Steel Force vs. SAND Ranch Hand

[ggjs]

Looking to use some Simmental genetics to flush an Angus cow to start trying to infiltrate some new Sim x Angus females to supplement our predominantly Angus and club calf herd.  These two bulls come to mind as far as phenotype, low bw, and proven bulls with some maternal traits.  Any comparisons between the two?  Other suggestions?  Absolutely no Meyer 734!  Thanks in advance.

 

[advocate]

Steel force the ranchhands I've seen were pretty ugly and didn't grow well

 

[chambero]

I agree on Steel Force, although I haven't used him myself.  I have seen him in person as a mature bull and he is a great looking bull.

In regards to Ranchhand, I think he is one of those "love him or hate him" bulls.  The feedlot we sell him to promotes the use of him like crazy and sells literally hundreds of his sons.  We have one son (half blood) whose first calf crop looks and is doing just fine.  We use him back on our our low% Maine/Chi cows.

 

[GLZ]

Of those two Steel Force, but you could also use any of the other countless Dream On sons have pretty similar luck.  (Built Right, In Dew Time, Entourage, Pays to Dream, etc.)

I have seen some really nice half bloods out of Grandmaster as well.

I agree with Chambero on Ranch Hand you either love him or hate him.  I tend to be on the hate him team.

 

[ADG]

Ranch hand is definitely a "rangier" type simmental.  All of ours are long legged and have more leather up front than I like.  Excellent feedlot calves, great performance and good sized eyes.  I would stray if you were going towards the clubby side of things.

 

[husker1]

Steel Force is my pick. However, I agree with GLZ.  Pick any of the top notch baldy bulls on the market, and they will do everything that SF does, but at less cost to you.  Especially the Dream On sons. 

 

[WRS]

I somewhat agree with GLZ and husker1, but I can't think of another Dream On son that adds more power than Steel Force.  Alternatively, if you're not looking to moderate the frame on the cow, other Dream On sons may work better.  I've seen Steel Force work on a lot of different kind of cows, but all resulting calves were super moderate, some would say too small framed.  If that's what your looking for, the $250/unit cost per unit is justifiable on a flush.  By the way, we have been successfully using 1 straw per flush on the Steel Force semen and getting along great, so cost becomes even less of an issue.

 

[blkbldy75]

burns bull x339u            nlc superior           

 

[Bulldaddy]

I like the Mo Better X Angus females.  Many will be baldies and they make great cows.  You can get female sexed semen from Genex on this bull for half the cost of Steel Force.  No Meyer 734 either.

 

[beefy08]

Trademark, Dream Catcher, and In Dew Time are three bulls I can think of that are low bw and throw the phenotype I think you are looking for.

 

[CFC]

Neither! There are so many better options.  Dream Catcher, Foreman, would top my list.  The Foreman bull is absolutely awesome.

 

[HeiferShower14]

Steel force all the way! I have two show heifers and there awesome. Also ive seen plenty of Steel forces calves and about all are kick a**

 

[Freddy]

The people I have talked to are not happy with disposition on Rancher ,I used him a little and had no problems but I know there is a group associated with ABS that quit using him.....

 

[rjdunkle]

I don't know anything about Steel Force, but I have a Ranch Hand daughter out of a 1600# cow.  Her growth is terrible and she has a frame score of about 3 or 4.  We are dinged at every show because she appears "too early maturing". 

 

[CAB]

Neither! There are so many better options.  Dream Catcher, Foreman, would top my list.  The Foreman bull is absolutely awesome.

Have you used The Foreman bull? I like his son, Wide Open quite a bit better. It's too early to really tell about Excaliber yet. I have seen some of them that look like they have potential. There was only one bull out of 57 sired by The Foreman on Ruby's sale last weekend and another one that was out of a Foreman sired dam. They own the bull.

 

[cattlemen51]

MR SB STEEL CURTAIN 314A Seen him in person damn good bull

 

[ploughshare]

From what I have seen Ranch Hand will suck the guts out of even the biggest belly dragger.

 

[Davidsonranch]

Our Angus and Angus/Herf cows crossed with Grandmaster and Upgrade have produced some of the prettiest most correct females to ever come off our ranch.