What Black Angus semen is doing the best job for everyone using it as far as producing commercial calves?
Chuckie
Chuckie
Black Angus Semen for Commerical Calves
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kenny thomas
Well-known member
I have had pretty good calves from SAV Final Answer. Good for heifers also.
OP
OP
Eat Beef, there are a lot of "what if's" in any situation. If you have anything to add to your choice, please feel free to add it to your answer. If you did creep feed with your choice, add the info. Or did you give a small amount of feed after you weaned, then please add that. Were they grass fed?
I just want to know what bull's semen did you use that worked for you or anyone else. Don't be afraid to say you did creep feed with a certain bull.
I am planning on creep feeding with distiller's grain and mineral, and then after they are weaned, feed just enough to maintain a steady weight over the winter.
So, now if you can tell me what you are doing with what semen. Are you creep feeding the calves from certain bulls or are you just grass feeding them?
I hope this covers the "What ifs!"
Chuckie
I just want to know what bull's semen did you use that worked for you or anyone else. Don't be afraid to say you did creep feed with a certain bull.
I am planning on creep feeding with distiller's grain and mineral, and then after they are weaned, feed just enough to maintain a steady weight over the winter.
So, now if you can tell me what you are doing with what semen. Are you creep feeding the calves from certain bulls or are you just grass feeding them?
I hope this covers the "What ifs!"
Chuckie
OP
OP
Kenny, I have been admiring Final Answer. I am glad to hear that he is producing calves like himself. Are you creep feeding them or just Mamma'a milk?
Chuckie
Chuckie
OP
OP
I would be retaining some of the heifers, but selling most for commercial calves.
Chuckie
Chuckie
novatech
Well-known member
I cannot recommend a single bull that Angus has. I don't have a clue because I don't raise them. However the Angus Assoc. has done a better job than anyone in providing you with information needed for selection criteria for meeting your goal, whatever that might be. AI is not a one bull fits all. There are some bulls that can produce calves that will go either way but I believe you can do a better job meeting your goal by selecting for specific traits.
First I would designate which cows will produce the best replacement heifers. Breed these cows to a bull that will produce the best replacement heifers.
There are many traits needed for producing cows that are not needed for terminals.
Choose the cows that you would not consider for producing replacements. Breed these to terminal bulls.
These bulls are selected for how and when the calves will be marketed.
How you intend to market your calves will be an important factor. If you sell at the barn all the need is black hair and a great phenotype for the buyer. If you plan on having a quality beef reputation then I would look close at the EPDs that produce that.
Not to change the subject but I don't understand the creep feed and then to pasture schedule. I would let mom support the calves and then, after weaning, grass and creep feed before final feedlot and finish.
First I would designate which cows will produce the best replacement heifers. Breed these cows to a bull that will produce the best replacement heifers.
There are many traits needed for producing cows that are not needed for terminals.
Choose the cows that you would not consider for producing replacements. Breed these to terminal bulls.
These bulls are selected for how and when the calves will be marketed.
How you intend to market your calves will be an important factor. If you sell at the barn all the need is black hair and a great phenotype for the buyer. If you plan on having a quality beef reputation then I would look close at the EPDs that produce that.
Not to change the subject but I don't understand the creep feed and then to pasture schedule. I would let mom support the calves and then, after weaning, grass and creep feed before final feedlot and finish.
If you can't decide where you are going how can you expect to get there? The question 'which Angus bull to use..?' is like how long is a piece of string. There's tons of choices, what does your market want? are you retaining heifers? are you calving out heifers? what is the breed base you are working with? is color important to your market? are there any angus breeders in your area whose cattle you like and seem to work for their customers?
Chuckie":3vpynkbb said:
There are lots of Angus bulls out there that I think would work for you. But the simpliest thing would probably be to contact a local semen rep and ask him what he/she recommends. Most of the big ones sell semen at a discount on some bulls for commercial use. Are you breeding heifers? That makes a difference. Good luck....
Glad to see you posting. I hope you're feeling well.
OP
OP
Here are some answers I would like to hear.....
1. I do creep feed, and I feed until I sell them, so I use......
2. I do not feed grain, only grass and hay, so I use.......
3. I do creep feed them, and sell them as soon as I wean them, so I use......
4. What ever variable that exsits with the bull that you are using.
I realize that many variable exsists with each bull.
I am going to breed to heifers and some mature cows. I do want lower BW's; and will retain some of the heifers as replacements; and I do want calves that turn out with some meat on it's bones.
Frankie, my representative chooses Mtty In Focus. He has no "Butt and Gutts" He looks soft. I do like Final Answer, and Ironstone, but his numbers are so high, I am waiting to see where they stablize before I would use him. Ironstone is not quite as fat as FA. So, so many!!
Thank you Frankie!!!!!
Chuckie
1. I do creep feed, and I feed until I sell them, so I use......
2. I do not feed grain, only grass and hay, so I use.......
3. I do creep feed them, and sell them as soon as I wean them, so I use......
4. What ever variable that exsits with the bull that you are using.
I realize that many variable exsists with each bull.
I am going to breed to heifers and some mature cows. I do want lower BW's; and will retain some of the heifers as replacements; and I do want calves that turn out with some meat on it's bones.
Frankie, my representative chooses Mtty In Focus. He has no "Butt and Gutts" He looks soft. I do like Final Answer, and Ironstone, but his numbers are so high, I am waiting to see where they stablize before I would use him. Ironstone is not quite as fat as FA. So, so many!!
Thank you Frankie!!!!!
Chuckie
OP
OP
Robert,
The market wants Black Angus in my area. Go to the sale barn and watch them sell.
The string length is usually marked on the package when you buy it.
Yes, I will be retaining some heifers, so if you submit a bull with a 6.5 BW, I will not use him on heifers. He would be good to use on mature cows though. The info would be good to know. I am in an area where I see very little of different bloodlines. I am not a genious, but I know enough to cull what would be bad for the herd.
This forum reaches out all over the USA. People experience all bloodlines. I do have decent bloodlines, but would like to add some different blood, nor do I not want to pick the longest straw. A lot of people here with a lot of wisdom. Why not ask?
Yes, there are other Angus breeders here. A lot of show cattle. Many Angus are with the same bloodlines, but not with the bloodline we have. Many with Mtty. I have gone to their sales, and we have never bought any cattle there. The numbers on the scrotal, milk, REA, MARB, $B, $W, are low. So, we are looking for butts and gutts, and the whole package if possible. The Angus breed has kept up with the records, and why not make use of it?
Chuckie
The market wants Black Angus in my area. Go to the sale barn and watch them sell.
The string length is usually marked on the package when you buy it.
Yes, I will be retaining some heifers, so if you submit a bull with a 6.5 BW, I will not use him on heifers. He would be good to use on mature cows though. The info would be good to know. I am in an area where I see very little of different bloodlines. I am not a genious, but I know enough to cull what would be bad for the herd.
This forum reaches out all over the USA. People experience all bloodlines. I do have decent bloodlines, but would like to add some different blood, nor do I not want to pick the longest straw. A lot of people here with a lot of wisdom. Why not ask?
Yes, there are other Angus breeders here. A lot of show cattle. Many Angus are with the same bloodlines, but not with the bloodline we have. Many with Mtty. I have gone to their sales, and we have never bought any cattle there. The numbers on the scrotal, milk, REA, MARB, $B, $W, are low. So, we are looking for butts and gutts, and the whole package if possible. The Angus breed has kept up with the records, and why not make use of it?
Chuckie
Chuckie":2bnblb2p said:
As a normal routine, we don't creep feed. Calving ease: One of my favorite bulls for heifers is Bon View New Design 878. He's been around forever. Calving ease, decent growth, decent carcass and became a Pathfinder sire younger than any other Angus bull at the time. We've used Ironwood New Level with success. The LCC New Standard bull is pretty young, but his pedigree looks strong. All of these bulls are calving ease, have strong maternal pedigrees, but also went through the Angus Sire Alliance program. If you're not familiar with it, I'll post the link below. These are all ABS bulls.
IMO, you're not going to find a really reliable MEAT bull with that kind of calving ease. So we've been using Woodhill Foresight (ABS) and S A V Net Worth 4200 (GENEX) some. They carry heavier birthweight EPDs and the calves were born bigger. I do like the calves' looks, but am not sure how commercial bull buyers are going to accept those BW EPDs.
Except for Net Worth, most are moderate framed, if that's a concern one way or another to you.
http://www.circlearanch.com/angussires.html
jscunn
Well-known member
We do creep feed our calves, about 60 days before weaning. I feel it reduces weaning stress on the calf, being already used to eating feed. Sell most of our steers locally as freezer beef, the lower end going to auction. Heifers are all sold as replacements, so emphasis on MW, milking ability and disposition, along with acceptable growth rate and phenotype.
My suggestion to you is find out what your semen sales guy has on hand and select one or two of them. No bull will work on every cow, so if you pick two you should be able to match them up appropriately. Maybe one "heifer" bull and one bull you can use only on cows. Alot of good bulls in the mix, find out what the semen guy has and then make your picks. Sounds like an ABS rep, I would certainly use 878 if he has it availible.
My suggestion to you is find out what your semen sales guy has on hand and select one or two of them. No bull will work on every cow, so if you pick two you should be able to match them up appropriately. Maybe one "heifer" bull and one bull you can use only on cows. Alot of good bulls in the mix, find out what the semen guy has and then make your picks. Sounds like an ABS rep, I would certainly use 878 if he has it availible.
OP
OP
I was just looking at Net Worth on Genex. We have a vibe going here. They have a video of him moving around in the pasture. He is a nice bull.
The picture of Final Answer on the Schaff Valley site, and on the Genex site, do not look like the same bull.
The price of the distillers grain can get as low as $30 a ton here when it is wet, which is almost dry. But we will use the dry in the summer for the creep feeders. But a ton of it, takes so little to feed to suppliment when the weather gets bad, when they need that extra boost. This is not corn gluten. So, we do not have to ship it here, nor do we have to go through a dealer to get it.
Frankie, thank you for sharing your information with me. I am going to read your answer in detail tonight when the sun goes down. Or shall I say when the the rain starts falling. We are supposed to get the big one tonight.
Chuckie
The picture of Final Answer on the Schaff Valley site, and on the Genex site, do not look like the same bull.
The price of the distillers grain can get as low as $30 a ton here when it is wet, which is almost dry. But we will use the dry in the summer for the creep feeders. But a ton of it, takes so little to feed to suppliment when the weather gets bad, when they need that extra boost. This is not corn gluten. So, we do not have to ship it here, nor do we have to go through a dealer to get it.
Frankie, thank you for sharing your information with me. I am going to read your answer in detail tonight when the sun goes down. Or shall I say when the the rain starts falling. We are supposed to get the big one tonight.
Chuckie
OP
OP
JSCunn, you stinker, I thought you might be lurking in the bushes!! Ha-ha!! You are absolutely correct. If I am going all by different heifers and cows, I could have so many different straws of each bull, that I would go nuts trying to remember which bull for what cow. Mostly to match numbers.
I have the Sydgen Ally Cows with 1.30 scrotal marks, with low REA's, and a little to high milk. So I would like to find a bull with low milk, and I would like the number of the REA to be high enough to pull the cow's offsprings up. Then continue the process of keeping the numbers in line. If I were picking one bull for these cows, I would want very low milk numbers and very high REA's. Like Ironstone. I like his numbers. Mostly his REA. He would be able to pull up a negative REA.
Now to find the perfect bull with the correct conformation and carriage, and a good disposition, I will be close to having what I want.
Chuckie
I have the Sydgen Ally Cows with 1.30 scrotal marks, with low REA's, and a little to high milk. So I would like to find a bull with low milk, and I would like the number of the REA to be high enough to pull the cow's offsprings up. Then continue the process of keeping the numbers in line. If I were picking one bull for these cows, I would want very low milk numbers and very high REA's. Like Ironstone. I like his numbers. Mostly his REA. He would be able to pull up a negative REA.
Now to find the perfect bull with the correct conformation and carriage, and a good disposition, I will be close to having what I want.
Chuckie
Northern Rancher
Well-known member
How soon do you calve-might have something interesting for you to use.
OP
OP
Hi Northern Rancher!
What do you have?
Chuckie
What do you have?
Chuckie
I`m going to use Accelerated`s Rito 416 this year havent yet but i decided on him and a Sim bull Manifest, in my commercial herd i have simangus cross so im gonna try both. Rito 416 has pretty good #s all the way to me for commercial while having +1.7 birth hope this helps.
RD-Sam
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The best calf I have had so far was out of Woodhill Foresight, a heifer. I don't think you can really go wrong with him. My next best calf so far looks like it may be another heifer out of B/R Ambush 28. Ambush 28 seems to be producing high end choice and prime from those I have talked to. I have a calf due in a few days out of GAR Predestined, I have seen allot of good bulls and heifers out of him, but don't have anything of my own on the ground yet.
