choosing the right bull....

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I was wanting some thought's on what bull might be good for my operation. I have a small herd of simmangus, belted galloway, and black baldy cow's. Most likely will buy some more simmi's. I need a bull for next year and I was thinking polled hereford. I don't care about what something is going to bring me at the sale barn. All I care about is a good tasty steak on the table and something easy to deal with and nice to look at in the field. I will want to retain some of the heifer's from my belties and simmi's. I like to retain the hide from the belties at slaughter time. Everybody preaches angus around here. Since everybody is stuck on black I tend to think there has to be something else out there other than angus to get me what I want. I think I'm just tired of seeing angus bull's and may be looking for something to compliment my herd of cow's and give me something else to look at. I'm not saying I wont buy an angus bull. I'm just saying I may want to try something else for a while. I figured with as large as the herd book is for polled hereford's it should be easy to find a bull that will give me calves around 80lbs. I just haven't read much about the marbling on the hereford compared to say the almighty angus. Come around Sept. I want to buy a young, gentle bull around 9 to twelve month's or so from reputable breeder that has a bull that is halter broke or close to it and that has been handled alot. I'm starting to look now so I might have a chance of finding one by Sept. Any thought's??????
 
If you don't want a Black Angus then go with a Red Angus or Polled Hereford. Either will give you the same Quality meat as the Black Angus and then you won't have to look at the Black calves.
 
Yes, go with a Polled Hereford. My family has been raising them since the 1930's or somewhere around there. I just bought the most gorgeous bull I've seen in a long time. Paid $1550. He's a reg. 2 yrs. old from a good Bull ranch. The breed is part of our beef industries history, part of the very foundation of the industry. Used to be just Longhoens and mexican cattle here. And this British breed is still here on every white face cow you see. There has to be a reason they haven't faded out like many things of old. They are docile, easy to work with (mine are all pretty much pets and know their names, come when called) and they forage well on unimproved pasture. They are good mothers and don't get nervous or flighty if you pet their new calves. This is my herd. Others may differ. However this is what I know from 40 yrs. of my own experience with Polled Herefords. And they do fine at the auction. Plus, they are beautiful and distictive to look at. Regal and attractive animals.
 
The marketing area makes a world of difference on what sells. In this area Herefords will bring about 75% of anything else other then dairy or the real off beat breeds. At Joplin, closer to KS they don;t get docked near as bad but they still get docked. Yet baldies sell like snowcones on the fourth of July.

dun

TexasCountryWoman":1iyd1vin said:
Yes, go with a Polled Hereford. My family has been raising them since the 1930's or somewhere around there. I just bought the most gorgeous bull I've seen in a long time. Paid $1550. He's a reg. 2 yrs. old from a good Bull ranch. The breed is part of our beef industries history, part of the very foundation of the industry. Used to be just Longhoens and mexican cattle here. And this British breed is still here on every white face cow you see. There has to be a reason they haven't faded out like many things of old. They are docile, easy to work with (mine are all pretty much pets and know their names, come when called) and they forage well on unimproved pasture. They are good mothers and don't get nervous or flighty if you pet their new calves. This is my herd. Others may differ. However this is what I know from 40 yrs. of my own experience with Polled Herefords. And they do fine at the auction. Plus, they are beautiful and distictive to look at. Regal and attractive animals.
 
IMO, Polled Hereford would be perfect for your herd, You would get alot of baldys and good hybred vigor. There are alot of good bulls out there,
Slightly higher than Angus in this area.
Look for BW, milk, milk and growth on your EPD's, and choose a bull that looks a little corse [big boned]
I dont sell hereford bulls but i have bought quite a few.
I think you will be happy
Hillbilly
 
Thought I might login this time... Has anyone ever known anyone to vross a hereford bull with a beltie cow. I am interested in how it would work out. The bull I have now throw's 80 lb calves on all my baldies and simmi's, but every single calf I've had come out of a beltie has been about 60 lbs.. Wonder if their going to have a little calf no matter what I breed them with. I like not haveing any calving problem's from my belties even my heifer's didn't have trouble. I guess the only bad thing is they grow a little slower but they grow fast enough for me.
 
What kind of bull are you using now.
If it is a heavy birth weight bull, and you are having 60 lb calves out of the belties, and if you would use a low to moderate BW Hereford you shouldn't have any calving problems.

I sure do like your signature.
 
I currently have a murray grey bull that was an 89 lb calf himself. He's a great bull, just not good for my baldy heifer's or for my future cow herd. I think I'm pretty much done with murray grey. I think the murray grey is a great breed but, maybe not for me. I guess I'm going to try a whole bunch of breed's and end up like everyone else (back to what everyone else is doing around me, but I dont want to be like everybody else. I want something better.). I'm trying to keep an open mind and give a few more breed's a chance to have a spot on my plate. It's one big never ending experiment. I like spending all this money on steak. IT'S FUN!!!!
 
Belties are known for throwing small calves.
But if you're wondering about coloration -- this color cross has been developed into a new breed in the Miniature cattle. Miniature Herefords, crossed to the Mini Belted Galloways, produce belted cattle with whiteface and color around the eyes -- they're called Panda cattle, and they're quite attractive.
If you want to see pictures, here's a link
http://www.minicattle.com/
Scroll down the page to see the Pandas.



AnnB

Kevin":33eor815 said:
Thought I might login this time... Has anyone ever known anyone to vross a hereford bull with a beltie cow. I am interested in how it would work out. The bull I have now throw's 80 lb calves on all my baldies and simmi's, but every single calf I've had come out of a beltie has been about 60 lbs.. Wonder if their going to have a little calf no matter what I breed them with. I like not haveing any calving problem's from my belties even my heifer's didn't have trouble. I guess the only bad thing is they grow a little slower but they grow fast enough for me.
 
I don't know about BW but the belt is real dominant. One of the dairys used a Dutch Belted bulls about 10 years ago, Holsten grandaughters and great grandaughters of his still throw belts. Jersey daughters and grandaughters don't. I think it hooks up with the spotted gene in Holsteins and since most Jerseys don;t have spotting it doesn't come through. I may ask him to breed one of the Jersey daughters/grandaughters to a Holstein and see if the belt comes back.

dun

Ann Bledsoe":jtoffh5o said:
Belties are known for throwing small calves.
But if you're wondering about coloration -- this color cross has been developed into a new breed in the Miniature cattle. Miniature Herefords, crossed to the Mini Belted Galloways, produce belted cattle with whiteface and color around the eyes -- they're called Panda cattle, and they're quite attractive.
If you want to see pictures, here's a link
http://www.minicattle.com/
Scroll down the page to see the Pandas.



AnnB

Kevin":jtoffh5o said:
Thought I might login this time... Has anyone ever known anyone to vross a hereford bull with a beltie cow. I am interested in how it would work out. The bull I have now throw's 80 lb calves on all my baldies and simmi's, but every single calf I've had come out of a beltie has been about 60 lbs.. Wonder if their going to have a little calf no matter what I breed them with. I like not haveing any calving problem's from my belties even my heifer's didn't have trouble. I guess the only bad thing is they grow a little slower but they grow fast enough for me.
 
Kevin, I agree. Playing with cattle genetics is great FUN! I love my crossbreeds so much because, like a mad scientist, I created them. I know who their Grandparents were etc., I bottle fed some, I tended them through some mishap, or I watched them come into the world. I have some cattle with genetic connections to my Grandparents herd that goes back 75 years.
 
Hard to go wrong with Herefords I'm slightly bias, I would recomend Felton's or Braxton Giant bloodlines. Calves get here about the size of a housecat and grow like weeds.
 
Kevin":5uxal5rt said:
Thought I might login this time... Has anyone ever known anyone to cross a hereford bull with a beltie cow. I am interested in how it would work out.

The Beltie Herford Cross is called a Belford, very popular with some producers. Definately very colorful! There is a 50% chance of getting the full belt/partial belt or no belt. The one in the middle is a Belford. These guys are minis but they come in bigger sizes...

belford.JPG
 
Raising Maines I would try to talk you into a Maine bull. The growth and meat quality is really becoming a selling trait. Look for GenStar tenderness and marbling ratings. That genetic test that is not just Maine specific so what ever you buy can be tested for those traits. We have had 4 calves so far and the birth weights remain between 69-75 lbs. We look for lower birth weight epd animals with a balance in ww and yw.

Maines are good mommas, milk like mad, flashy in the show ring and will give you lots of growth. I know I am making my pitch and everyone likes what they like but a Maine bull could do wonders for you.
 
I would recommend a Hereford , however I'm bias because I raise them. If you choose a top marbling Hereford bull it will marble as good or better than many angus. Here in Kentucky I'd love to see more people breeding their angus herd to Hereford bulls.
 

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