Heifer Bull Selection

[DCortes]

I am interested in what people have in mind when selecting a heifer bull. If you have a great heifer bull, congratulations. I am more interested in learning how you ended up with said heifer bull.

Do you focus on phenotype? what should the bull look like? Do you consider his birth weight? Weaning or yearling weight? Frame score?

Do you look at genotype? what EPDs are your priority? Do you only use high accuracy AI sires? would you give a chance to a low accuracy bull for live cover?

When you are sitting down in front of the AI catalog, or at the sale barn, what is it that makes you say "that's the one"?

 

[coachg]

We use angus bulls so we look for epds with 1 or negative birth weights . Our current heifer bull is an ultra black bull . Out of our previous heifer bull out of a brangus cow. Another thing I like about him is he’s not a huge bull , maybe 1400 lbs .

 

[SBMF 2015]

I pelvic measure. So when I used to save a bunch of hfrs I would take the top end of the measurements and breed the to 1-2 BW bulls.
Rest of the hfrs I would breed to true calving ease low BW high CED bulls. I always kinda figured these were “throw away calves” the whole goal was to get little live calves and have the hfr have enough energy to get up and take care of them. Those calves always finished 250lbs lighter than the calves out of the cows and cow bulls.

 

[DCortes]

I pelvic measure. So when I used to save a bunch of hfrs I would take the top end of the measurements and breed the to 1-2 BW bulls.
Rest of the hfrs I would breed to true calving ease low BW high CED bulls. I always kinda figured these were "throw away calves" the whole goal was to get little live calves and have the hfr have enough energy to get up and take care of them. Those calves always finished 250lbs lighter than the calves out of the cows and cow bulls.

What do you use as a limit for BW and CED on your smaller heifers?

 

[SBMF 2015]

What do you use as a limit for BW and CED on your smaller heifers?

I’m a little braver than most. Because I pelvic measure I’m not afraid of a BW of +1.7 or a CED of 10. I’ve used a +2.5 BW bull on select hfrs and got along fine but I wouldn’t recommend that to folks.

 

[Silver]

I don’t do EPD’s. I like a birthweight under 90 lbs and a smooth front end and not too much bone.

 

[Lazy M]

I don't do EPD's. I like a birthweight under 90 lbs and a smooth front end and not too much bone.

The longer I'm in this game, the more I think you're right about EPDs. Just look at the bull's actual bw and his phenotype and go from there.

 

[DCortes]

I don't do EPD's. I like a birthweight under 90 lbs and a smooth front end and not too much bone.

Does the head of the bull factor in your decision making?

 

[DCortes]

I'm a little braver than most. Because I pelvic measure I'm not afraid of a BW of +1.7 or a CED of 10. I've used a +2.5 BW bull on select hfrs and got along fine but I wouldn't recommend that to folks.

Is there a minimum accuracy you would stay within for CED and BW?

 

[DCortes]

The longer I'm in this game, the more I think you're right about EPDs. Just look at the bull's actual bw and his phenotype and go from there.

What birth weight are you using as a limit? Do you change it depending on what the bull looks like? Wider bull less BW kind of thing?

 

[SBMF 2015]

Is there a minimum accuracy you would stay within for CED and BW?

No, but I tend to use bull blood lines that are proven a year or more.
The more bulls you look at/ study you start to see the “Calving Ease Look” longer triangular shaped head and narrower through the shoulders. Almost feminine or frail compared to the block headed big shouldered meat wagon bulls that are to be used on cows.

 

[moses388]

I use DNA/EPDs and artificial insemination to obtain a walking herd sire. I want an AI sire that leads in every trait. If it is a low accuracy or unproven sire, I consider the EPDs of the sire & dam.

 

[Ebenezer]

Does the head of the bull factor in your decision making?

You had better not use a big headed one for sure.

 

[Lazy M]

What birth weight are you using as a limit? Do you change it depending on what the bull looks like? Wider bull less BW kind of thing?

Preferably a bw in the 70's if the bull is to be used on heifers. Smooth shoulders are key

 

[TCRanch]

My current heifer bull is CED +11, BW-1.0. First calves out of him are due any time. Previous heifer bull was CED +9, BW -.8. His calves averaged 70-75 lbs but had a couple whoppers at 100, primarily because of the heifers lineage and a freakishly cold winter in their 3rd trimester. My priorities are good DOC, CEM, CE, good feet. I expect the mama to raise a good calf as opposed to looking at WW.

How do I select these bulls? I call my breeder, who knows my herd & history, and delivers. I seriously have bought my last 3 bulls sight unseen.

 

[NIdahoShorthorns]

How does breeding age of the heifer relate to your selection of bull, if at all? Meaning are you exposing at 12 mo, 15 mo, 18, mo, 24 mo; or would you change bulls based on the first exposure?

 

[ClinchValley86]

I don't have a ton of animals, but mine get bred 13 to 15 months old. I use the same bull on everything. I like sloped hooks to pins, not a huge head.

From what I've seen, heifer calves come smaller than a grown cows calf majority of the time. That said heifers here run with cows til calving and get no extra groceries. Just grass or hay and mineral. Start feeding them in last trimester and the calves will be bigger IMO.

Heifers usually have a 60 to 75 pounder to a cows 60 to 90 pounds, normally.

 

[Travlr]

Most of the problems I see with birth are due to malpresentations. You can't fix that with easy calving bulls or pelvic measurements. I've had heifers with small hips and they expanded and had their calves.

I do see some value in using heifer bulls but only on heifers and never for calves to be retained. And I've never gone to extremes for low birth weights. I'm good with 80 pound calves from heifers and a cow better be able to have a bigger calf than that.

When I was specializing in replacement heifers I'd make choices by phenotype first... and then look at the EPDs for CE and WW to choose semen. The people buying would want to know and I'd have the catalog available to show what they were getting. I had return customers so it worked for them.

 

[Rafter S]

How does breeding age of the heifer relate to your selection of bull, if at all? Meaning are you exposing at 12 mo, 15 mo, 18, mo, 24 mo; or would you change bulls based on the first exposure?

It affects it greatly. If you're first exposing a heifer at 12-15 months you definitely need to select a calving ease bull. For older heifers, especially at 24 months, I'd recommend selecting a bull to produce the kind of calves you want and don't worry any more about calving ease than you would for an older cow.

 

[simme]

Breed a heifer too early and greater chance of calving problems. But breeding a heifer too late can also result in calving problems. Heifers can get too fat internally. Same with cows that have their calves very early weaned (maybe due to drought) or abort and are carried over to the next year. If nutrition is good, there will be more calving issues when they have not been raising a calf. Best to get them bred by 15 months or 850# range and keep them raising calves. Breaks and vacations and starting out late - can cause more calving issues.