Maine-Anjou

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Wouldn't really consider myself a "Maine" breeder, but I run a Maine bull in the herd. I'm quite impressed. He has a bit of difficulty in our climate, but calves are excellent when paired with english cows.
 
txshowmom":3u61u3ta said:
PATB is from Maine

dun

Thanks dun but what I meant was Are there any Maine-Anjou breeders on this site. :lol: :lol:

I could say that I thought you had misspelled Angus Anjou. But I just couldn't resist. One of my many frailities

dun
 
We ran a Maine bull last winter on a group of Simmental and Brahman cows. Haven't gotten any calves out of him yet, but it should be interesting.

I think Maine's are primarily bred for the show ring any more. I can't recall seeing any breeder that had Maines that wasn't big into show steers and heifers.

Are you thinking about getting into that breed?
 
We have a few. We use them to try top get show steers. I do think that a good Maine bull (not a club calf type) can improve a crossbred herd by putting more bone and thickness in them. Some people (me included) have cattle that are IMO the equivalent of a "mutt" because they have been crossed so many times and have lost a lot of desirable traits. A Maine bull will add thickness (which means more $$$ at the salebarn) and more bone. Some of you will argue that you don't eat the bone so who cares. I care for one. A calf or cow or bull or whatever is only as good as the wheels that move it. A good structurally correct cow needs good bone. Plus bone weights more so you have the advantage of higher weights at the salebarn, again more $$$.
 
I have soome cows that are 3/4 Main 1/4 angus running back with Angus bulls. HAve had some really good calves. I like the size my Msain cows put on the calves and they have been selling well. I don't venture to the show ring though.
 
I agree Maines are mostly for the show ring, but I have some Maine / Angus cross cows bred to Simmental Bulls and their calves are big, and fast gainers.
 
Do Maine bulls have a higher BW where it wouldn't be advisable to put him on heifers? Do you also have problems with them throwing alot of white? I looked at a Maine bull last year a guy had advertised. The bull was all black, but the calves looked like Holestiens!
 
Maines are like Simmentals, they WERE a dairy breed and tend toward larger frames. The Maine breed has gone more toward the show ring and the Simmental more toward the producer. Maines will throw calves with alot of white, like socks, and sides, plus the red hide. Also the Maine breed does not offer a polled gene for horns, so plan on some horned calves. I breed my Maine cross Cows to double polled PB Simmental bulls. You have to select low birth weight Maine or Simmental bulls to breed up on British breeds. The Simmental Org has the CE (Calving Ease) EPD, this weights calf shape and assistance into the picture. I think this has more value than the birth weight EPD. We have some cows that drop 100+ pound calves from AI sires, unassisted.
 
One of the contributers to our marketing group uses a maine bull on his crossbred cows, mostly angus based. They consitantly quality grade high choice and yield grade mostly 2s. Excellent cattle, but if we didn't have proven records of breeding for each calf the buyers would probably think they were Holsteins. A lot of white and sometimes splotchy coloring. But they are sure good thick solid animals. He treats the maine as strictly a terminal sire.

dun
 
I had a Reg. MAin bull one time that had and EPD of 3.5 BW and threw calves 40 LBS. Didn't keep him long but to answer a question I would say they could be used on heifers. I think mains produce exelent terminals if you put calve in the lot.

Scotty
 
dun":17hbg7m5 said:
One of the contributers to our marketing group uses a maine bull on his crossbred cows, mostly angus based. They consitantly quality grade high choice and yield grade mostly 2s. Excellent cattle, but if we didn't have proven records of breeding for each calf the buyers would probably think they were Holsteins. A lot of white and sometimes splotchy coloring. But they are sure good thick solid animals. He treats the maine as strictly a terminal sire.

dun

Terminal quality is a big plus...but some of the calves do look a little holstein by colors and unfortunately we suffer at the barn as a result. Never seen a holstein with the back and rump like his calves, but nevertheless. The Maine bull is getting older and he will be replaced with Angus or Angus composite.
 

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