Question for Red Angus Breeders

[Victoria]

I'd like to get some input from anyone who has bred Red Angus. I am wondering what are the best bloodlines for producing good feet and which bloodlines I should maybe avoid. Same thing with temperament. The semen catalogues are coming out again and those are the 2 hardest thing to judge from a picture.

Also, what reasons are there for a 3 year old Red Angus bull who is registered and found in the Canadian Angus database to not have EPD's, any ideas?

 

[dun]

For disposition I would cay Chateau, that's good disposition. For bad it would be Millenium. The others we've used or had cows by have just sort of been average, not overly tame but not goofy either, just sort of average.

dun

 

[SEC]

Throw away the semen catalogues and buy semen from someone whom you have seen many good cattle out of. If you are like me you are better off with a calf that's worth keeping rather than using the flavor of the month and being disappointed. You know why most people hang on to their AI calves???????

Because they want to see if they are going to "come around" More times than not the flash in the pan sires aren't half of what they should be.

Secondly, a proven sire, you already know what his short falls are.

I would say there are many that do themselves an injustice by not being original enough and use something they like or would like to try because there might be nobody else using that bull

 

[Victoria]

For disposition I would cay Chateau, that's good disposition. For bad it would be Millenium. The others we've used or had cows by have just sort of been average, not overly tame but not goofy either, just sort of average.

dun

Thanks dun, I am keeping a list and will add that information.

 

[Victoria]

Throw away the semen catalogues and buy semen from someone whom you have seen many good cattle out of. If you are like me you are better off with a calf that's worth keeping rather than using the flavor of the month and being disappointed. You know why most people hang on to their AI calves???????

Because they want to see if they are going to "come around" More times than not the flash in the pan sires aren't half of what they should be.

Secondly, a proven sire, you already know what his short falls are.

I would say there are many that do themselves an injustice by not being original enough and use something they like or would like to try because there might be nobody else using that bull

That's probably some really good advice. Flavour of the month is usually not the way to go. We've only been doing this for a couple of years now and with all of our flooding problems the last two years we haven't gotten our farm tours in like we wanted to. There is one bull in my mind that isn't from the catalogue that I saw in person and really liked. I need to contact them still.
I just wanted someone with more experience than I have in Red Angus bloodlines to point out any bulls that maybe I should have a second look at or stay away from if I were to buy out of the catalogues. I haven't got the Brylor catalogue yet but the Bar 5 Stock Farm one came in the mail the other day and got me thinking.
Do you have any bulls you would recommend that have good feet, good disposition, deep in the heart girth, solid butted , moderate framed and low BW? I am not as concerned with breeding brand name cattle as I am with breeding great cattle.

 

[dun]

I am not as concerned with breeding brand name cattle as I am with breeding great cattle.

As all producers should be!

dun

 

[skcatlman]

I have some advice,that is if you can see a bull on the hoof if you can before buying semen you can judge for you self. Failing that ask a breeder you trust and know that is looking for the same things you are for an opinion. If a bull interests you go see some son and daughters in a bunch of different sales and find out what kind of cows thay are out of. Feet and structure can be wrecked with feed. So know the feeding program. OK enought of the preaching. on the topic of what is popular flavor of the day some of those bull do actually pan out and trying one every so often isn't a bad idea just don't bet the farm. From years in the PB business if you want to produce functional cattle buy stock and semen from guys who run that type of operation, don't get sucked in by slick sale catalogues and big time marketing by sale management. Make up you own mind and trust your decisions. I do not run red angus but have a passing interest in the breed i do sale prep. helping out friends who sell at a multibreed sale and have seen some RA bulls, the icon sired bulls are old type RA moderate frame, calving ease , most were quiet and pretty sound and functional. I hope this helps out.

 

[BA]

Victoria - I PM'd you!

 

[Victoria]

I have some advice,that is if you can see a bull on the hoof if you can before buying semen you can judge for you self. Failing that ask a breeder you trust and know that is looking for the same things you are for an opinion. If a bull interests you go see some son and daughters in a bunch of different sales and find out what kind of cows thay are out of. Feet and structure can be wrecked with feed. So know the feeding program. OK enought of the preaching. on the topic of what is popular flavor of the day some of those bull do actually pan out and trying one every so often isn't a bad idea just don't bet the farm. From years in the PB business if you want to produce functional cattle buy stock and semen from guys who run that type of operation, don't get sucked in by slick sale catalogues and big time marketing by sale management. Make up you own mind and trust your decisions. I do not run red angus but have a passing interest in the breed i do sale prep. helping out friends who sell at a multibreed sale and have seen some RA bulls, the icon sired bulls are old type RA moderate frame, calving ease , most were quiet and pretty sound and functional. I hope this helps out.

Thanks for the advice. You are right about feet and structure being wrecked with feeding, I've noticed that in some herds.