Menu
Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
New posts
New media
New media comments
New profile posts
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Members
Current visitors
New profile posts
Search profile posts
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles and first posts only
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Forums
Cattle Boards
Breeds Board
Calving ease bulls
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Help Support CattleToday:
Message
<blockquote data-quote="VanC" data-source="post: 839774" data-attributes="member: 3355"><p>I understand what some of you are saying, but try and look at it from the point of view of the average commercial producer. His goals are different than that of the seedstock and/or show cattle producer. </p><p></p><p>First of all, he uses live bulls. As of two years ago, only about 10% of beef cattle in the U.S. were bred using AI, and most of that was in the seedstock and club calf sectors. That means he doesn't have access to the proven "curvebenders" that are all but guaranteed to give him calving ease AND good growth. Pounds at weaning are what he's looking for so he's going to use bulls that are likely to give him just that. He doesn't want a cow killer, but he's going to feel more comforatable using those bulls on mature cows. Besides, even if the bulls he uses have excellent CE EPDs (if he uses them), he might be a little wary of using them on heifers until they've proven themselves. As we all know, things don't always play out the way they're supposed to. </p><p></p><p>If he retains heifers, he expects her to be productive for many years. Not only does he expect it, he needs that to happen to keep his head above water. As has been said, it costs a lot of money to raise a heifer. He doesn't want to take a chance on calving troubles that might lessen her future productivity or, God forbid, kill her. He's looking long term. He's willing to have that one "throwaway calf" (not that there really is such a thing) if it means she will be productive for 10-15 years after that. He doesn't plan on culling her after 5 or 6 years to upgrade his genetics like some seedstock producers do. He needs her to hang around a lot longer than that. That's why he needs to be confident that the bulls he uses on his heifers won't kill them. If that means using bulls of a different breed that's known for throwing smaller calves, then that's what he's going to do. Just sayin'.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="VanC, post: 839774, member: 3355"] I understand what some of you are saying, but try and look at it from the point of view of the average commercial producer. His goals are different than that of the seedstock and/or show cattle producer. First of all, he uses live bulls. As of two years ago, only about 10% of beef cattle in the U.S. were bred using AI, and most of that was in the seedstock and club calf sectors. That means he doesn't have access to the proven "curvebenders" that are all but guaranteed to give him calving ease AND good growth. Pounds at weaning are what he's looking for so he's going to use bulls that are likely to give him just that. He doesn't want a cow killer, but he's going to feel more comforatable using those bulls on mature cows. Besides, even if the bulls he uses have excellent CE EPDs (if he uses them), he might be a little wary of using them on heifers until they've proven themselves. As we all know, things don't always play out the way they're supposed to. If he retains heifers, he expects her to be productive for many years. Not only does he expect it, he needs that to happen to keep his head above water. As has been said, it costs a lot of money to raise a heifer. He doesn't want to take a chance on calving troubles that might lessen her future productivity or, God forbid, kill her. He's looking long term. He's willing to have that one "throwaway calf" (not that there really is such a thing) if it means she will be productive for 10-15 years after that. He doesn't plan on culling her after 5 or 6 years to upgrade his genetics like some seedstock producers do. He needs her to hang around a lot longer than that. That's why he needs to be confident that the bulls he uses on his heifers won't kill them. If that means using bulls of a different breed that's known for throwing smaller calves, then that's what he's going to do. Just sayin'. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Forums
Cattle Boards
Breeds Board
Calving ease bulls
Top