Club Calf Cows

[Lazy G]

Hey everyone, I'm fairly new to the club calf industry, but I was just curious as to what cows produce the best clubies? Would a Hereford/shorthorn cross, or Angus/Hereford cross, or is it an Angus/Simmental cross that  makes a good club calf cow?  Thoughts, opinions and past experiences would be greatly appreciated.

 

[showsteerdlux]

I tend to be a believer in the Simmental/Angus cross. Seems most of the top sellers each year are out of that cross and also they make really good recips for say a purebred herd. The shorthorn/angus can also work but it can also be harder to find the right bull to click with them and come out with a good calf.

 

[kanshow]

Sim/Angus would be my choice too.   They are usually large enough framed to put any kind of embryo in and they'll milk like crazy.  

 

[xxcc]

not to be a wizenheimer, but usually, clubby cows raise the best clubby calves.  from the outside, it appears to me that some sort of chi-maine-angus-shorty-hereford-simmy-char mongrel tends to parent the surprisingly common "hottest animal of the year."  to me, this is like owning a 1970 Chevelle 454 SS or 1970 GTO Judge or 1970 Super Cobra Jet Mustang...they could be practical, but what's the point, throw a wheel barrow full of money at them and everyone who doesn't have onewill go "ooooh, ahhhh, I want one of those!"

myself, I think the best clubby moms are ones that are Maine-Angus. usually Maine on top.

 

[OH Breeder]

Personally, I think anyone of those crosses can work with the right bull. It is a matter of trial and error. I am not sure there is just one cross today for the "club" market.

 

[bcosu]

i can think of some pretty good steer calves that were half bloods or close.
martins heatwave
vicklands heatwave
both heatwave bred to big cowy maternal females simmi and char respectively

i think the key thing is power and that varies from breed to breed but when a powerful cow no matter what breed is bred to a powerful bull then you will have a chance at a pretty good calf.

 

[Stihlpro]

I've had best luck with any of the Angus crosses. Haven't found a consistant bull yet.  Have bred the same cow to the same clubby bull 3 years in row 3 totally different calves....... 2 good one bad.

 

[shortyjock89]

I've had best luck with any of the Angus crosses. Haven't found a consistant bull yet.   Have bred the same cow to the same clubby bull 3 years in row 3 totally different calves....... 2 good one bad.

Most of our calves are what can be called "clubby"...and they're all registerable one way or another.  I don't see how anyone can expect consistancy out of a 3 way cross cow mated to a crossed up bull.  I think that the best calves are the 3 way crosses or halfbloods.  I would then take the 3 way cross heifer and breed her back to a maternal bull...end up with something that can go either breeding or clubby.  Maybe that's not the best way, but we've done pretty good with it.

 

[shortyjock89]

Oh, and my favorite clubby cows are Shorthorns, Shorthorn x Maine, Chimaine, Chiangus, and Maines.  OUR personal best clubby(non purebred) cows are Shorthorn x Maine x Chi.

 

[Stihlpro]

I don't think I implied that any of the cows were ever 3 way crosses.  I mention angus cross (half blood?).......some clubby bulls  as the one in this case are over 5/8 Maine (which would make it basically a 3 way cross).  Sorry for not being specific enough.

I've had best luck with any of the Angus crosses. Haven't found a consistant bull yet.   Have bred the same cow to the same clubby bull 3 years in row 3 totally different calves....... 2 good one bad.

Most of our calves are what can be called "clubby"...and they're all registerable one way or another.  I don't see how anyone can expect consistancy out of a 3 way cross cow mated to a crossed up bull.  I think that the best calves are the 3 way crosses or halfbloods.  I would then take the 3 way cross heifer and breed her back to a maternal bull...end up with something that can go either breeding or clubby.  Maybe that's not the best way, but we've done pretty good with it.

 

[shortyjock89]

Hey, I'm sorry...I didn't mean to imply any of that.  I'm just saying that the further you get away from purebred, the less consistant the calves are going to be.  Just for an example though...Chiangus is an example of an Angus X...and the calf could be 1/2 Angus, 1/4 Chi, and the rest made up of Simm or Maine or anything...so that would be a 3 (or more) way cross. 

I certainly didn't mean to offend you..my post was more directed at the use of clubby bulls on composite cows, which is how a lot of small time "breeders" around here do it and have very mixed results.

 

[Stihlpro]

Hey, I'm sorry...I didn't mean to imply any of that.  I'm just saying that the further you get away from purebred, the less consistant the calves are going to be.  Just for an example though...Chiangus is an example of an Angus X...and the calf could be 1/2 Angus, 1/4 Chi, and the rest made up of Simm or Maine or anything...so that would be a 3 (or more) way cross. 

I certainly didn't mean to offend you..my post was more directed at the use of clubby bulls on composite cows, which is how a lot of small time "breeders" around here do it and have very mixed results.

Sorry also......... My reply should have said, I agree with you.  The more genetics (variables) you throw into the mix, the more genetic variations you can expect.  I couldn't agree with you more.  I guess that's why the 3 way cross bulls are more often than not a "crap shoot".