Red bulls?

[wade]

I received my 2008 Beef Sire directory from Select Sires today. There are 9 Red Angus bulls in the book to order semen from. They consist of 5 Bieber bred bulls, 3 Leachman bred bulls and 1 Gill bred bull. I have AI'd the few cattle I have the last couple years to Beiber Rambler 8306. I have no complaints so far. Almost all these bulls share the same bloodlines. They go back to Leachmans Robin Hood, Buffulo Creek, or Bieber this or that. I know some about EPD's and will select bulls from their EPD's and looks of the bull. The one thing that bothers me is that there is no Docility epd and almost nothing on feet or legs. I have some big cows 1600+ and some that are 1200 or so with very similar bloodlines. I have some that have excellent feet and some that could use improving. I am a small time guy but still want to do the best I can do. I have 7 reg. Red Angus to calve this spring and retained 3 heifers that I plan on breeding this summer to calve next spring. When you can breed the same cow with the same bull for several breedings and get calves that are not the same, how do you really pick what bull to use on what cow? Is it really just a roll of the dice?

 

[greenwillowhereford II]

Line-bred bulls will give you more consistency. The more years of line-breeding behind them, the more consistent they should be.

 

[remsteel6]

I too recieved my catalog and was pleasantly surprised to find some EPD's for docility
albiet only for the black angus. I was disappointed in the number of new bulls overall
and no new charolais. Some of what you're seeing is just the normal variation in the
combinations of genes that any bull will pass on to its offspring

 

[dun]

For feet and legs look to the stayability EPD.

 

[Elder Statesman]

Line-bred bulls will give you more consistency. The more years of line-breeding behind them, the more consistent they should be.

Some times that consistency is in traits that aren't favorable.

 

[Sage]

Get an ABS catalog, much better selection 1-800-ABS-STUD

 

[glover36]

go to http://www.semex.com canadas largest ai service. they dont even have any redangus bulls with those genes in them.

 

[Boss Cowman]

http://www.bullbarn.com
they have lots of red angus bulls