Heifer to buy for Show/Farm

[OldCrow]

All,

Back Story:

My Dad is wanting to get my niese a heifer to show at fairs so that she can gain responsibility and make some money by selling and showing it. So I'm thinking this is a good oppurtunity to buy the heifer from her and breed it for replacement heifers. We are small commercial farmers with black cows but we are not looking to get into purebreeds. I just want to use the oppurtunity to capatilize and produce better cattle. My Dad wants to go hereford because in our area we have been told that they are more docile. I would like to stick with Angus because we have black cows and can get a hereford bull to breed for replacements and not worry with AI. We just don't have the facilities and time for AI at this time but I hope to be able to in a couple of years. My belief is that you can get a docile Angus you just have to look at the EPDs when you go to purchase.

Questions:

What are your thoughts on Docility of the two breeds?
Is my thoughts on buying it, even though it is just one, sound judgement and reasoning for wanting it to be angus?
Finally what would be your recommendations for a good bloodline that will show good and make good replacement heifers?

Thanks,

Derrick

 

[sim.-ang.king]

The whole docile hereford thing is mostly a marketing thing they have going on right now. You can find Angus bulls that are a gentle as a kitten, and some herefords that are meaner then snot. I would say go out and find a Angus bull that had been showed for most his life and you won't have any problem with a mean bull, and it will probably make some good calves.

 

[iowa hawkeyes]

We had a 60 year Angus herd and switched to Herefords in 2000. I don't regret it at all. They are so much more docile than angus and perfect for a new showman. I would beinterested to know what Hereford's have a bad temperament Sim Angus. I don't know of any off hand. I've heard of a few Angus tho- ext bloodlines for one. As far bloodlines, just look for a good structured animal and check the epdson the heifer. Find a local breeder or two and look at some calves.

 

[bse]

I think you can get crazy ones in any breed. A lot of them in the EXT line are nuts but i have a couple of them that are pretty good cattle, if there high strung they get a trailer ride. My daughter showed Angus for yrs only county fairs i was never willing to fatten one enough to show at a higher level, I dont think show heifers automatically make good cows. I have 1 left that she showed the cow is twelve and a real pain you cant do anything with her always right on you and cant drive her anywhere. If you go with Angus i think now Bismark,Iron Mtn just a couple. Go to the Angus website they just had NJAA they should have all the winners listed.