El Capitan

[Sparty-On]

Anyone have thoughts on this angus bull?  Looking to use him on a clubby cow to hopefully get a good replacement female.  Opinions on heifers would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.

 

[Cattledog]

Anyone have thoughts on this angus bull?  Looking to use him on a clubby cow to hopefully get a good replacement female.  Opinions on heifers would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.

 

[Cattledog]

Anyone have thoughts on this angus bull?  Looking to use him on a clubby cow to hopefully get a good replacement female.  Opinions on heifers would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.

Sorry for the empty reply.  I really liked this bull but he came back a carrier for hydro.  Everybody I talked to loved his calves!  I am a purebred angus breeder so he really doesn't fit in my program now.

 

[ploughshare]

He is a good bull and has sired some super calves, but I believe he is a hydro carrier.

 

[Sparty-On]

Maybe I am a little out of the loop, but I have never heard of "hydro"?  What is it?

 

[farmboy]

angus genetic defect, like th and pha

 

[ploughshare]

This explains it  and even shows pictures.  Unfortunaely, some cows will require a c-section to deliver the affected calf.

http://www.angus.org/reporting_hydro.pdf

 

[Sparty-On]

In my situation, using him on crossbred cows, I am assuming I won't have to worry about any problems right?

 

[bluffcountrycattle]

All depends on how your crossbred cows are bred!  If they are black, there is a good chance that some popular angus bulls are back there in the mix, and could potentially have some AM or Hydro defects in there as well.  If you are unsure of their pedigrees, might be best to use a bull that is tested free.  If you think it is worth the gamble to use the bull, by all means go for it!  Just remember that the potential is there, and you'll have to deal with testing the offspring to see if they are carriers as well down the road.

 

[knabe]

In my situation, using him on crossbred cows, I am assuming I won't have to worry about any problems right?

you will create what are called ladies in waiting.  they are waiting for a carrier bull.  then boom, people will typically blame the bull, but he's 50% of the problem, no if's and's or but's.  carriers are only for people who will test ALL offspring and are looking for something in particular and will then breed out the defect, the rest, go to slaughter.

of course you are the perfect target for unscrupulous breeders who won't reveal the status of their animals and will try and sell semen/individuals at pre-test prices and individuals at pre-test prices.

if you don't understand recessive defects and aren't willing to test every animal that isn't terminal, don't EVER use a carrier.

 

[Cattledog]

In my situation, using him on crossbred cows, I am assuming I won't have to worry about any problems right?

you will create what are called ladies in waiting.  they are waiting for a carrier bull.  then boom, people will typically blame the bull, but he's 50% of the problem, no if's and's or but's.  carriers are only for people who will test ALL offspring and are looking for something in particular and will then breed out the defect, the rest, go to slaughter.

of course you are the perfect target for unscrupulous breeders who won't reveal the status of their animals and will try and sell semen/individuals at pre-test prices and individuals at pre-test prices.

if you don't understand recessive defects and aren't willing to test every animal that isn't terminal, don't EVER use a carrier.

That was very well said.

 

[kjd farms]

I liked the look of him too, but now that he is NH positive, I won't use him.  Just my opinion, but I think the purebred guys don't want anything that is AMC or NHC.  The steer guys will take on the TH or PHA positive without much problem, because most of their cattle are terminal.