Post Oak
Well-known member
What current Angus bulls/bloodlines are known for their fertility, longevity, and heifer pregnancy EPD?
Angus bulls good for fertility
- Thread starter Post Oak
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Post Oak":21rf1b5a said:
Had a train wreck with the AI in April. He was turned out with 50 cows and a heifer. Yanked him out the pasture after 28 days thinking he wasn't really needed for much. He bred the whole group, no AI calves.
14 month old Gardiner bull, tag number H4248 9808
Lucky_P
Well-known member
Just looking at epds of current sires... I'd say... look at Connealy Counselor; the bull was strongly recommended to me by a now-deceased friend who was cattle vet/repro specialist and long-time Angus breeder, as a bull that would leave good females with good feet.
He also indicated that he'd used some CRA Bextor semen in his herd every year for 14-15 years, and just kept coming back to him for the females he produced.
He also indicated that he'd used some CRA Bextor semen in his herd every year for 14-15 years, and just kept coming back to him for the females he produced.
Ky hills
Well-known member
My experience with this subject is very limited, due to small numbers. Of the bulls we have used and kept daughters of, Hoover Dam daughters have done well with timely breeding and breeding back. I would also think that Kessler's Frontman may be a good one, as we had several granddaughters out of a Frontman son, that all bred in a timely manner.
Post Oak
Well-known member
Hoover Dam is an Angus bull that I am very interested in. His HP epd is very high. I have had heifer fertility problems with one Angus bull.Ky hills":246i02gj said:
Lucky_P
Well-known member
I don't really know much about the Heifer Pregnancy epd... I look at it, and more is better, I suppose... but it's not a primary selection criterion for me...but if that's what you're using to assess...
Counselor is at 26.4 for HP... pretty doggone high.
B/R Destination 928 is at 26.2 for HP... I've had some 928 calves, and liked them - really liked the two daughters I got... still have one, and she's a quiet, unnoticeable little cow that raises one of the top calves every year, breeds right back, has a good disposition. Her mate was a good one - but she rejected her own calf two years in a row... but within a day or two, would let anything else in the herd nurse her (but not her own calf!) . I'm toying with using 928 again... but don't use much in the way of Angus genetics these days.
Counselor is at 26.4 for HP... pretty doggone high.
B/R Destination 928 is at 26.2 for HP... I've had some 928 calves, and liked them - really liked the two daughters I got... still have one, and she's a quiet, unnoticeable little cow that raises one of the top calves every year, breeds right back, has a good disposition. Her mate was a good one - but she rejected her own calf two years in a row... but within a day or two, would let anything else in the herd nurse her (but not her own calf!) . I'm toying with using 928 again... but don't use much in the way of Angus genetics these days.
All things being equal, if you're choosing a bull to retain heifers, I would choose seed-stock from your environment. Having said that, I went across the globe to partner with an operation for a joint seedstock venture. Pinebank Angus, in New Zealand, has been an almost entirely closed herd for 50 years, breeding for two cycles, and culling opens ruthlessly. The program has chosen on farm sires based on structure and performance, but has been forage only without supplementation. The cattle have decent growth, great structure, very efficient dry matter converters, and as fertile as any herd I've ever come across. If you're saving heifers for a low to medium input system, you will be pleased, and not disappointed in the steers either. The adult cows have wide snouts for efficient grazing, and school bus sized barrels for efficient conversion. I'm partial, but their system for selection is spot on, in my opinion.
I went across the globe because of their selection pressure over decades in an almost closed herd. So many seedstock operations prop up their cows....which is fine for terminal production, but not if you're building a net profit cow herd.
Ebenezer
Well-known member
Might be good to look at Bonsma type selection process. The biggest help from him for most folks is increased female fertility and an awareness of proper cattle type.
WalnutCrest
Well-known member
Ebenezer":2liloib1 said:
To the extent you're not including Johan Zietsmann in your definition of "Bonsma type selection process", I'll include him here.
