Need a good BullMaker

[Midtenn]

Planning to AI my registered angus cows and raise a few registered angus bulls to use on my commercial crossbred F1 and F2 cows, and to sell a couple of bulls also. My registered cows are feed efficient, correctly made, med to large frame, with moderate milk. But they are weak in WW and carcass quality.
I need an AI bull to use which will improve WW and carcass, hopefully, when bred to my cows, and pass those traits to his sons. Fertility, soundness, Doc., Feet and Leg improvers are a top priority.
My initial thoughts are:
Mar Innovation
Sydgen Black Pearl
Plattemere weigh up
Limelight
AAR Ten x

Any thoughts on these bulls with what I'm trying to accomplish or any other suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[Jessica06]

I'm not an expert on Angus by any stretch of the imagination, but we saw a bull calf at a sale around here sired by Tour of Duty that was built like a tank. We may be trying him out on our Brangus in the future to make Ultrablacks.

 

[kdhansen]

Small sample of Tour of Duty here. Like what I see, so far. One heifer, one bull. Came quick and easy, nice avg bw for my group, up fast, thicken up faster. Going to try a few more this year. Pics 16 days of age.

 

[Jake]

Small sample of Tour of Duty here. Like what I see, so far. One heifer, one bull. Came quick and easy, nice avg bw for my group, up fast, thicken up faster. Going to try a few more this year. Pics 16 days of age.

What is the breeding on that cow? She's a pretty one

 

[kdhansen]

Confidence/Bextor ... second calf, good sized girl, coming 3YO (Nov 1)

 

[wildcat2154]

Weigh up---powerful progeny. Thick and sound.

Innovation---very good footed and good sound cattle. Not as powerful as weigh up. Little less on carcass than weigh up.

 

[bse]

I used VAR Index 3282(17513381) last year to do what your talking about, wanted to add carcass without giving up other things. A friend of mine seen him and his calves and was impressed said he looked nothing like a carcass bull. I had seen a few calves and liked them, so ill know more in a few weeks.

 

[Ky hills]

Hoover Dam worked pretty well here in the past, the calves grew well early, and the heifers retained matured smaller, and have raised good calves in their own right. This year, I have calves by Power Tool and Rockmount both of which were picked for a combination of growth and carcass while maintaining calving ease.

 

[frieghttrain]

I like Limelight and Weigh Up both would give you a boost in what you want, 2 cents worth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Say_r79uZmw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0cuBAElgmI

 

[Midtenn]

I used VAR Index 3282(17513381) last year to do what your talking about, wanted to add carcass without giving up other things. A friend of mine seen him and his calves and was impressed said he looked nothing like a carcass bull. I had seen a few calves and liked them, so ill know more in a few weeks.

Had not considered him but I like his looks and epd's. Milk and sc are not in line but the cows should balance that well enough for what I'm after.
Do you know anything about his feet?

 

[kdhansen]

I used VAR Index 3282(17513381) last year to do what your talking about, wanted to add carcass without giving up other things. A friend of mine seen him and his calves and was impressed said he looked nothing like a carcass bull. I had seen a few calves and liked them, so ill know more in a few weeks.

Had not considered him but I like his looks and epd's. Milk and sc are not in line but the cows should balance that well enough for what I'm after.
Do you know anything about his feet?

Get a pretty good look at his feet/structure in his video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghrhihdArrQ

 

[wbvs58]

Look for a good cow maker and you will get good bulls as a sideline.

Ken

 

[Supa Dexta]

...sometimes. Others you just get feminine looking.. steers.

 

[bse]

Midtenn, I checked with the guy that had seen the bull, he said no feet or leg issues that he seen, he even bought semen on the bull to.

 

[Jake]

How important is calving ease epds?There are some really good power Bulls out there but they will have a little more birth weight

 

[Midtenn]

How important is calving ease epds?There are some really good power Bulls out there but they will have a little more birth weight

The registered cows which will be the dams of the herd bulls I'm trying to get all have CED of 2-7, but their calves have been coming 70-75#. They are 1300# made right cows. The commercial herd which the bulls will be put on is pretty mixed in size 800 to 1400 but will all have had 3 or 4 calves by time these bulls get raised. No Heifers. I will be raising LBW bulls for heifers, not Growth and Carcass bulls.

 

[Midtenn]

...sometimes. Others you just get feminine looking.. steers.

Exactly. I have strong maternal trait bulls and cows already. I plan to do a rotational type breeding deal between different herds and only keep heifers out of the best moms every third year or so. Doubtful I'll be keeping any heifers out of carcass/growth bulls UNLESS the cow happens to be just WAY too maternal if there is such a thing.

 

[Supa Dexta]

I like bull calf prospects to come out looking like a bull, the stance, the muscle, the attitude.. Not hopefully grow into the role. That said I think the best way to get there is aiming for cows that work, and using bulls you like the look of, with balanced numbers across the range.

 

[Boot Jack Bulls]

...sometimes. Others you just get feminine looking.. steers.

Look for a good cow maker and you will get good bulls as a sideline.
Ken

I have always been told that a very masculine bull will produce very feminine females and masculine bulls. An androgynous looking bull would produce androgynous offspring.

I personally try to select bulls that look like bulls at weaning, and heifers that look like little cows at weaning. Has worked well for me so far...

 

[wbvs58]

A good bull will always be from a long line of a very good cow family and if it is not I won't look at it. This increases the chance of consistency.

Ken