Favorite Angus bull for heifers

[SEA]

Hopefully this question will lead to some good conversation and opinions, and personal breeding experiences...  <beer>

Who is your favorite proven, Easy Calving, Angus bull to use on crossbred heifers? 

Primary goal:  is to make a small, light birthweight calf, with good vigor.  A LIVE UNASSISTED BIRTH CALF!

Second:  have some grow.

Third:  make replacement females for club calf production.

Thank you,

 

[mainegirl]

Well, after a few years of trying different bulls on my heifers I will tell ya to try Gambles Safe Bet. Lydell had a few he sold in his most recent sale that I really liked the looks of. It makes me very excited to see what my heifers out of him this year will turn out to be. I bred a Walks Alone heifer that would have made a better steer and a Jigsaw x HW heifer to him and both calved same day, week early and calves might have weighed 65-70 lbs. and seemed to hit the ground running. They have just enough clubby in them to have the bone & stoutness, good hair, great disposition, great showy look to them. I bred all of my yearling heifers to him this year.

We also tried BC Long Shot and had good success with that too. He wasn't a "jackpot" calf but just a good moderate calf that was sound & made a good fat steer. He was probably 70 pounds unassisted out of a JPJ x Moidy Blues heifer. Call Lydell and tell him what you're looking for in a bull and he can point you in the right direction!

 

[CJB]

OCC Anchor.

 

[CMesser14]

SAV Thunderbird

 

[husker1]

I've always liked SAV Final Answer....and we've gotten along well with Conneally Thunder too.

 

[worthabit]

I've always liked SAV Final Answer....and we've gotten along well with Conneally Thunder too.

I am going to mention Thunder as well.  Pioneer or some of his sons would be a solid choice too.

 

[Barry Farms]

Not Right Answer. His calves grow well but are just as big at birth or bigger (70 v. 60) than the clean up bulls and they were not big bodied. I like Final Answer because I would bet his calves are bigger bodied and stouter than the Right Answers. Must be pretty good because he is still collected at 14 years old.

 

[Till-Hill]

I have loved our Right Answer calves. Have one with her first calf. More body and better udder than her momma.

 

[OH Breeder]

I am probably like a broken record, but we use what we have always used and has worked for us. I should probably get a few "new" Angus bulls in the tank as back up.
Northern Improvement- on the clubbiest of cattle we have been lucky to get consistency out of him. Small calves lots of vigor and they grow and mature. Clubbier smaller females he added a frame score to. Always have hair and feed well.
SS Traveler T510 6807- small really perform and grow like weeds. Moderate cows and good mothers.
Limestone Jupiter- we sampled him one year and he worked for us, but now that cow has always had small calves. After talking to the breeders of him, they said use him cautiously. The calf we had grew and performed like a champ. Really masculine and loads of muscle but probably the lighter side for bone and hair.

I go back to these bulls consistently. Unfortunately its hard to find Northern Improvement semen now for some reason. I have been analyzing red Angus bulls for alternative to black for calving ease as I like the red coloring better. Haven't made the leap yet but am watching anxiously. What ever you choose evaluate your female first. look for traits she may be lacking. Northern Improvement can make one pretty and feminine. The mothers for us at least have always been good females.

 

[Freddy]

Have any of you heard of Final Answer cows or daughters going around sucking each other A guy  got rid of all of them be cause of this ,does any one else heard of this or what would cause this ....Also one guy bought one and got home and it started sucking anything that would stand ....