how to make baldies

[footballjdtractor]

I've got some heifers that are mostly black Angus some of these girls have a little Simmental blood in them. I would like to A.I. them to a Hereford bull to get some nice baldies. What bulls would be safe to use on these girls. I would like for the bull to be polled and somewhat small framed.

 

[Bez+]

There are a tonne of good bulls out there and I am going to say something unpopular, as I have seen this same type of request on the Angus side of the house and people line up - literally line up - to tell you what Angus bull you should be using - (when the shoe is on the other foot) without ever having seen the females.

I have said this when folks line up to tell you about the holy grail black bull - and I will say the same thing about that red white face bull.

Depending on your mothers you can used horned genetics or polled - how much Simmie?

If these heifers will weigh in at over 1200 pounds at birth time there are darned few bulls I would be afraid to use - if they come in at around 1000 - 1100 pounds I would be looking at birth weights no greater than 85 pounds - but the problem is I have no idea on your cattle sizes.

If you use ANY bull without a good hard look at the females and what you want to correct or improve you might as well not even use AI.

So - when all those well meaning folks tell you about their favourite bull - I will tell you that there is no panacea - no one size fits all bull - and you need to really think on that as you can bring in several different animals to improve your herd - remembering of course that 60-65% is the usual for AI and you better have a clean up bull or be prepared to have a few "troublesome breeders".

So - sit down and decide what you want your cows to do and how you want their progeny to look / act / perform and then - only then - pick out your bull. At least tell us a bit more about what you are after, because every breeder and bull fancier out there has "easy calving, light weight calver, heavy growing calf producer, good mother producers, etc" bulls.

Show me a breed and I will show you all of the above - so do your best to match the bull to the cow if you can.

You can go directly to the Herf Associations north and south of the border and they would be delighted to assist you as well - and yes you can ship semen international - and yes you can ask the Herf Associations to assist you with that - the AHA introduced me to a couple of shippers down south and I have used them ever since.

If you throw some pics of cows up on the screen it would make the answers a bit easier - otherwise I could just name half a dozen animals and maybe one might work for you.

Best of luck on your search - it can be enjoyable or frustrating - depending on how you approach it.

Here is one owned by Northern Rancher - a regular on Ranchers - the bull is dead (hit by lightening) and I am trying to get some semen - I will pick up 20 or 30 straws if they are still out there - looks good for my heifers - FR 552 Lad 20P - might - I stress might - work for you as well - Canadian registry.

Best regards

Bez+

 

[Workinonit Farm]

If you use ANY bull without a good hard look at the females and what you want to correct or improve you might as well not even use AI.

..... there is no panacea - no one size fits all bull - and you need to really think on that as you can bring in several different animals to improve your herd -

That is one of the big pluses I see in using AI. One can pick and choose specific bulls to match-up with specific heifers/cows, thereby really taking advantage of the myriad of genetics that are available out there without having to buy half a dozen bulls in order to improve one's herd.

Just my 2 cents.

Katherine

 

[rocket2222]

That is one of the big pluses I see in using AI. One can pick and choose specific bulls to match-up with specific heifers/cows, thereby really taking advantage of the myriad of genetics that are available out there without having to buy half a dozen bulls in order to improve one's herd.

Just my 2 cents.

Katherine

I would rather find a middle ground of what the herd needs, find a bull AI or natural and get some consistent calves to build on, instead of using a number of bulls on a few head, and run the risk pulling the herd in different directions, needing more bulls to fix more problems

 

[aussie_cowgirl]

if you have a liquorice allsorts herd to begin with then a number of different sires can help uniformity.

I prefer the simm x angus baldies to the hereford x ones. but thats IMO

 

[OLF]

You could stay local. Ellis Farms is on the IN IL line. EF F745 FRANK P230 has a low birthweight with a very high Baldy Maker Index EPD and moderate frame. I don't know how his daughters are doing, but he produces some beefy steers.

 

[cypressfarms]

You could put a braford bull on them and have "super baldies". Down here people cross hereford bulls with brangus cows, and they "ring the bell" as caustic likes to say. Both steers and heifers fetch good prices. That mya be too much ear for your area, however....

 

[FarmGirl10]

if you have a liquorice allsorts herd to begin with then a number of different sires can help uniformity.

I prefer the simm x angus baldies to the hereford x ones. but thats IMO

You're forgetting that the majority of American Simms are solid black, so that may not help with making a baldy. :?

 

[aussie_cowgirl]

if you have a liquorice allsorts herd to begin with then a number of different sires can help uniformity.

I prefer the simm x angus baldies to the hereford x ones. but thats IMO

You're forgetting that the majority of American Simms are solid black, so that may not help with making a baldy. :?

good point. fb simm x ang.

 

[alftn]

I try to use a small headed Hereford bull that is know to have had small calves. I have a friend( guy have done business with for years) I usually get a Hereford Bull from him. He knows my cows and I trust him, worked a couple of times. NO problems.

 

[footballjdtractor]

You could stay local. Ellis Farms is on the IN IL line. EF F745 FRANK P230 has a low birthweight with a very high Baldy Maker Index EPD and moderate frame. I don't know how his daughters are doing, but he produces some beefy steers.

How do I find this bull? Are there pictures of him I can see?

 

[LFF]

You could stay local. Ellis Farms is on the IN IL line. EF F745 FRANK P230 has a low birthweight with a very high Baldy Maker Index EPD and moderate frame. I don't know how his daughters are doing, but he produces some beefy steers.

How do I find this bull? Are there pictures of him I can see?

Here is the link to Ellis Farm and the bull that you want information on.
http://www.efbeef.com/EF_Semen.htm

 

[footballjdtractor]

I was thinking about progression 29hp0909
or domino 3027 29hh0838
has anyone used these bulls on heifers?

 

[dun]

I was thinking about progression 29hp0909
or domino 3027 29hh0838
has anyone used these bulls on heifers?

Domino 774 is multiply owned but his semen may still be available. We've used him on heifers and really liked the calves. Came easy and grew well. Daughters out of our crossbred cows make excellent cows.

 

[tlmcr]

3027 is low BW calving ease and the calves are correct and grow well. We have a couple of fall heifers out of !st calvers and we are keeping them to add to our herd. He is a horned bull.

 

[dun]

Just heard back from Reed:
We have semen available at $20 per straw. Volume discount on 100 straws or more

 

[KNERSIE]

3027 is low BW calving ease and the calves are correct and grow well. We have a couple of fall heifers out of !st calvers and we are keeping them to add to our herd. He is a horned bull.

I'd like to see the 3027 heifers please, you can e-mail the pics to me if you don't want to post them.

 

[OLF]

Just heard back from Reed:
We have semen available at $20 per straw. Volume discount on 100 straws or more

Is that 774 semen for $20? Are certificates available?

 

[dun]

Just heard back from Reed:
We have semen available at $20 per straw. Volume discount on 100 straws or more

Is that 774 semen for $20? Are certificates available?

The last I saw certs weren;t available. But you might check with Reed and see. All I asked about was 774 for commercial use