Ky hills
Well-known member
Here is a 15 month old bull that has had a lot asked of him. He is with 18 heifers. There was a comment about the rear legs of the other xbred bull I posted so I'm seeing how this one looks to y'all. 
Black bulls
- Thread starter Ky hills
- Start date
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Looks good to me.
farmerjan
Well-known member
Looks like a pretty nice young bull to me too. Seems to stand pretty square, he is not cow hocked in those pictures so that is a plus.
wbvs58
Well-known member
He's got a nice pair of nuts to work with. I don't think 18 heifers is a big ask of him. I bet he gets them bred in quick time. He'll be a popular boy.
Ken
Ken
snoopdog
Well-known member
He's a dandy
GoWyo
Well-known member
Looks good. Strong topline, good depth of body, masculinity looks appropriate for his age.
OP
OP
Ky hills
Well-known member
He has been with the heifers since 4/27. He is a bit smaller framed than I prefer, as is his mother. She has her her third calf this year and age wise should just have had 2. She gained time with this years calf. I figure that he may sire some early maturity and fertility. His sire was an AI son of PA Power Tool and out of an HA Image Maker daughter. I have used several bulls over the years from the BR New Design 036/Predestined line and have had great results fertility wise with those bulls and sired growth on their calves.
This is the above pictured bulls dam.
This is the above pictured bulls dam.
She's very nice.
OP
OP
Ky hills
Well-known member
This is our other black bull, 27 months old and by the same Angus bull as the younger bull pictured above. 3/4 Angus 1/4 Hereford. Have had some calves by him this spring and summer and almost all of the cows will have calves by him next year. His calves thus far from black cows are pretty much Angus in appearance. From Hereford cows they are black or red white faced. I like his disposition, not a pet but calm with a pretty close flight zone. He is solid and actually has a thick bull neck which is something I haven't seen much of with a lot of our other bulls both Angus and Hereford. I do find some fault in his rear legs he doesn't stand like I think they should. He tends to a lot of times stand with them in towards his front feet. Doesn't seem to affect his travel as he moves freely. 
OP
OP
Ky hills
Well-known member
This is our prospect for next year. An out cross to the above 2 bulls on the sire side of both and total out cross to the older bull. We think he will be more of a growth bull and not one that I would want to breed heifers too, as his sire was not a heifer bull. He was born 4/3/21. 
frieghttrain
Well-known member
Baldy bull looks like a good rip. Don't care for the looks of that Calf, no rear end whatsoever and a sloppy sheath and his high set of hips.
wbvs58
Well-known member
He looks pretty rangy at the moment but as you say he looks like he will put plenty of growth on his calves.
Ken
Ken
OP
OP
Ky hills
Well-known member
Yes I noticed the sheath too from the pictures and confirmed that in person. His hips are higher. The bull he is out of was pretty thick he may grow into it more but right now the sheath angle has me thinking steer him.
farmerjan
Well-known member
I am not impressed with his rear quarters either. He's got some growth for only being barely 4 months. That could be some from the dam being a good milking cow too. But the growth is noticeable. I am no expert on cattle with "leather" so can't make any recommendation on that.
Why so long? You aren't doing the fertility in your herd any good imoo………
OP
OP
Ky hills
Well-known member
With our heifers most years barring a problem, come preg check time one or two will be open and immediately culled and the rest will be bred within about a. 6 week window.
We've done it all from having a 60 day window to leaving the bulls in year round and back to the 120 day thing currently. I have tried to do the tight window of calving only to have a mineral problem/TAI disaster/string of bull problems over the course of 2-3 years and strung them out. I know most people want that tight calving time and I like too, but not always the most feasible. We keep records and cull heavily, if a cow gets behind 2-4 months, if it is a cow that raises a good calf, I'm better off to keep her than to sell and have to pay time and a half to replace her with one that may not be any better. We do cull heavily and those that get behind get on the list and if two consecutive fall behinds they are culled. Daughters of the first cows to calve consistently are the ones that get retained. The cows performance plays heavily on the decision of picking bulls as well.
WFfarm
Well-known member
We follow this method heavily too.
