Hoover Dam or his sons

[CreekAngus]

Really interested in this. I used CC&7 last year and really like the calves so far. Plan on retaining one of the bulls. Since CC&7 semen has gone out of sight I'm thinking Hoover Dam would be the logical choice to use instead. What does Hoover Dam do to frame? I'm shooting for 5 to 6 frame cattle.

I've been making tons of call and doing a lot of research on Hoover dam. From what I can gather, he will reduce frame on most cows. Which that is what I'm wanting. Everyone I have talked to brags on how well uddered and calm his daughters are.
I've never used him, but ordered 50 straws to use this fall. I'm going to put him in some of my best cows and hope for heifers.
I do have some very nice calves out of SS Niagra.

I hope to hear some more comments on Hoover dam. I'm going back to using older, proven bulls. I'm not overly impressed with the $b trend bulls.

I agree with your line of thinking. I used New Day and CC&7 pretty heavily this past year for the same reason. Looking at breeding Hoover Dam to about 20 cows on the next round.
I'm interested in Hoover Dam's effect on frame compared to a bull like SAV Resource? I have to be careful with Resource. He took some of my cows down a notch too far. Trying to decide if Hoover Dam has the same frame reducing effect.

Somebody is speaking my love language "New Day". How are the progeny looking?

 

[CreekAngus]

The only criticism I've heard of Hoover Dam, it that on occasion, his daughters will be a bit tubular. But he sounds like he's been rock solid for years and most folks are never sorry they used him on their herd.

 

[hornedfrogbbq]

odd question: i suppose he is still alive?

 

[dbird33]

Main goal is balanced cattle with some preference to maternal traits. Still building the cow herd at this time.

I know he's old news. But have you considered 878? Just a thought.

I have looked at him more than once. I always talk myself out of using him. I've seen a few sons and daughters and they were thinner made and lacked the mass I was looking for. He's still on my list and I may scoop up a few canes if I have a little extra in the budget this fall. I think his longevity alone is reason to give him some burn.

 

[dbird33]

Somebody is speaking my love language "New Day". How are the progeny looking?

I am real happy with them so far. We have four bulls and one heifer at about 6 months old. I used him on some smaller cows as a trial and really hoped for more females, I'm trying to build a maternal cow herd. I'd say the bulls are going to weigh, but I used him on a cow or two that needed more mass and less frame. I can see from the other progeny it was a breeder problem not a New Day problem.
Real happy with the heifer so far. She's out of my favorite cow. High hopes for her going forward. Plan to go back to him in the future, and I think I have a better idea of how to use him now. Posting a photo of the heifer below. It was pretty dark when I took it so the quality could be better.

 

[W.B.]

Niagara is a son worthy of consideration. More mass and performance than his sire.

 

[Sostra]

It is interesting that nobody has commented on the fact that Hoover Dam is now in top 10% for $B.

 

[hornedfrogbbq]

It is interesting that nobody has commented on the fact that Hoover Dam is now in top 10% for $B.

And no one is excited about his sons outside of Niagara.

 

[Named'em Tamed'em]

I have this 8 yo girl bred to Hoover Dam, she is my best cow.

 

[NEFarmwife]

One of our heifers from a Hoover Dam son (HD 2509), same son that brought us Poss Maverick down the line.

https://www.facebook.com/759292160893257/posts/1340931966062604?s=609586731&sfns=mo

She was born 01/10. So she'd be nearing 6 months. We want to start weaning everything about the 2nd week of August.

We used about 20 straws of him on our girls. Only 2, are purebred. She's one of them.

 

[Warrior2154]

Our 8 year old Hoover dam cow. She'll be 9 this fall. Love Hoover dam. Also using his son Niagara.

 

[jscunn]

She is very nice. What is the bottom side of the pedigree?

 

[Bright Raven]

Magnificent animal. :cboy:

 

[Warrior2154]

Hyline right time 338 x rito 2rt2 of 0B5 RR Traveler.

Her son is at GeneX. Keystone

Hoover dam has worked for us in our area, northeast KY. Females are good, docile and not too big or small. Udders really hold up. Feet good.

 

[CreekAngus]

Keystone carry's his dams phenotype, both are very nice, would be a nice addition to any herd.

 

[T & B farms]

That is one nice cow.
I'm planning an putting a lot of Hoover dam in next spring. Cows and heifers

 

[Son of Butch]

Our 8 year old Hoover dam cow. She'll be 9 this fall. Love Hoover Dam.

Is that a front end or what?!?
I'll go out on a limb and predict both she and Hoover dam will be keepers...

 

[Ebenezer]

Just curious on the accuracy of EPDs. Do you have to cull many HD daughters as yearlings due to slow breed up? HP EPD is lower so I did not know if there is a skew in the data or a bias? His EPDs, overall, seem to give something to all parts of the industry from calving ease all the way to carcass.

 

[Warrior2154]

We have not had any problems breeding up heifers. I think maybe a skew in data since he is 11 but still breed avg almost for $M even at his age.

 

[Ebenezer]

We have not had any problems breeding up heifers. I think maybe a skew in data since he is 11 but still breed avg almost for $M even at his age.

I would think that at 11 and with widespread appeal (apparently) he would have as much solid data for EPDs as any currently used bull. His oldest daughters should be 9.5 YO at most. That would be about the time I would want to begin to label a bull as decent or not if some could make it to that age and still be producing good calves on schedule. Unless somebody screwed up the data or wanted to elevate the EPDs on their own bull with bias then the HP EPD is not hitting on all cylinders. Always seems to go back to "buyer beware". If the HP is wrong then the $M would not be a trustworthy place for me to check either. Thanks.