AI For First Calve Heifers

[dompeters84]

I am trying to narrow down my list of bulls for my Heifers. I am getting the semen through Select Sires. My Heifers are blk Angus. What bull would you all use. I am keeping the heifers calves and selling the bull calves. I know everyone is different but I'd still like to hear all your thoughts.

 

[Kscattle]

If I were using select sires I would look at 5050,selective or limelight. A lot depends on what your individual heifers need as far as doc,milk, height, etc. I personally look at docility and milk production and birth weight. It's pretty hard to ai them if you can't catch them easy and mine will eat out of my hand in the pasture. Jmo

 

[dompeters84]

I like WHS Limelight 64V, and GAR New Design 5050. Im also thinking about ALC Big Eye D09N, Colman Regis 904, and Alcoa New Standard 427. Also CRA Bextor is an option.

 

[andrews29]

For Heifers we have been using 7AN288 Rockin Horse Tailor Made 456 and 7AN316 Connealy Counterpart. We got one Heifer out of rockin horse and she is very impressive looking so far. Calves out of both were small at birth but were at the top at weaning time.

 

[dompeters84]

Leaning towards limelight. Any thoughts? What are your experiances?

 

[andrews29]

i would like something with a lower BW on heifers

 

[Black and Good]

I would look at "High Design" or "Really Windy"

 

[dompeters84]

What would you want to see the bw at?

 

[jscunn]

I havent seen any calves but I guy I really respect loves his Limelight calves. He likes them better than his 5050's, for what it is worth.

 

[dompeters84]

I would look at "High Design" or "Really Windy"

I don't think either of them are avalible through Select Sires. The guy that does my AI work says he is most comfortable with Select Sires so that is where I am shopping. I agree though, both look good.

 

[dompeters84]

Here is my top 5 so far based on my research.

1. W H S Limelight 64V - He is a good up and comer. Awesome Carcass. 1508 Yearling weight and a frame score of 6.5.
2. ALC Big Eye D09N - this one would be the safe choice. Good numbers all the way across.

3. Coleman Regis 904 - Another up and comer. final answer son. A bit of a gamble on the numbers.

4. G A R New Design 5050 - good numbers - not big on his looks

5. C R A Bextor 872 - very balanced.

So there you have it. 1 and 3 are your bigger gambles when you look at the Accuracy numbers but have the best upside. With 1 being the best in my opinion when you weigh it all. They are both younger but everything I'm reading is saying these two are going to be great.

2,4,5 are your safer choices. Good on Accuracy numbers.

Let me know your thoughts. I'm new to all of this so I may be on the wrong track completly.

 

[Black and Good]

I know you can get "High Design" from Select Sires as he is a GAR bull. I contacted them direct and talked with them about High Design they told their vet could send it out to me. If you want you can look at him on bullbarn.com He is a 1407 son. his #'s are real similar to" Selective" I'm just not an "Objective" fan. I do however like 5050.Have you checked out "Coalition 509"?

 

[blacksnake]

I think the heifers calving ease and other EPD's need to be taken into consideration when making a decision. If your heifers are very low CED/high BW then go with the most proven calving ease sire. Also take into consideration all the other EPD's of the heifers since you are wanting to keep heifers from them. Don't forget the heifers contribute equally to the traits of the progeny.

 

[angus9259]

My understanding is that sexed semen isn't for the person new to ai - that it should only be done by the very experienced (since the semen loading per straw is lower) and is only actually "recommended" for heifers.

All that said, the cost and expertise required never motivated me to give sexed semen a try. If it were me (and it's not), I would just use regular semen and see what comes of it.

 

[JustSimmental]

Limelight would be my choice for explosive growth and easy calving

5050 would be my choice for docility and easy calving

we used Limelight on Simm heifers --- no problems

JS

 

[Lawson Farms]

We've got Selective, Bextor, and Progress in our tank right now. Sounds like I need to look at Limelight and 5050.

 

[Baldie Maker]

will this be a terminal or maternal cross? Mature frame of 6.5 is bit much for this ol' boy..

 

[Prairiegrass]

Comments on Limelight calves: I used him on small/medium framed Angus/Gelbvieh heifers. Got nice, thick calves. I used him because he was a 6.5 frame bull and I wanted larger framed terminal calves. As it happened, I got two 6-6.5 framed, gorgeous heifers and the rest were short, thick 5-5.5 bulls/heifers. I kept praying that the they would get some height on them prior to sale and they managed to just barley sneak in with the rest of the group. I would not use him again on short, stocky heifers if I was going to sell the calves for terminal animals as for me the Predestined part of his pedigree seemed most prominent. If you're looking to keep heifers (and don't mind the $EN) I think you'll be very happy with the heifer calves. All had good temperaments.

 

[DOC HARRIS]

Any breeding selection decisions should be made with pre-set goals and anticipated future mating results UPPERMOST in your mind. Just "grabbing" a handful of pictures of good looking bulls to fulfill mating dreams without giving maximum consideration to the genetics of your cow herd in order to balance the traits and characteristics of your overall future progeny is wasting time and money! Regardless of how wonderful you may think a particular bull may appear (Phenotypically, Genetically and Functionally), in order to utilize the optimal genetics of a particular bull, you are obligated to consider how he will 'NICK' with your cows' genetics. A mistake in this realm can cost you ten years of attempted repair and breeding corrections.

I highly recommend your utilizing Genomic-enhanced EPD's and DNA selection procedures for mating selections. It will save you a life-time of struggle and a bale-ful of money to achieve your breeding goals, which I trust you have already determined!

DOC HARRIS

 

[farmerD44]

We really like our Limelight calves, but they did come a little bigger than we like and we had a lower than usual conception rate. So we went with Mainstream this past breeding season.

We sampled 50-50 back when he was new and $15 a stick and didn't think he was worth that. Poor calves off our purebreds and mediocre off crossbreds.

Our Limelights had the highest growth and most thickness, depth, and capacity of any calving ease bull we have used thus far. But I think the more his numbers get proved, the worse he will get on CED and BW.

I am thinking of using TC Thunder 805 this spring, unless our Mainstream calves really impress us.