greenwillowherefords
Well-known member
A business trip to a commercial cattle operation this evening impressed on me the importance of staying in touch with our customers. This operation has two herd bulls. One is TSG Tamerlane, a bull born right here at GWH. The other is our former herd bull, Day Rupert Tone 092. Tamerlane was sired by an OSU bull with strong Feltons 517 genetics. 092 is a line-bred Turner Ranch/Hazlett bull from Day Herefords. "Tam" is polled, 092 is horned.
We are getting our second butcher calf from this operation, as we are able to evaluate how our genetics are performing on feed, at the butcher, and on the plate.
After observing both bulls and their progeny on the ground from the same cross-bred cow family, I was reassured that we had made the right choice by bringing in the Hazlett influence. 092's calves are growthier and more correct. Comparing the bulls, while Tam is a good bull, 092 is a quantum leap in thickness, packs on more substance, and is easier fleshing. Tam's strongest point is his calving ease. He weighed 73# himself, and his calves are all small but vigorous. Meanwhile, 092 has never yet sired a calf that had to be pulled, but some of the BW were substantially higher.
On paper however, Tam would be the runaway favorite. Popular bloodlines, much better EPDs, ;-) That is why we should use them as a tool, not a law.
BTW, they haven't separated the bulls for breeding season yet, and it was interesting to watch them playfully spar, then go eat hay side by side.
We are getting our second butcher calf from this operation, as we are able to evaluate how our genetics are performing on feed, at the butcher, and on the plate.
After observing both bulls and their progeny on the ground from the same cross-bred cow family, I was reassured that we had made the right choice by bringing in the Hazlett influence. 092's calves are growthier and more correct. Comparing the bulls, while Tam is a good bull, 092 is a quantum leap in thickness, packs on more substance, and is easier fleshing. Tam's strongest point is his calving ease. He weighed 73# himself, and his calves are all small but vigorous. Meanwhile, 092 has never yet sired a calf that had to be pulled, but some of the BW were substantially higher.
On paper however, Tam would be the runaway favorite. Popular bloodlines, much better EPDs, ;-) That is why we should use them as a tool, not a law.
BTW, they haven't separated the bulls for breeding season yet, and it was interesting to watch them playfully spar, then go eat hay side by side.
