What to breed Firewater daughters to?

[Buckeye2014]

I have two Firewater heifers I am going to be breeding this spring and was wondering what bulls out there are working well on them for the first calf.  I would like to stay Purebred Charolais and try to get heifer calves out of them that are worth keeping for replacements.  I haven't totally thrown out the idea of going Angus on them either.

Thanks for the replies. 

 

[TexasHeat]

We bred our Firewater heifer to 1A Mr Sandman by Ace 809 P, I believe he is syndicated.  We also considered WC Big Ben 9036 P, he is an ABS bull.

 

[Mark H]

Are these heifers purebred or half clubby/ Charolais?
You have a wide number of options and how I would breed them would depend on their growth, what they need, and where you want to take them.  On firewater heifers I would want to keep improve their milk EPDs and at least maintain growth.
ABS has a Bluegrass son Big Ben that is light birth weight and for a -4 to 5 bull not bad on quality.
LT Ranch has another Bluegrass son Ledger that is light birth weight and has good maternal background.  Also a record seller.
A stalwart is Oakdale Duke.  His numbers speak for themselves and he does put good calves on the ground.  He is easier calving with better growth at the Bluegrass line.
Semex has two calving ease Charolais bulls:
Cedardale Tyrant: http://www.semex.com/beef/i?lang=en&beef=view&breed=CH&av=U&view=86
DR Revelation:  Basically a Hoo Doo.  The weakest bull maternally listed: http://www.semex.com/beef/i?lang=en&beef=view&breed=CH&av=U&view=88
Genex does has a bull in process of being proven with a -1.7 birth weight EPD with good maternal, REA etc.:  Keys Allstate.  If you want it all in a low birth weight performance high REA package THAT IS UNPROVEN and don't mind the risk this might be your bull...

 

[drl]

We have had good luck with baldridge fastrack on first calf charolais heifers. He has been real good calving ease and the cattle will be good cattle with good growth.

 

[TWR]

All State is probably better suited for second calvers and older.  You might get away with using him on heifers if the heifers themselves were light bw but from what I have seen and heard he is not a true heifer bull.  I would reccomend using him the 2nd year though, as he seems to be producing well for the few that used him the first year.

 

[Mark H]

TWR that was the exact point I was tring to make about Allstate.
On Baldridge Fastrack:  He is dead and his semen now $ 100 at Bovine Elite.  A great calving ease bull from the past that did plenty of good in the breed.

 

[Buckeye2014]

I was looking on Thomas's website, and they have the Wrangler bull advertised to work on FW daughters.  Has anyone had any luck with that?  What about Bluegrass himself?

In regards to the heifers, they are both purebreds.  They each have enough muscle but definitly aren't overpowering.  Both are plenty sound and have enough body.  Would like to square the one's hip design up. 

Thanks for the advice so far.

 

[Mark H]

WR Wrangler is out of a son of Baldridge Fasttrack and a daughter of Oakdale Duke.. We has the light birth weight and performance of both lines but he is definitely on the performance side of things.  His EPDs are not rock solid yet so I would contact the owners to see if the heifers they are calving successfully are comparable in phenotype and management.  In a bull with this class of performance DCR solution is also worth looking at.
In my opinion Bluegrass has produced sons that are better than him for calving ease or performance (take your pick) and are also more consistent in quality of calf being produced.  Remember Bluegrass is a -2.1 Birth weight bull easier calving sons (Big Ben) or more all around (Ledger) are available.

 

[HF CHARS]

I have used wrangler and bluegrass with great success on fw heifers ,if you want a better hip I would recommend wrangler  I don't think I would be worried about adding muscle on first calf,,worry bout getting a low bw sound live calf.  JMO

 

[flacowman]

I've had great luck with Grid Maker and a son, EC No Doubt on FW heifers.  They come small, grow fast, and are as stout and soggy as you could want one. They both also have good numbers behind them so the calves market well to show calf buyers and seedstock producers.

 

[Charguy]

I have used Bluegrass with success on many heifers. They dont have the hair i like to see but they are small at birth and grow like weeds. Used LT Ledge rlast year instead to try something a little newer and get a bit more hair and have been impressed to date. Calves are the no bigger then 85 lbs at birth and have the same get up and get going that the Bluegrass calves have. Im thinking the Rio Blanco in Ledger's pedigree will add even more performance then straight Bluegrass. I bought a bred heifer bred AllState and I had to help her, nothing serious but definitley had some bigger shoulders. id agree he is not for 1st calvers. Same with Merit Roundup - good calves just borderline for heifers. Sample size is only one though for each of those bulls so take that for what it is worth. Revelation is also a good choice, but the odd horn or scur will creep in from time to time - if thats a issue or not for you. I have a few Revelation and Blue grass daughters in the herd calved out and they both milk well and will be productie cows for me in the future. I have a really nice Revelation 1st calver with a Ledger bull calf at side who just calved 10 days ago - beautiful udder and nice growthy calf.

Like someone else says, the main thing with a heifer - just get an easy birth and a live calf. Any of Ledger, Bluegrass, Revelation will do that for you.

Then next year breed those FW daughters to a performance bull and you will be on your way.