SAV 8180 TRAVELER 004. Should I Use?

[Richnm]

Got a hold of 4 straws from SAV 8180 TRAVELER 004. I don't know much about him except he is sire to SAV Blackcap May 4136. I was thinking if flushing him to my New Design 036 x EXT cow. Any suggestions? I guess my intention is to play mad scientist.

 

[Ky hills]

If I were concerned about disposition I would definitely not use him. Have never seen a son or daughter of that bull go through a sale ring without me thinking no way I would want anything that acted that way. Some say that he sired good daughters but from what I have seen they are fast and high strung.

 

[elkwc]

Ky Hills I agree with you. Bought an SAV bred bull during the quarantine last spring. He has several crosses to 004. When turned out with the cows he became a Mexican fighting bull. I have been told it is the 004 that has the docility issues. Also less than a 5 frame.

 

[moses388]

I would start by looking at the bull's EPD numbers. Then decide if this bull has something your cow needs.

EPD Pedigree Search Page

www.angus.org

In my opinion, this bull's good traits are scrotal circumference (SC), calving ease maternal (CEM), foot claw, foot angle, and pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP). So I might use this bull to improve feet, if I did not care about the large birth weight.

I agree with Ky hills that a docility EPD of -1 is not good. I have a herd sire that is a son of High Noon and Igenity scored his docility a 6. High Noon's docility EPD is +2. I like the herd sire, but his calves are mean when it comes to weaning and chute work.

Maybe what I'm trying to say is due to low docility, find a better sire to use for creating embryos. Save this bull for a day when you have a cow in heat and she is friendly like a family pet.

 

[FungusProudKY31]

In the SE USA, the unspoken on the bull was that calves cut off growing at about yearling. A long yearling bull would look good and be down in the sale group a bit but there was never another increase. Temperament with EXT directly in the pedigree: help yourself.

 

[ita47]

004 will make some beautiful daughters, but they can be a little high strung. I would only use him on some pretty docile cows.

 

[Ky hills]

Years ago I had bull calf out of his sire Traveler 8180 and he didn't stay here long he was pretty rank at a year old. Had 2 daughters of Final Answer that they themselves were good tempered but the calves of one were.always crazy wild. Also used a Final Answer son Absolute via AI and the calves from that bull were wild and high strung even though his docility EPD was great, and their dams were docile. In my opinion the docility EPD is not reliable at all. I think that line of cattle are just prone to disposition issues, even though they are good cattle in other trait areas.

 

[Richnm]

Sub 5 frame kills it for me more than docility.

 

[gizmom]

I saw 004 at Genex when he was 9 years old, sucker moved like a cat. Pretty impressive for a bull that age. We used him his daughters are flat out good but had to cull some for disposition. I still have some in the tank but would only use him on a very high docility female.