How does he look

[Hardin Farms]

What do you see? I am a novice at looking at cattle. I'd like to learn what to look for in a bull.

This is a 3 yo bull kept back out of a cow we bought from a purebred sale 14 years ago. She's 16 now and I'm afraid this year will be her last calf. He is from a registered bull that we ran for 5 or 6 years and was really pleased with the growth from his calves. I kept this bull back simply because his sire produced the kind of heifer I like and his dam has always been an easy keeper. She has always weaned some of the heaviest calves on the hill.

No grain, just cheap mixed grass hay.

 

[gcreekrch]

Not bad at all.

 

[Lazy M]

No serious flaws that I see. Nice bull

 

[Warren Allison]

What do you see? I am a novice at looking at cattle. I'd like to learn what to look for in a bull.

This is a 3 yo bull kept back out of a cow we bought from a purebred sale 14 years ago. She's 16 now and I'm afraid this year will be her last calf. He is from a registered bull that we ran for 5 or 6 years and was really pleased with the growth from his calves. I kept this bull back simply because his sire produced the kind of heifer I like and his dam has always been an easy keeper. She has always weaned some of the heaviest calves on the hill.

No grain, just cheap mixed grass hay.

Has he sired any calves for you yet? He is a good looking bull. You know his sire and dam, and were pleased with the calves his sire produced, and the calves his momma produced. Did you have any other calves out of his momma by his sire? If so, how did they work for you? There are a lot of positives in the "keep him" column. You could spend thousands of dollars for another bull, and dunno if it would be any better.

 

[FungusProudKY31]

If he suits your environment, the dam did/does the same - my opinion does not matter.

 

[Hardin Farms]

Has he sired any calves for you yet? He is a good looking bull. You know his sire and dam, and were pleased with the calves his sire produced, and the calves his momma produced. Did you have any other calves out of his momma by his sire? If so, how did they work for you? There are a lot of positives in the "keep him" column. You could spend thousands of dollars for another bull, and dunno if it would be any better.

Last years calves were out of him and I was pleased with all of them. Especially his heifers. I have 3 heifers that are full sisters to him and they've made fantastic cows so far.

I'll be keeping as many of his heifers as I can. I'll have to make a move in a couple years to either sell him or find a way to sperate him from close relatives and buy another bull. Cross fencing and herd building is slow go around here.

 

[jltrent]

Looks nice to me.

 

[Warren Allison]

Last years calves were out of him and I was pleased with all of them. Especially his heifers. I have 3 heifers that are full sisters to him and they've made fantastic cows so far.

I'll be keeping as many of his heifers as I can. I'll have to make a move in a couple years to either sell him or find a way to sperate him from close relatives and buy another bull. Cross fencing and herd building is slow go around here.

What state are you in Hardin? How many cows do you run? Maybe when that time comes, and you still don't have a way to separate his sisters and daughters and get another bull, you might find someone else in the same situation, with a bull you like. As a matter of fact, I saw a thread on one of these forumns today, from someone concerned concerned that their 5 yr old reg Angus bull was producing 75% heifers. Who knows? Y'all might could swap for a year or two, and help each other out.

 

[Hardin Farms]

That is definitely an option. I live in north east MS. Counting replacement heifers, I'm up to 20 momma cows and ole bully. I'm slowly cleaning up acreage year by year. I should be able to run around 50-60 head once I get everything cleaned up. My old man is looking at replacing his bull this year. So maybe I can talk him into swapping out in a year or so. I'd like to hang on to him for a few more years. I am trying to build the most consistent heard I can. I've brought heifers along the way that really matched up with what I have.

I have entertained the thought of keeping a bull from one of his half sisters. They're running with my dads bull now. I'm not super impressed with his bull, but he's decent. He's AI sired by traveler 8180. I know there's a fine line between line-breeding and in-breeding...

 

[Little Joe]

That is definitely an option. I live in north east MS. Counting replacement heifers, I'm up to 20 momma cows and ole bully. I'm slowly cleaning up acreage year by year. I should be able to run around 50-60 head once I get everything cleaned up. My old man is looking at replacing his bull this year. So maybe I can talk him into swapping out in a year or so. I'd like to hang on to him for a few more years. I am trying to build the most consistent heard I can. I've brought heifers along the way that really matched up with what I have.

I have entertained the thought of keeping a bull from one of his half sisters. They're running with my dads bull now. I'm not super impressed with his bull, but he's decent. He's AI sired by traveler 8180. I know there's a fine line between line-breeding and in-breeding...

The difference in line breeding and in-breeding is if everything turns out good it was line breeding, if it turns out bad it was in-breeding LOL.

 

[Hardin Farms]

The difference in line breeding and in-breeding is if everything turns out good it was line breeding, if it turns out bad it was in-breeding LOL.

LOL well hopefully I'd be on the line breeding side of things!!

 

[Hardin Farms]

Some offspring from the bull.

1st pic is a 475lb steer out of a brangus cow, 2nd pic is a 450 lb heifer (8 year old momma at side) and the last pic is a 14 month old heifer that I kept, just bred to my father-in-laws bull out of jet black 5063.

I plan to keep the little char calf. Hopefully her calves will be black. Her momma throws the most consistent calves. Every. single. one. looks like that calf. They've all been bull calves up until this one!

 

[moses388]

I plan to keep the little char calf. Hopefully her calves will be black.

It's possible the heifer will have a black calf. My experience they will have a brown calf, but once in a while they throw a black one.

 

[Hardin Farms]

It's possible the heifer will have a black calf. My experience they will have a brown calf, but once in a while they throw a black one.

The char cow is my first experience with the breed. I really like the angus sired calves. And honestly, even if the calves aren't black, they really don't get docked where we sell our claves. It's the herefords and calves with to much ear. As long as the char cross stuff has a darker colored nose, they do really well.

 

[Col Reb]

Don't know if you're interested but I know where a nice Char bull is. Hit me up if you or pops would be interested. It's at my place if you want to run by.