Angus Bulls

[Angus2131]

I just wanted to see what Angus bulls people like to use? We have used 50/50, Danny Boy, Pioneer, Final Product just to name a couple. We actually have one really good cow that we bought and she is carrying calf out of Point Taken (club calf). Can't wait for next spring to come around so we can get our calving going! Hopefully have some great show prospects!

 

[Lucky_P]

Used a Brost Power Drive son 25+ years ago.
Started breeding back toward the Angus side about 6 years ago. Strictly commercial cattle, probably have not used anything that anyone in the clubby/show circles would consider.
Have used:
N Bar Prime Time D806
Gardens Wave
GAR Yield Grade
Sydgen Mandate
B/R Destination 727-928
SAF Connection
current cleanup bull is a SAF Focus of ER x 878
will probably breed a few OCC Prototype this fall (yes, I know he's a carrier of the double-muscling trait)

 

[Angus2131]

Not a bad list there!

 

[Caustic Burno]

I am running a New Design bull the jury is still out on him, his first calves just hitting the ground.
He is in real danger of being replace by a Brahman or Brangus if I don't like this crop of calves.

 

[HDRider]

Curious, How does one source good bulls? Do you know where to get from others or past experiences or are there sources well known in this business? I am learning about genetics, EPDs and all, just wondering how you go about finding a source.

I am planning to lose my retirement funds soon in the cattle business and just learning its ways, trying anyway.

 

[cow pollinater]

I'm pretty similar to Lucky_P but I'll add in Woodhill Mainline.

 

[cow pollinater]

Curious, How does one source good bulls? Do you know where to get from others or past experiences or are there sources well known in this business? I am learning about genetics, EPDs and all, just wondering how you go about finding a source.

I am planning to lose my retirement funds soon in the cattle business and just learning its ways, trying anyway.

The bulls we're discussing are all AI bulls. To find good live bulls in your area you'd have to find a breeder that's doing what you want your cattle to be doing. An easy way to do it is to pick a breed and contact their association and see who has registered cattle near you... Go see them. Ask up front what their ideal animal of that breed is. If it doesn't sound good, walk away.
If you're willing to go AI, then your possibilites are endless and what bull you use for cleanup becomes of less importance.
If nothing else, most local salebarns will have a special bull sale once a year where you can go and find an okay registered bull that will get the job done. I know that at least around here you won't be sold junk but I can't say that about every sale.

 

[angus9259]

I'm pretty similar to Lucky_P but I'll add in Woodhill Mainline.

Tell me what you've seen in mainline - always thought about him, but never bit. Woodhill folks say to plan on a 275 day gestation.

 

[Lucky_P]

Have also considered Mainline, never used him - but he's still under consideration. Would also be interested in hearing your take on him, pollinator.
Forgot in my earlier list - we used a couple of straws of Rito 6I6; got one bull(steer) and one heifer. Both were right at the top of their contemporary group. Will be breeding the heifer to Connection in the next month or so.

Farm manager(wife) has not been as pleased with Angus-sired calves out of high-percentage Angus cows as the ones out of the older SimAngus cows (Duh! Hybrid vigor!), so...we're breeding most of these cows back to black Simmental (my choice) bulls or performance (not show ring) solid-red Shorthorns (her choice) to make some more halfblood cows to replace the old SimAngus girls who have about run their course.

 

[Angus2131]

I am running a New Design bull the jury is still out on him, his first calves just hitting the ground.
He is in real danger of being replace by a Brahman or Brangus if I don't like this crop of calves.

Good Luck to you! Hopefully you'll get a good crop! How many head do you have?

 

[Angus2131]

Curious, How does one source good bulls? Do you know where to get from others or past experiences or are there sources well known in this business? I am learning about genetics, EPDs and all, just wondering how you go about finding a source.

I am planning to lose my retirement funds soon in the cattle business and just learning its ways, trying anyway.

Well everyone is different. We have a few head so we do have the luxury of AI even though it can be a total pain when they don't take first time. It's a risk you take. When I look at bulls for AI I want something low to moderate birth weight. I will not use a bull that is usually 3.4 or higher in the BW category. Of course for first time calving I want a low BW bull to use. I also look at to see whether they are a proven bull or not. I have taken a gamble on some of the newer bulls that have come out and been very lucky so far. I look all across the board on the EPD's. Are you just raising cattle for the beef part or you trying to go for show cattle? We raise cattle for show and breeding. We don't do the feed lot scene. Just depends on how you want to do things at your place. Good Luck!!

 

[Angus2131]

Have also considered Mainline, never used him - but he's still under consideration. Would also be interested in hearing your take on him, pollinator.
Forgot in my earlier list - we used a couple of straws of Rito 6I6; got one bull(steer) and one heifer. Both were right at the top of their contemporary group. Will be breeding the heifer to Connection in the next month or so.

Farm manager(wife) has not been as pleased with Angus-sired calves out of high-percentage Angus cows as the ones out of the older SimAngus cows (Duh! Hybrid vigor!), so...we're breeding most of these cows back to black Simmental (my choice) bulls or performance (not show ring) solid-red Shorthorns (her choice) to make some more halfblood cows to replace the old SimAngus girls who have about run their course.

I completely understand! We went to a sale a couple of weeks ago looking to buy a cow that was already bred. I have to say that sale was a real disappointment! Out of about 50 lots there was bred heifer that we were going to bid on but decided not too. These were cattle for show. Needless to say we didn't buy. Got a really good registered Angus cow that is bred to club calf bull. She has had impressive calves in the past. Our others are breed to Angus. We have couple really good cows that I can't complain about. They have done very well for us with the in the Angus department. Then again we are raising cattle for the show circuit too.

 

[Angus2131]

Curious, How does one source good bulls? Do you know where to get from others or past experiences or are there sources well known in this business? I am learning about genetics, EPDs and all, just wondering how you go about finding a source.

I am planning to lose my retirement funds soon in the cattle business and just learning its ways, trying anyway.

The bulls we're discussing are all AI bulls. To find good live bulls in your area you'd have to find a breeder that's doing what you want your cattle to be doing. An easy way to do it is to pick a breed and contact their association and see who has registered cattle near you... Go see them. Ask up front what their ideal animal of that breed is. If it doesn't sound good, walk away.
If you're willing to go AI, then your possibilites are endless and what bull you use for cleanup becomes of less importance.
If nothing else, most local salebarns will have a special bull sale once a year where you can go and find an okay registered bull that will get the job done. I know that at least around here you won't be sold junk but I can't say that about every sale.

I agree with Lucky P on this too!

 

[HDRider]

Thanks guys.

 

[Angus2131]

Thanks guys.

:welcome:

 

[Brute 23]

I am running a New Design bull the jury is still out on him, his first calves just hitting the ground.
He is in real danger of being replace by a Brahman or Brangus if I don't like this crop of calves.

I got one of these Angus Plus or Brangus Gold bulls... Cant remember exactly which one.... Doesnt really matter. Didnt go to buy it but ended up bringing it home. He is a little more compact and has been throwing some really nice calves on brangus type cattle. he has a little less brahma look than the brangus bulls i had been getting.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I am running a New Design bull the jury is still out on him, his first calves just hitting the ground.
He is in real danger of being replace by a Brahman or Brangus if I don't like this crop of calves.

I got one of these Angus Plus or Brangus Gold bulls... Cant remember exactly which one.... Doesnt really matter. Didnt go to buy it but ended up bringing it home. He is a little more compact and has been throwing some really nice calves on brangus type cattle. he has a little less brahma look than the brangus bulls i had been getting.

Brangus bulls are a much better choice on Hereford cattle in our area. Brahman crosses sell better but a Brammer bull will take two to three years off the cow's production life. Due to etremely large bull calf's and that cross the hybred vigor put's extreme strains on the cow to produce enough milk IMO.

 

[Brute 23]

Oh ok, didn't realize you were putting them on Hereford catttle. Thought you were going back to Brangus cattle.

It was an Angus Plus bull. When I put him on the brangus type cattle it made some really nice calves with not too much ear, little hair, but still look like they will hold up. The bull is holding up really well still.

 

[cow pollinater]

I'm pretty similar to Lucky_P but I'll add in Woodhill Mainline.

Tell me what you've seen in mainline - always thought about him, but never bit. Woodhill folks say to plan on a 275 day gestation.

I see a good bull to consider when nothing else quite fits. His pedigree is pretty open but numbers wise he adds good solid improvement accross the board to most cows without sacrificing EN(which is hard to do). I've had twelve calves out of him and have more coming plus semen for next year. None of them were standouts but all of them were okay and they do what they're suposed to do with no holes. I'd love to have about a hundred more daughters out of him to turn out as commercial cows.The two bull calves that were out of my registered cows both went on to make solid herd bulls for a freind of mine.
I have about ten head bred to him right now and the rest to Mandate... Any Mandates sons are for sale,but the Mainlines are going to breed my commercial cows.

 

[Lucky_P]

Thanks for that CP.
I'm still (and probably always will be) selecting sires for the daughters they can produce. Well, at least until we start breeding the ANxSH/SMxSH/AN/SM cows 'terminal' to produce calves that we won't be keeping.
AI calves in the Fall group this year are almost all Mandates. So far, they look OK, but the Mandate daughters look better than the sons.