Recent content by DOC HARRIS

What are your goals? What do you want your bull(s) to do for your herds future? Do you want Terminal calves - or Maternal calves to retain for breeders? Or both! What is the maximum weight you want your retained heifers (future breeding herd cows) to weigh? What about Calving ease, calving...

It depends to a great extent upon the size of the "niches" - and the uses to which they are to be utilized. If one considers Angus to be placed in a niche, the breed would supercede all other breeds. Each Breed is functional in an area which justifies its existence, thereby creating the...

Stop and think for a moment. Anything that is HUGE, by using logic and common sense, would require considerably more feed, pasture space, and finishing grain to bring to a finished product - thereby reducing your final profit at marketing time. By following through on your cost factors, is...

Moderate to fine phenotype - too much milk epd - lousy rib eye epd. DOC HARRIS

Beef breeders in the United States and Canada have "experimented", so to speak with improving their beef cattle for - give or take - about 140 years, using Hereford, Angus, Shorthorn, (British Breeds) plus Highland and a few others, and Continental Breeds, (not as concentrated as the British...

This is a BEEF BULL! If he is as balanced Genotypically as he is Phenotypically, you should have a spectacular beginning toward a knock-out herd in the future! DOC HARRIS

If I critique three or more negative traits about a breeding specimen - they are down the tubes right there. You should be rigid and non-condescending when selecting breeding stock! 1- Too fine boned 2- Weak top line 3- Lacks masculinity Open the gate! DOC HARRIS

Jabes0623- Now let's just stop and take a deep breath and consider what you are contemplating here. What are your GOALS in beef breeding? Can you really take the black heifer and the red heifer - compare their phenotype, and EPD's - and see BOTH of these heifers fitting into your idea of what...

In order to adequately assess the Maternal value of this heifer from pictures, we should see front, top and rear views of her. She is a fine heifer for a beginning herd to improve with retained daughters from her if you mate her to a bull which will compliment and improve her capacity - that is...

I have skated through this scenario of attempting to advise young people ( and older one's too for that matter) as to the Who, What, Where, Why, When and HOW to operate and function in the Beef Cattle bu$ine$$, and the number one answer in EVERY situation is - - GET EDUCATED BEFORE you spend...

SRBeef- Your comments concerning the rhetoric on CattleToday are exactly my views! I have contributed to this Forum for almost 11 years, and for several years the questions and answers and discussions were intelligent, pertinent and had value that benefitted any breeder willing to focus on the...

The red calf(s) from that dam will always carry the red gene. IF that calf is from the cow standing above her, it will carry the obviously prevalent "Sickle Hocks" of it's dam. Eliminating blemishes from your herd mating plans incorporates determining Multiple Trait Selection choices...

The "belief" factors of EPD's, one's own knowledge, and whatever someone else says about any animal is just the opinion of that particular individual. My purpose in directing my thoughts toward Multiple Trait Selection as opposed to Single Trait Selection in making breeding decisions is to...

I am curious as to whether anyone on the Forum has ever heard of or read this philosophy in the past: it is imperative that MULTIPLE TRAITS AND CHARACTERISTICS OF AN ANIMAL BE CONSIDERED WHEN CONSIDERING RETAINING HEIFERS FOR BREEDING ANIMALS??!!! Concentrating on Phenotype (what the animal...

Another justifiable reason for carefully observing AND using Calving Ease EPD's , balanced with observation and common sense. "Pinched Butts" and "Funnel Butts" usually have birthing difficulties. Calving Ease heritability EPD is a low-moderate EPD, but it is a factor which transmits to BOTH...