Climatizing Shorthorn Bull

[SHORTHORNMAN]

I am thinking about purchasing a Shorthorn Bull from up North. My concern is bringing in to the Texas heat. We have been pushing 95 with humidity at 80%. By looking at the Northern bulls that is the genetics I want. What are your thoughts?

 

[5S Cattle]

There's a reason most people have ear, not hair breeding in their cattle down here. I bet he'll be miserable and so will his offspring if he makes any

 

[Nesikep]

I guess the best you can do is get him when it's the cooler season.
I had quite a bit of shorthorn influence in my herd, surprisingly, my "white" shorthorn has the hardest time with the heat.. This year has been a cool year for us, but on a hot year we can hit 100F from may through august.. probably don't have your humidity though.

 

[wbvs58]

He'll be OK, we have Angus, shorthorn, charolais bulls from the south going into northern Australia to improve the eating quality of the brahmin based herds in the north and they do OK. You will go from the end of summer there and into autumn so he won't need to grow a coat. I would think now would be an ideal time to move him.

Ken

 

[ALACOWMAN]

Was a member here,that did that .think he bought one from another member on here Coyote up in Canada maybe someone here can remember his user name..Coyote has some fantastic shorthorns..

 

[ALACOWMAN]

http://www.cattletoday.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=87808&p=1074879#p1074879

 

[Caustic Burno]

I am thinking about purchasing a Shorthorn Bull from up North. My concern is bringing in to the Texas heat. We have been pushing 95 with humidity at 80%. By looking at the Northern bulls that is the genetics I want. What are your thoughts?

My running partner ran a herd of SH until he died a few years ago. He always bought acclimated cattle like from V-8 etc. I still thought the breed had been crossed with hippo as much time as they spent in the lake. All you would see is their heads.
Before he died of cancer I bought a Herf/SH cross heifer of his just to have.
She suffers more than my other cattle but she does raise a calf that mashes the scales.

 

[Dubcharo]

Although winters will be milder!

 

[ALACOWMAN]

Although winters will be milder!

Milder and wetter ''Here" anyway.. cold miserable rains every other day the last couple winters ..I dread winters anymore..I'm thinking of crossing with duck for web feet and to shed water..

 

[Ky hills]

Although winters will be milder!

Milder and wetter ''Here" anyway.. cold miserable rains every other day the last couple winters ..I dread winters anymore..I'm thinking of crossing with duck for web feet and to shed water..

That's the way it's been here too. I'm already dreading winter. Down right depressing seeing days getting dark earlier, knowing that cold wet winter ain't too far away.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

I do enjoy the ""one week"" of fall weather we have ..use to spend fall days preparing for winter, a spring preparing for summer..now it's just goes from hot too cold ,just two seasons..the other two are history..

 

[gizmom]

We purchased a bull from Wyoming to use in Florida. We purchased in February. We are fall breeders so were ready to pull bulls by the time we got him delivered. He just hung out and grew for about 9
months before we turned him out. He was a breeding machine never had a minutes trouble with



This is a photo the day he arrived in Florida.



Another as a three year old



And as a mature bull he was good one.

Gizmom

 

[BFE]

We purchased a bull from Wyoming to use in Florida. We purchased in February. We are fall breeders so were ready to pull bulls by the time we got him delivered. He just hung out and grew for about 9
months before we turned him out. He was a breeding machine never had a minutes trouble with



This is a photo the day he arrived in Florida.



Another as a three year old



And as a mature bull he was good one.

Gizmom

He appears so.
Looks like he was slick haired from the day you got him. That may have helped him out in the transition.

 

[MLFuller]

We have purchased a couple of bred cows from up North and brought them down into the Midwest/South. We always brought them in during late fall, winter or early spring. Same with a bull. He went from a dry and arid climate into a wet and humid climate. As long as the bull/cow has time to acclimate to the weather before a stressful event (breeding, calving, etc.), then they should be fine.

 

[houstoncutter]

My opinion, would be no. If your a seed stock guy sure it makes sense. However seed stock guys baby their animals. If it's that important to you to get these genetics , buy a embryo implanted surrogate cow. Bring her down here let her raise the calf and sell her when you wean a animal that is already climatized