milking/maternal potential of those females which opens the door to anything

 

[cdncowboy]

I know its not the hot new, sexy pick but I've had luck with All About You on Limi and Limi/Angus females.  They've made some good steers and IMO really good females.  The draw back there is the THC factor.  Simple Math is a bull I think would be interesting on Limi influence cows.  I'd shy away from the Simmi deal with your cow base.  Some of the more clubbier type Angus bulls would be my thinking if you want to stay away from to much clubby influence from in your cows.

 

[ROMAX]

I would go back to basics and try WHO MADE WHO,they definately will not all be keepers but u should end up with at least a couple of good replacements.Also would look at using some purebred maine bulls to up the hybrid vigor and mor balanced crossbreds

 

[savaged]

I've been experimenting with this P.B. Limi cow for about 5 - 6 years now.  I also had a predominantly Limousin cow base, but have just this this one Limi left, and she is a really good cow.

I have bred her Angus (Duff New Edition twice, Plainview Lutton),  shorthorn (Capiche), and now composite (Dr. Who) in an effort to frame her down and give her more bone and hair.  Her calves, like the pictured Dr. Who from this past February, have all been high quality calves.  But, so far I just can not get what I consider to be the calf I want in terms of stature, bone, and hair.  They all tend to be taller and coarse haired, but come easy, grow like weeds, and have great soundness.    In short, they are money making and very, very good commercial cattle.

I am going to give her one more shot just because I raised her and have had her for eleven years now.  I am going to breed her to Monopoly Money, in hopes of retaining the good qualities mentioned, keep a shot of Angus in there, and hope for better hair and smaller frame.  

My advice after all that is to invest in at least a couple good SimiAngus or Maine based cows (buy bred heifers or young cows) while you try to figure out the Limi connection.  Good Luck!

Update:  You know, after reading my own post,  I sure could use another dozen cows like this one - she always breeds the first A.I., calves easy, is a good mama, beautiful udder, and raises great calves - her only downside is a temperament on the flighty side  ;D  I think the lesson to learn is:  Raise some clubbies, but keep some fundamental balance in your herd!

 

[Boot Jack Bulls]

We usually stick to purebred limis or lim-flex, but every once in a while we have to try a clubby on one of our lower percentage females. We have used Alias, Rocky Balboa and Ground Zero with limited success. I would call the results hit and miss. Our best luck has been with Premium Blend. He is a PB Maine and double clean (we avoid using any dirty genetics if possible). We have an awesome yearling heifer out of a limi x simm cow and a yearling bull out of my sisters char cow. The heifer has a ton of style and looks like she will compete really well as a maintainer. The bull is going to be used by a commercial producer for feeder steers. We haven't had any steers as our primary focus is producing bulls and show heifer replacements. Hope this helps!

 

[CAB]

There are many, many great clubby bulls to breed to down the road. The 2 things that I would recommend are keep your cow herd clean so that you will have a broader choice of terminal sires to choose from once you get your steer makers & the other thing would be to not use a bull to make your females that is a mongrel mess. That way your cows will still have some hybred vigor to hopefully pass along and again it leaves your chopices more open when you get to where you want to go for those steers.

 

[HAB]

I've been experimenting with this P.B. Limi cow for about 5 - 6 years now.  I also had a predominantly Limousin cow base, but have just this this one Limi left, and she is a really good cow.

I have bred her Angus (Duff New Edition twice, Plainview Lutton),  shorthorn (Capiche), and now composite (Dr. Who) in an effort to frame her down and give her more bone and hair.  Her calves, like the pictured Dr. Who from this past February, have all been high quality calves.  But, so far I just can not get what I consider to be the calf I want in terms of stature, bone, and hair.  They all tend to be taller and coarse haired, but come easy, grow like weeds, and have great soundness.    In short, they are money making and very, very good commercial cattle.

I am going to give her one more shot just because I raised her and have had her for eleven years now.  I am going to breed her to Monopoly Money, in hopes of retaining the good qualities mentioned, keep a shot of Angus in there, and hope for better hair and smaller frame.  

My advice after all that is to invest in at least a couple good SimiAngus or Maine based cows (buy bred heifers or young cows) while you try to figure out the Limi connection.  Good Luck!

Update:  You know, after reading my own post,  I sure could use another dozen cows like this one - she always breeds the first A.I., calves easy, is a good mama, beautiful udder, and raises great calves - her only downside is a temperament on the flighty side  ;D   I think the lesson to learn is:   Raise some clubbies, but keep some fundamental balance in your herd!

I have a bull that will do all those things for you, frame down, bone, hair, structural soundness, and his daughters make great cows.  The resulting calves will be true 1/2 bloods, and they will be clean of all genetic defects.

 

[OH Breeder]

The one thing I noticed with Limmi influenced club calves is the round muscling. If you can find a sire that will square them up a bit I think you will be on to something. I am by no means a resource but just in my limited travels this is what I have observed.
Thought......There are a few big Limmi donors at Sullivan Ranches in Texas I thought that they did really well. I guess I would be investigating what worked on there.
http://www.sullivanranch.net/DSUL/Limousin%20Donors.htm