My Choices for AI Sires

[CJohnson]

Red Angus:
Beckton Epic R397 - Adult cow herd, mostly black Angus / Brangus, moderate frame

Hereford:
KCF Bennett R294 - Virgin Heifers, mostly black Angus, few Red Angus and BWF, moderate frame
SHF Rib Eye R117 - 2 and 3 year old cows with 1st and 2nd calves - Mostly BWF and Black with few reds, moderate frame

I am wanting easy fleshing, moderate frame, thick calves with some growth. Heifer calves to have good udder scores and low maintenance requirements. I have Red Angus for clean up on adult cows and Hereford bulls for clean up on young cows.

Any comments on my choices would be appreciated, especially from any that has used these AI Sires.

 

[dun]

We've used R294 a lot but on the second calvers. He should work out ok on heifers. We just prefer a Red Angus on our heifers.

 

[bpwagner115]

After our first year breeding virgin heifers, I will not be using another (polled) hereford next year. Used 719T and ended up assisting on 4 out of 6 calves. Two of which were over 100lbs. Had 14 black angus sired (Bismarck) and assisted with zero.
We also have used Victor 755t on our cows and they have been the biggest calves on the farm at birth. They averaged larger at birth than the simmental bull we used (TNT Tanker...a sire known to carry some BW)

Don't get me wrong right now we LOVE our 719t baldie calves, they are big and stout next to the heifers. Just too big at birth. Comes down to Risk vs. Reward....

 

[cow pollinater]

I would do it the opposite and breed the hereford to the cows and pick a better red angus heifer bull for the heifers. Red angus and hereford are pretty close to the same size but it sounds like you already have a lot of solid faced calves and putting the red angus on the heifer side of things will eliminate some extra calf size from heterosis for your heifers that your cows can stand just fine.

 

[CJohnson]

OK, I have decided to change the AI sire for the virgin heifers to Red Angus. Now I have to find a bull. I am going to leave the others as I have it because I have Red Angus bulls for clean-up on the main herd and Hereford on the young herd. I do not have enough Hereford bulls to switch them and want the same breed used for clean up as AI. Any suggestions on LBW Red Angus sires? All my Red Angus bulls have been purchased from RA Brown Ranch.

 

[dun]

For a proven easy calving bull it's hard to beat Above and Beyond from ABS. Calves come easy and seem to develop into pretty good cows.