New to me South Poll bull

[wobbie1775]

New to me SP Bull. He is 2 years old. Putting him on my corriente cows with the hopes of breeding up over time (heifer retention plus bringing in new cows that full or percentage SP). My business plan is morphing over time, but the big picture is; I want to be large enough to have do 'some' level of SP seed stock while also having an effort that focuses on rail/grading/terminal traits (black calves of Angus conformation maybe?) Its a long term vision that will evolve over time I suppose... Anyway, we got 17 cows and only need 1 bull for now so he is the winner. If you were following along before, I had a beefmaster bull that came with some cows, but he grew wheels a few weeks ago (to free up some capital). I'll take any thoughts and criticisms on the SP Bull, but there is no need to tell me what type of bull I should have bought.

 

[Ky hills]

I don’t know anything about South Poll cattle, but as an individual that bull looks alright to me. I can’t tell much about his frame size, I don’t know where I read it, but I seem to recall something about SP being smaller framed cattle. Maybe that wasn’t the direction of whole breed.

 

[alacowman1]

Curious to see the calves from that cross

 

[wobbie1775]

I don't know anything about South Poll cattle, but as an individual that bull looks alright to me. I can't tell much about his frame size, I don't know where I read it, but I seem to recall something about SP being smaller framed cattle. Maybe that wasn't the direction of whole breed.

He is smaller framed. I think he weighs about 14-1500 lbs. So not a monster by any means. I think he looks pretty good too.

 

[wobbie1775]

Curious to see the calves from that cross

Me too. I have seen some posted on craigslist and FB....and some are the ugliest most mis-proportioned critters I have ever seen.... So hopefully I didnt get any of those quasimodo genes.

 

[coachg]

He’s got some good hind quarters on him .

 

[Travlr]

New to me SP Bull. He is 2 years old. Putting him on my corriente cows with the hopes of breeding up over time (heifer retention plus bringing in new cows that full or percentage SP). My business plan is morphing over time, but the big picture is; I want to be large enough to have do 'some' level of SP seed stock while also having an effort that focuses on rail/grading/terminal traits (black calves of Angus conformation maybe?) Its a long term vision that will evolve over time I suppose... Anyway, we got 17 cows and only need 1 bull for now so he is the winner. If you were following along before, I had a beefmaster bull that came with some cows, but he grew wheels a few weeks ago (to free up some capital). I'll take any thoughts and criticisms on the SP Bull, but there is no need to tell me what type of bull I should have bought. View attachment 47205View attachment 47206

I'm betting he will improve Corriente and you'll get some decent heifers. If growing a herd from your own replacements is the goal I'd say you have a bull. If he packs the meat on his male offspring they will do okay too.

 

[Warren Allison]

I probably fool with more Corriente than any one. And have been doing it over 30 years. But, no way would I retain 1/2 Corr heifers to use in my beef cow/calf operation. I would breed those Corrs to an Angus or Brangus bull, and sell the heifers at weaning with the steers, and take the money and buy some South Poll cows. You are looking at 2 and 1/2 years before you have a calf to sell off of one of those retained heifers.

 

[wobbie1775]

I probably fool with more Corriente than any one. And have been doing it over 30 years. But, no way would I retain 1/2 Corr heifers to use in my beef cow/calf operation. I would breed those Corrs to an Angus or Brangus bull, and sell the heifers at weaning with the steers, and take the money and buy some South Poll cows. You are looking at 2 and 1/2 years before you have a calf to sell off of one of those retained heifers.

Fair point. SP cows are over 3k$ these days...so I need to sell 3+ corr calves to each SP cow. And that might be what we do. Especially if grass starts coming into short supply.

 

[Warren Allison]

Fair point. SP cows are over 3k$ these days...so I need to sell 3+ corr calves to each SP cow. And that might be what we do. Especially if grass starts coming into short supply.

Use the right bull, and you can sell 2 calves and buy a cow.

 

[kenny thomas]

Im not a fan of South Poll. What is a good reason for using one? Its definitely not growth.

 

[Ebenezer]

"I'm betting he will improve Corriente" What wouldn't?

 

[wobbie1775]

Use the right bull, and you can sell 2 calves and buy a cow.

I am using this bull lol.

 

[wobbie1775]

Im not a fan of South Poll. What is a good reason for using one? Its definitely not growth.

I want 1000 lb cows. So, I think he would actually put some frame on some of my 700lb corrientes lol. Good reasons to have SP; maternal and grass based genetics. I know there are a million other breeds/breeders doing/saying the same stuff... But I like the idea of a grass roots type organization that has room for growth. SP is growing and one might say "well they are all hipsters who just have a couple cows and don't know anything" etc...and that may be right, but it is wildly naive to miss the fact that there are very few new/young people joining the industry at the large/commercial scale. SP, in my opinion, is one avenue for beef production to remain alive and viable at the "normal scale".

I don't have my own herd data to support (been observing for over 10 years but just got cows in Dec 23) so I need to use information that is out there already. And what I have observed on other operations is; a lot of commercial herds are on welfare. Corn welfare, shots welfare, pulling calves welfare, calving in a barn welfare.... And I am not wanting to do that stuff. South Polls have been bred to not-need that "welfare". Are there other breeds/operations doing the same thing, absolutely!! But they are niche among thier breed...not the breed standard. This is not a jab at anyone who raises cattle in that manner. I appreciate them, and learn from them, and help out on a couple farms that run that way... It just isn't what I want to do. Teddy Gentry, in theory, has done much of the work to cull out family tree branches that can't be raised on grass and mineral. So the SP is a good starting point for me. Maybe it will morph over time, just taking it one day at a time.

 

[Little Joe]

I like the concept of the South Poll and have seen some I really like, the problem I see in the breed is everyone is a seed stock producer and are not culling like they should. If I bought South Poll, I would want to buy directly from Gentry at Bent Tree Farms or a few of the others in that area that have foundation cattle. Same goes with beefmaster, I believe the foundation ones to be great cattle, outside of that there's as much variation within the breed as between breeds.
Bull looks good, I hear of others breeding up corriente and saving heifers from that cross, should definitely be low maintenance cattle.

 

[wobbie1775]

I like the concept of the South Poll and have seen some I really like, the problem I see in the breed is everyone is a seed stock producer and are not culling like they should. If I bought South Poll, I would want to buy directly from Gentry at Bent Tree Farms or a few of the others in that area that have foundation cattle. Same goes with beefmaster, I believe the foundation ones to be great cattle, outside of that there's as much variation within the breed as between breeds.
Bull looks good, I hear of others breeding up corriente and saving heifers from that cross, should definitely be low maintenance cattle.

I agree with this completely. I have seen some haggard critters being sold as SP or SP cross and they should be on thier way to the beef case for sure.