Thinking of using him as a potential for this fall... Anyone use him with good or other results?
DV Growth Fund Angus Bull
- Thread starter Dixie2542
- Start date
Help Support CattleToday:
FungusProudKY31
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2020
- Messages
- 363
- Reaction score
- 418
$EN greater than -50. High MM and additional MW. That will tell you about the demands from them. When the Indians send smoke signals they mean something. So do the patterns and trends of EPDs. I assume from the breeding he is another of the curvebender short gestation type.
jscunn
Well-known member
ours are only 10 months old but very satisfied with them. he can moderate them for frame so watch that aspect. breed him to cows too big or on the big end of your preferred frame and you will be happy. got a couple coming this fall and will use him more this winter.
Have never used Growth Fund. Used Stock Fund a son this year. One reason I used SF is I was told he has a tick more frame and length. Have Dow Jones in the tank now also. Again went with him as he has added frame size and length. I like the looks of many of the GF calves. The other reason I chose the sons were both hopefully will have more calving ease and I'm using them on heifers mainly.
BFE
Well-known member
Wow that looks to be some high maintenance genetics. I look at $EN pretty hard. I don't mind a low negative to low positive number, don't really want to go to hard either way. What's your thoughts ky31?
FungusProudKY31
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2020
- Messages
- 363
- Reaction score
- 418
I have a hard time figuring the MM, $EN and such on mainstream cattle. As a learning tool, you can go to Wye Angus data and see what high + $EN does on growth, fat and such. To me, that extreme is not attractive to a profitable situation. There seems to be a flaw between growth and milk in the actual EPDs much less the $EN index. So you have to look at MW and MH, MM and go from there.
$M was an interesting index until it got swept up in the world of fad seekers. By the time you cull for CEM, HP, feet ... the offering is pretty limited. Middle ground is the place to get growth and cow breed-back on forages but that is a moving target with EPV inflation.
jscunn
Well-known member
Growth Fund on the left, Niagara on the right.
Be very aware of protecting Growth Fund on Frame.. These two were 15 lbs apart at weaning in May, November 23 they were 300 lbs apart. The Growth Fund is 1051# and is done.. trying to stretch him out to 1100 - 1150#, The Niagara is gonna go to 1500 if I let him.. Both are October calves.
Josher
Well-known member
Do you have any more calves from either growth fund or Niagara? There epds show that they should be similar size and actually growth fund should have a little more frame… what size were the dams of these 2 calves?
Growth fund was a bull on my radar to use. Just undecided yet. I try stay away from bulls that bring frame size down too much.
jscunn
Well-known member
No more Growth Fund Steers, did have two heifers both are the right frame size. One is the best heifer out of the 19 in the replacement pen, the other would be in the top half. 3 more Niagara steers all bigger than this one with more room to continue to grow (not fat). 3 0ut of 4 Niagara Heifers are in the all in the top half of the replacements, the fourth didnt make the top 20 and went to the feedlot for freezer beef..
This years calf crop wont be a good test, one set of GF twins (steer and heifer) plus one decent steer calf, one Niagara calf out of a heifer, she looks like it too..
This years calf crop wont be a good test, one set of GF twins (steer and heifer) plus one decent steer calf, one Niagara calf out of a heifer, she looks like it too..
Josher
Well-known member
Would be interested to see pictures if u had any especially of the heifers. What other sires are you using?
jscunn
Well-known member
i dont have any heifers pics except way back before weaning. we used
sydgen fate (1 steer 2 heifers)
sydgen black diamond (3 steers 0 heifers)
plus 2 natural service bulls
all 16 steers from oct 2 to nov 23 averaged 4.81#/day
fate avg 5.10 #/day
black diamonds avg 4.77, 5.44, 5.54 #/day
niagaras avg. 5.69, 5.35, 5.83 #/day
growth fund avg 3.27 #/day. 2nd worst out of 16 home raised steers in the lot.
i will use GF again this winter but will certainly mate him to cows larger than my ideal..
interestingly enough 2 of the 3 niagara steers and all 3 of the niagara heifers are out of black diamond cows and all had good feet. both of the 2 "perfect" feet out of the whole group were niagara × black diamond yearlings (cows are full sisters)
sydgen fate (1 steer 2 heifers)
sydgen black diamond (3 steers 0 heifers)
plus 2 natural service bulls
all 16 steers from oct 2 to nov 23 averaged 4.81#/day
fate avg 5.10 #/day
black diamonds avg 4.77, 5.44, 5.54 #/day
niagaras avg. 5.69, 5.35, 5.83 #/day
growth fund avg 3.27 #/day. 2nd worst out of 16 home raised steers in the lot.
i will use GF again this winter but will certainly mate him to cows larger than my ideal..
interestingly enough 2 of the 3 niagara steers and all 3 of the niagara heifers are out of black diamond cows and all had good feet. both of the 2 "perfect" feet out of the whole group were niagara × black diamond yearlings (cows are full sisters)
J+ Cattle
Well-known member
This just shows the difference that genetics makes, one operation where they are under the same management and feed resources. There's a considerable difference in the daily weight gain. Do you think the feedlots would rather have the GF steers or the others?
On a side note,
So far all of the feedback that I've seen on Niagara has been good but I don't care for his $EN of -40 and his HP is low at 8.2. Just curious if it's been a problem getting the Niagara heifers bred?
I've heard he transmits very good udder quality.
On a side note,
So far all of the feedback that I've seen on Niagara has been good but I don't care for his $EN of -40 and his HP is low at 8.2. Just curious if it's been a problem getting the Niagara heifers bred?
I've heard he transmits very good udder quality.
jscunn
Well-known member
dont know yet about the fertility on niagaras yet but all the neighbors all seem to reuse him. i have heard the same concerns.
OP
OP
Are they keeping his offspring or selling them before breeding?
jscunn
Well-known member
3 of the 4 niagaras made the first cut and will be bred ai on jan4.. if they are open after ai they might end up in the feedlot.. same with the 2 growth fund heifers. long term if they breed they will probably stay here for all 5 heifers
