calving ease bulls

Thanks for clearing that up, Lana.

Gizmo's Image, and Gizmo's Blueprint are both calving-ease sons of Leader C087. Along with Wymore, and Titan. Or maybe a better term would be "Easier than average"!

ELBEE said:

Thanks for clearing that up, Lana.

Gizmo's Image, and Gizmo's Blueprint are both calving-ease sons of Leader C087. Along with Wymore, and Titan. Or maybe a better term would be "Easier than average"!

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My pleasure! "Easier than average" works for me - more accurate I think ;D

We have had good luck with hard core, only had a couple, but they all stuck 1st time.  The only down side with him is I don't think he is real consistant, my niece had a 120 pound c section out of him, but ours were all in the 80's.
After the year we have had I would say pelvic measure 1st then decide on the bull.

The longer I am in this game the more I am convinced that Angus is the way to breed heifers.  I have had Witchdoctors from 75 to 120 lbs, not consistent enough on heifers.  Ali calves generally come pretty easy, but like others I got pretty poor conception with it, although they were first service Cidr induced heats and I think that may have played a role.  i would not be afraid of Ali on Angus hfrs that carry low birth on their side, but I did have a 95#+ bull calf on Friday that was a really tuff pull on a sunseeker/iceman heifer.  Proven Angus bulls that I have used or bred include, Woodhill Mainline, Dr J Analyst, New Design 878, and BC Matrix.  From a proven calving ease, growth and maternal standpoint, 878 is really hard to punch a hole in.  The calves are not the biggest boned or stoutest muscled, but come easy and grow like weeds.  The females also make really nice functional cows.  For simmental I would reccomend Dream On or his son High Voltage.

I gave up on the "clubby" calving ease bulls about five years ago.  I breed heifers to Angus bulls, the resulting heifers make good cows.  I call it "de-clubbieng" the herd.  I haven't had one heifer out of a clubbie bull make much of a cow.  I've had two Hannibal heifers calve to BAR EXT, a Habanero to CRA Bextor, and a commercial Angus heifer have a Westwind Rito this year already and all were born during the night unassisted.  Went to the barn, and the calves are up and going.  I sleep much better now.  I'll hit them hard this spring.

I have used 9 straws of Ali and have got 9 pregnancies. My heat watch system is my 11yr and 13 yr old kids. I breed on natural heats 12-14 hours after heat detect. My cows always have proper minerals and supplements. I still believe you can't always fool mother nature with CIDR's ,etc. Steve

here's a possibility if you are open minded to using Angus http://www.diamonddangus.com/Semen%20Catalogs/DDA-SemenCat-01-30-2008.pdf

For a Maine, I liked the calving ease of DJ Caesar C328.  Other good Angus for me have been OCC Next Step, BAR Ext, Rito 6I6 and Basin Rainmaker 814Z.

At one time, I used K&K's Avalanche with out problems for two years, the third year was a wreck so I don't know what to tell you except that I agree with the "light live one better than the stoutest dead one" comment.

I will also tell you that the Maine half sibs to Witch Doctor, DJ Engineer and "J D" are definitely not heifer bulls.

Good Maines might be Cowboy Cut or Chilled Chivas.  I liked my Chivas calves.

muleman said:

I have used 9 straws of Ali and have got 9 pregnancies. My heat watch system is my 11yr and 13 yr old kids. I breed on natural heats 12-14 hours after heat detect. My cows always have proper minerals and supplements. I still believe you can't always fool mother nature with CIDR's ,etc. Steve

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That is too funny!!!  Awesome kids.. I have a 13yo nephue that I wouldn't trust to do heat checks for me...So tell your kids GOOD JOB!!!!  (clapping)

xxcc said:

I liked my Chivas calves.

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I hope you do! , he's an interesting bull, and not just for my reason.

I'd caution on Hard Core. Although the calf we had was resonable weight she had very good bone. A heifer might have trouble.

MLK32 just had 2 Ali calves 57 & 63 I believe.

Red

we really like our northern light calves. they seem to breed like their mommas so he will prolly work good on thick heifers. the biggest one we've had is 80#.