New Bull Prospects

[HOSS]

I have a guy offering me a handsome profit on my red angus bull. I have used him for one season and am pretty happy with the calves but have been wishing to turn my calves black. I currently have both red angus and black angus cows with a sprinkling of black baldy cows. In my area black sells .10 pound higher at the feeder calf sales than red. I have been thinking about buying a black bull and buying more red cows while the price is down and I can get them cheaper. Here are some scenarios that I have in mind. I want to crossbreed to get the hybred vigor.

BA Bull on Hereford cows
BA Bull on Limi cows
BA Bull on Gelbvieh cows
Black Limi bull on the above + RA cows.

Thoughts?

 

[cfpinz]

If you've already got black and red angus cows, what about a gelbvieh or simmi bull or one of the half-bloods? Either way you go, you have very marketable calves.

cfpinz

 

[HOSS]

Gelvieh bull might be an option.

 

[Beef11]

I'd look seriously at hereford bulls or cows if you want to get a strong kick of heterosis. Hereford on RA or BA is a great cross and you can keep the f1 females and breed them to a continental bull for a terminal cross. Mike has some pretty good chars that would fit that scenario.

 

[Brandonm2]

I like the Black Angus bulls on Hereford cows. The steer calves do well at the stockyard and the retained heifers do well in the pasture. You can come back with a black Lim, black Gelb, or a Lim-Flex on the baldie cows and maximize heterosis or you can keep the two breed rotation going.

 

[mnmtranching]

I think the BA bull on the Hereford cows is the best choice.

I would use a Red Angus or Charolais bull on the Limi and Gelbvieh cows. I know your thinking about getting away from the red. But a BA bull on Limi and Gelbieh cows would give you some of the off color calves buyers shy away from. A Charolais bull on the Red Angus cows would give you some Market topping calves.

I realize things are different up here in N MN. Up here the Char cross calves are bringing top dollar. Right along with the good BA.

 

[1848]

If you are buying at the sale barn, you will probably find the Hereford cows to be the cheapest initial investment with the potential for the best return if mated with a good black bull. Plus the Hereford gives you the option of making a few good maternal crosees down the road (black baldie & tiger stripe). Just make sure you do a good evaluation of the Herefords you choose at the sale barn, and get a black bull that will sire "black". Some of the crosses you are considering could still give you a percentage of red.