Is it crazy to use this bull?

[ohiosteve]

My knowledge of beef genetics is admittedly lacking so bear with me. I was going to take this bull calf to the sale barn monday but a friend wants to buy him and keep him for a bull. The calf is 6.5 mos. old. His dam is angus/herford and sire was angus/herford also. I like the calf but told him he'd be better off with a pureblood bull. Please give me your thoughts. My skin is very thick!

This is an unrelated picture but was taken Sunday, I was clearing a spot for my working pens and was in shortsleeves. Unbelievable weather for this time of year in Northern Ohio!

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Since you're on the selling side of that equation I'd say go ahead and sell him but in all honesty he's not much to look at. I think you gave your friend good advice.

My :2cents:

 

[ousoonerfan22]

Well you guys are going to think I'm a fool but I have a yearling that's similar to him and I bought him from my uncle to raise for a bull to use on my crossbred cows.This calf is a halfbrother to my hereford bull and I know what kind of calf he throws plus I've drooled over the calves my uncles herd produces.I'm not raising show cattle just trying to make the most I can when I send calves to the sale barn.

 

[expensive hobby]

Ohio- I would not think twice about selling him as a bull for two reasons: 1.) the guy knows what you are selling him. From what I gather you are not selling him as prime realistate. 2.) He really will not be out anything. He can use him and if not happy with the results he can haul him to the sale barn. We all have to start out somewhere and learn from what we do. I started out buying what I can afford and am learning along the way. From what I can see that bull may do well. Its hard to tell from the pics. You say he is 6.5 mos old. How much do you figure he goes? If the money you are asking is not unreasonable you may be doing the guy a favor. Its more of a gamble on his part. But as long as you are up front, what the he ll.

 

[ohiosteve]

I have no idea on his weight. That is why I'm working on my handling facilities at this point! I'm just kind of limping my way through my beef cattle enterprise at this point. You are right though. I have been completely honest with him. I would actually rather take him to the sale barn but we all know how it is doing business with friends, a slippery slope!

 

[suzorse]

I just took a nice heifer that looked just like him and got the shaft, .72 lb guess I got docked because she had hair, they just opened the local sale back up,and it was packed but should of waited a few days and took her to the farther sale, she weighed 495
Suzanne

 

[rockridgecattle]

IMO, sell him as a steer or a bull calf at the auction mart. There is enough good genetics out there, no need to share bad ones.
Not a good bull. The tail rides too high. Breeder bulls, the tail should be flat. This tail looks like it pops out of his back end. Rear legs too long funnel looking. In the last pic, i know its the wrong angle but to me the back legs look like they are not under his backside nice and straight but rather like /\. From the first pic his legs also look like l \ instead of l l. If i am wrong take a look from the side with his legs under him and then from the back while he is standing still with is legs under him. That tail....
Less than perfect deals with friends have a way of going south in the friendship department, even if all the cards are on the table. Eventually someone will feel like they got the short end of the stick, and if that tail gives him calving troubles...

 

[novatech]

My knowledge of beef genetics is admittedly lacking so bear with me. I was going to take this bull calf to the sale barn monday but a friend wants to buy him and keep him for a bull. The calf is 6.5 mos. old. His dam is angus/herford and sire was angus/herford also. I like the calf but told him he'd be better off with a pureblood bull. Please give me your thoughts. My skin is very thick!

Without passing any judgement on the quality of this particular bull calf I think there needs to be some sort of plan. I would also like to say that more and more people are finding there are benefits to using a crossbred bull.
Here is a link that may help you understand a little more about choosing a bull. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/an165

 

[ohiosteve]

Thanks for all the helpful advise. I can pick out obvious flaws in an animal but not the more subtle ones such as tail placement. I will pass this on to my friend and try to convince him to go another route for a bull.

 

[bigbull338]

your in a rock an hard place concerning selling your friend that bull calf.but heres a rule i live by,i wont sell any1 a bull calf for breeding that i wont raise an breed my own cows to.

 

[ChrisB]

IMO, sell him as a steer or a bull calf at the auction mart. There is enough good genetics out there, no need to share bad ones.
Not a good bull. The tail rides too high. Breeder bulls, the tail should be flat. This tail looks like it pops out of his back end. Rear legs too long funnel looking. In the last pic, i know its the wrong angle but to me the back legs look like they are not under his backside nice and straight but rather like /\. From the first pic his legs also look like l \ instead of l l. If i am wrong take a look from the side with his legs under him and then from the back while he is standing still with is legs under him. That tail....
Less than perfect deals with friends have a way of going south in the friendship department, even if all the cards are on the table. Eventually someone will feel like they got the short end of the stick, and if that tail gives him calving troubles...

Can you please explain this? What kind of calving problems, and would they be in the birth of calves he sires or when his daughters calf?

Thanks,
Chris

 

[KNERSIE]

He's a very nice feeder calf...

 

[hillsdown]

I like the calf but not as a breeding bull ,wonder what he weighs .

I agree with Knersie, he will fetch a nice dollar as a feeder calf.

However if he is bought as a breeding bull you have no say ,unless you cut him . Some folks do not care what they use as long as they get calves to sell .

 

[double v]

ask yourself can he produce (better or equal) then what he is ? You know your herd, if the cows are producers then there should be more then one to choose from. He would make a good feeder calf go with a purebred bull....

 

[double v]

He has horns also, and he'll pass them.

 

[rockridgecattle]

an animal with a flat tail which blends in with the back line will not get hung up in the birth canal.
Also the flat tail is a sign of good spine conformation.
A tail where it looks like it popped out of the but will not have good spine conformation. The tail is an extension of the spine. It will also be passed on genetically and any heifer which is kept will breed this into the herd
The back should have a nice flat slimline look. A good spine is good for feet stance and leg placement

 

[ANAZAZI]

He's a very nice feeder calf...

This is true, it is no spectacular calf.

your in a rock an hard place concerning selling your friend that bull calf.but heres a rule i live by,i wont sell any1 a bull calf for breeding that i wont raise an breed my own cows to.

However; this bull calf will be fleshier than the watusi/longhorn bull.

He has splashy colour and horns, and will be a looker in three years He will sire standard boring black and polled calves mated to your friends pure angus cows.
Pesonally I want bulls with more muscle, but honestly there has been sorrier purebred calves on this board many times, and heterosis does not help conformation much, so he will sire neither better nor worse than himself.

Your friend could have more heterosis from a real hereford than from a 2/4 herf, but it is all his call, just remind him you told him so.

 

[Old_man_emu]

Not sure how your sale barns work but is it possible to send him off and if your friend wants him that bad he can buy him there?

 

[Beefy]

thats a thought i had, just let him know when you are taking him to the sale and he can bid on him himself and then you all are sure to get a "fair" marketprice. (but he may have a job that doesnt allow time for him to go to the sale?). i think hes a nice looking calf.

 

[ohiosteve]

Thanks again for the honest opinions, I like the idea of taking him to the sale and my friend can bid on him there. I wish I could keep him as a feeder but I'm not set up for that at this time I'm still trying to get set up to run all momma's and sell all my calves in the fall. I am currently shopping for a 2 yr old bull to run on my black cows along with my longhorn cows which I seem to keep accumulating. I plan on turning him in end of july.