Fire Sweep Ranch
Well-known member
So, I just wanted to update with a previous thread and allow you to follow along, if desired:
In this thread, http://www.cattletoday.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=86483&p=1055007&hilit=pioneer+angus#p1055007, I brought up the issue of an Angus heifer calving to a simmental bull, and having a very small calf (picture of calf is included in the above link). Well, the little calf grew up, was shown successfully with our son last year, and we bred back to a Simmental bull. Remember, this heifer calf was tiny at birth and a half simmental, half angus calf. Her dam (Pioneer sired angus) calved again the following year, another small bull calf this time (pictured in the bull thread, second bull pictured in this thread (http://www.cattletoday.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=100203). He is sired by Chopper, a white faced Simmental bull.
The little half blood heifer was bred to a simmental bull, Pays to Dream, due September 4th. Her birthday will be tomorrow, she will be two. Last week, she tricked us and layed down and had this little guy while we were all sleeping!
So that little 49 pound bull calf is now about a week old, and doing great. He is a 3/4 blood simmental, and will be calving ease deluxe with great growth (Beef maker is his maternal sire).
So, you CAN use simmental genetics, have small calves, and great growth. And that tiny heifer, born two years ago, grew up to be a fantastic dam. She hides her little baby, and never gives him away. Her udder is picture perfect, and he is growing quickly.
An interesting side note: her dam always has blood red colostrum. 24 hours after she calved, I decided to check her milk, just to see. It was the color of chocolate milk, so I bet that the dark color is heritable? I have not pulled colostrum on a bunch of beef cows, but I wonder how many have this dark color?
In this thread, http://www.cattletoday.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=86483&p=1055007&hilit=pioneer+angus#p1055007, I brought up the issue of an Angus heifer calving to a simmental bull, and having a very small calf (picture of calf is included in the above link). Well, the little calf grew up, was shown successfully with our son last year, and we bred back to a Simmental bull. Remember, this heifer calf was tiny at birth and a half simmental, half angus calf. Her dam (Pioneer sired angus) calved again the following year, another small bull calf this time (pictured in the bull thread, second bull pictured in this thread (http://www.cattletoday.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=100203). He is sired by Chopper, a white faced Simmental bull.
The little half blood heifer was bred to a simmental bull, Pays to Dream, due September 4th. Her birthday will be tomorrow, she will be two. Last week, she tricked us and layed down and had this little guy while we were all sleeping!
So that little 49 pound bull calf is now about a week old, and doing great. He is a 3/4 blood simmental, and will be calving ease deluxe with great growth (Beef maker is his maternal sire).
So, you CAN use simmental genetics, have small calves, and great growth. And that tiny heifer, born two years ago, grew up to be a fantastic dam. She hides her little baby, and never gives him away. Her udder is picture perfect, and he is growing quickly.
An interesting side note: her dam always has blood red colostrum. 24 hours after she calved, I decided to check her milk, just to see. It was the color of chocolate milk, so I bet that the dark color is heritable? I have not pulled colostrum on a bunch of beef cows, but I wonder how many have this dark color?
