Have Semen which Cow? Beefmaster Help

[fourstates]

I have obtained 2 straws of LBar5502 semen, a bull I really like, and am trying to decide which 2 cows to use it on:
The Bull:

The cows:

Contender 1,2 & 3
A better picture of Contender 2

Better of 3

Contender 4

Contender 5

Contender 6

Contender 7

Contender 8

I am not concerned about color. What do you think?

 

[Central Fl Cracker]

"The results of the 2000-2001 Texas A&M Carcass test are in, and L Bar 5502 blew the doors off once again! In fact, he ranked in the top four in seven of nine categories. His calves were the second lightest at birth, the heaviest at weaning and went on to hang the heaviest carcasses and graded 85.71% choice and prime. :clap:

 

[Santas and Duhram Reds]

Are you looking for a complimentary cross or one to help the flaws of one of your cows? Personally I would go with a complimentary breeding since it is semen. You only have 1 straw?

 

[Beefy]

those are all great contenders.

are you hoping for daughters or a lbar son? (if you are a wanting a girl breed him to someone who had a boy this year hah)

which cows are your best performers?

personally, i tend to favor the duns. the black cow would have a nice baldy calf i bet. and also contenders 2 and 3. better get more semen.

 

[Santas and Duhram Reds]

Cracker,

That is the kind of info I like to hear. SO many people instantly assume Brahman influenced cattle can't grade well.

 

[fourstates]

I want a bull calves, but of course I am happy just to incorporate the bloodline, with heifers. I only have 2 straws of Lbar. Cows 2 & 5 are bred heifers, due very soon, so they would be excluded if there were any problems. I excluded any other cow with conformation or breeding issues, with the exception of #3, I am not crazy about her udder, but she raises good calves and is a nice thick cow.

 

[Beefy]

4, 6, and 8 it is then!

i agree about 3's udder but she is still nice and would have a helluva lbar.

 

[DOC HARRIS]

This continuing and seemingly on-going question of "Which Cow should I breed this bull to?" rears it's head every two or three weeks or so, and the same questions must be answered in order for a reasonable answer to be presented!

WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING TO DO WITH THE PROGENY WHICH WILL RESULT??!

Are you going to keep the resulting heifers as replacement heifers for your herd??

Is it primarily a Terminal herd, or a Maternal herd??

What are the weaknesses of your cow herd? Is this bull strong enough Genetically and Phenotypically to correct those weaknesses?

What are the marketing potentials for the progeny?

Are you selecting the cows for the purposes of keeping the progeny for yourself for meat, or selling them as seedstock?


If you are planning to use heifer progeny as replacement heifers for your herd, the wise procedure would be to collect the semen from the bull, have it sexed, and then AI the cow which presents with the best Maternal traits. If that protocol is not to your liking., for whatever collection of reasons, then direct-breed the bull to the appropriate cows, and take your chances with the produced gender of the calves. Of course, you must have justifiable selection choices for your chosen cow(s). The bull is an excellent representation of a Beefmasteer bull, and you should not go wrong whatever gender is produced, so long as your COW choices are carefully thought-out and the Genetypes, Phenotypes, (EPD's), and Functional traits are in a compatible status with the bull's. Form Follows Function, and the Eye of the Master breeds his cattle! You can't make a silk purse out of a Sow's ear, so your cow selection is critical. Breed The Best to the Best!

My choices would be Contenders 2, 5, and 8, udders and strong top lines being the deciding trait factors. You could use the semen on 2 and 5 after they calve.

DOC HARRIS

 

[Santas and Duhram Reds]

sorry, i didn't read the 2 straws bit.

 

[CPL]

Personally I like contender 2 the best. Nice bull, Im guessing since you only have 2 straws and he's a popular bull semen is hard to get ? Maybe you would consider flushing one of the cows ? Of course a lot of other information would be needed to make that call. Just a thought.

 

[Brandonm22]

Cow 1 would work well; but that photo makes me question her rear leg set and I wonder if she has quite the substance of bone in those front legs. With a better pic on level ground, I might lean her way. With only the one pic, I would have to avoid her.

Cow 2 is a good all around cow. Solid, reliable, feminine. Decent substance. Good volume. Not flashy but hard to punch holes in.

I like the heck out of cow 3 ; but those coke bottle teats bother me no end. With a better udder, she could be the best cow of the bunch.

Cow 4 is a deep ribbed easy fleshing kind of cow but her whole rear end is a train wreck. Sickle hocked, weak topped on the hind end, plunging from her hooks to the pins, I question how smoothly she is tracking.

Cow 5 looks a little lite muscled, I have some question about how that shoulder works and I thinks she is narrow made. Again 1 pic from an angle on uneven ground makes me question my judgement.

Cow 6 is a little weak topped, a little narrow made (see the lack of width between the front legs) , a little lite muscled, and a little weak in her rear structure. The black hide is nice and if that black calf is hers and is typical of her work she is making you plenty of money.

Cow 7 is real weak in her pasterns. That big exaggerated navel makes me suspect what kind of sheath a bull by her would be. The rear half of the udder looks insufficient; but she probably was just milked out so I don't know if I can hold that against her. She looks old.

Cow 8 is kind of a plane jane type cow. I like her udder, she is easy fleshing, thick and is level topped ; but I would like to see her longer. Has she calved yet???


I place them 2 - 8 - 1 -5- 3 - 6 - 7 - 4

2 and 8 would be the ones I would buy if I were picking just two out of a pen.

I have little confidence in those placings.

If I were you I would lean more on my production records.

 

[*Cowgirl*]

I personally have no clue how much L Bar 5502 semen costs but I'm guessing it is a lot - if it is even available. With a limited amount of semen and a nice set of females, I would chose the one that best compliments the bull (phenotypically as well as considering EPDs) and seriously consider flushing as an option. JMO

 

[fourstates]

Cow 8 calved in March, and is out of the 7cow, both are great mothers. Brandon, you are correct about 7 having sheathy bulls, great big boned bull calves, but with floppy underlines. 7 is less than 5 years old, but she is raising a Jan 28 calf, who is already 1/3 her size. She does have a good udder, but is too short bodied. Moderate framed, though. The 1 cow is well bred, but isn't as easy keeper as the other, and so far her calves are a little lite boned. I am thinking about flushing 2 and 8, but I'll have to find a vet with experience. I can ai, but not et. I have some good candidates for recip duty.

 

[bigbull338]

i can solve this prob fast.of the 8 cows id pick the best cow.because you only have 2 straws of semen.sn you may not even get a calf out of 2 straws.

 

[DOC HARRIS]

i can solve this prob fast.of the 8 cows id pick the best cow.because you only have 2 straws of semen.sn you may not even get a calf out of 2 straws.

Good answer!

Next question: What criteria does one employ to determine WHICH cow is the BEST cow??

In 25 words , or less, itemize and explain the procedures for "cow-quality determination". This is an "Open Book" examination, and you may use any and all references at your disposal to arrive at the answer(s). :? HINT: Give maximum consideration to Future Potential, Genotype, Phenotype, and Functional Trait Qualities in your searching for a solution.

DOC HARRIS

 

[ALACOWMAN]

you got some great looking moma's.... i like # 2 like too see a close up of her udder though. but their your cattle and you know their preformance.... she also has a good clean underline and navel. but the rest do too

 

[bigbull338]

doc you look at the cow an bulls bloodlines.then you look at the cows falts.then you see wich falts the bull is best suited to correct on the cow.so you use the bull on the best cow he is a match with.

 

[beefmasters]

Fourstates, I won't comment on which cow to ai l-5502 to because i would probably be wrong. :nod: But i do have two things for you to consider.I have seen several bulls out of 5502 and it is not hard to get too much sheath when crossing to him.If you look at him he has a fair amount of sheath although it is usually tucked fairly well in his pictures.Not too much of a problem if he is being bred to really tight bred females but possibly a wreck on females of sheathy structure or bloodlines.Also i would be careful on the hooks to pins slope.I know that some beefmasters have a sloping rearend as this is a brahman trait but i personally don't like it.Makes them look like a water buffalo or yak.I am not saying he will cause this condition but i don't think he helps it either.5502 is one heck of a bull and i hope you get what you are after.Let us know what happens and best of luck.

 

[DOC HARRIS]

doc you look at the cow an bulls bloodlines.then you look at the cows falts.then you see wich falts the bull is best suited to correct on the cow.so you use the bull on the best cow he is a match with.

Oh!...O-o-kay. You are talking strictly Phenotypically, ...right?

DOC HARRIS

 

[bigbull338]

right