Murray Greys in Oregon calving season begins!

[Backbone Ranch]

Not many people that raise Murray Greys will want a bull that had a 99 lb birth weight. With that being said, if he has a really good phenotype, comes from a very productive mother, and was born without any issue, then in my opinion, he would still be a candidate to use as a herd bull over your own cows. I would not breed him to any heifers the first year just to make sure that he doesn't consistently throw birth weights that high. We have sold several bulls that were in the 92-98 lb range at birth and their owners do not have any issues during calving. The majority of these calves were out of bigger cows too. In the past decade, we have had only five calves that were over 100 lbs at birth. We retained one of the heifers, three of the bulls were not masculine enough in our minds to keep them intact, and we had one born unassisted last night out of a 1200-1300 lb cow. He too will be a steer because he is part Guernsey, but he sure will be nice.

 

[TwoByrdsMG]

Well I know it has been an extremely tough season worldwide for the agriculture/beef industry. These two were born during a horrible storm and for different reasons ended up being bottle calves. A 100+ lb silver bull (soon to be steer) who was born to a dam too small for the bull she was bred to. She caps out around 750-800 lbs and it took her 3 days to recover from the calf being pulled. They are the lucky ones. Both dam and calf are alive and recovering but it was too late to bond dam and calf so the bottle (and some tube feedings) are this bull's main source of food for the next 4-5 months.

The dark heifer got chilled and her dam (who was a first time heifer) did not have enough milk for her. A tough decision but we always have to make these decisions for our cattle and hope that its the right one.

LGR Goliath Warrior (silver bull)
LGR Gwendolyn (dark heifer)

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[Nesikep]

I had one hard pull on a heifer this year.. 1000 lb heifer and 110 lb heifer calf.. took them a day to get up but they're both fine now..
Both of those are pretty calves!

 

[TwoByrdsMG]

Updated pictures from some of the calves.

Two Byrds Fantom, 5 1/2 months
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Gwendolyn (2 months) and Goliath Warrior (1 1/2 months)
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Pretty pleased with the Fall bull. He is our ideal composite of Murray Grey Genetics.
Gentle Acres Trojan x Temar Lotus with Willalooka Power on both sides farther down the line.

The silver bull is getting castrated. He was a hard pull and his sire produced 90+ lb calves across the board. His dam also calved at 25 months and was only 800 lbs when she calved. Not going to be a candidate for passing on those genetics.

 

[Backbone Ranch]

Looks like your Gentle Acres Trojan bull is coming along nicely. I have not seen any progeny out of him in person, but he is a bull that I have always liked.

 

[greggy]

I have a question re greys, I have 2 which look around the colour of fantom, I would call them browns, however one is a little lighter and does look grey ish in the light.

What is more desirable, the actual light colour that looks grey, or these darker ones are seen as ok too ?

 

[greggy]

Black 99 lb bull calf born last night by Eagles Run Just Because out of JB Xclusive Monique

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Here is a better picture of that 75% Murray Grey heifer, who was only 62 lbs!

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Does the white face one have hereford in there somewhere ?

 

[TwoByrdsMG]

I have a question re greys, I have 2 which look around the colour of fantom, I would call them browns, however one is a little lighter and does look grey ish in the light.

What is more desirable, the actual light colour that looks grey, or these darker ones are seen as ok too ?

The color "grey" is anything that is darker than tan and lighter than black. Includes browns and greys.


They have these colors:

Light Silver, Silver, Dun (Light Tan), Dark Grey (Browns and greys) and Black.

Also to your other question, yes the baldie is 75% Murray Grey the remainder equal amounts Hereford and Charolais.

 

[greggy]

So, if I put a Hereford across my Murrays after first calf, I should get Brown Baldies ? Or just a mess with a white face

 

[TwoByrdsMG]

You could have silver, grey, brown or black baldies- and hopefully not a mess with a white face! I am trying to breed out the white face on this line.

 

[greggy]

I should have said grey baldy

I do not mind the white face, but we have strong sun down under so better to have black or dark around exposed skin I am thinking, still lots of herefords down here though.....

Sounds like an ok idea, how should the murrays cope, hereford have big heads, so I am guessing a smaller or lowline Angus or something for the heifers first .

 

[TwoByrdsMG]

Well I may not own this heifer but I can sure be proud of her anyways. We sold the dam, a 50% MG, Two Byrds Dark Chocolate bred to Windy Acres Excaliber. So this heifer is 3 months old and the owner was so pleased that she wanted us to breed her cows again this year. Two Byrds Got Chocolate, BW 62 lbs, 75% MG.

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[Backbone Ranch]

Terrific looking pair! I have not seen very many, but I have always liked the look of a Murray Grey x Hereford cross. That heifer calf really is nice.