Sav Sensation or Sav Seedstock

[Air gator]

If you were hoping to keep heifers which bull would you use, Sav Sensation or Sav Seedstock? What would you say is the difference in the bulls? Would you hesitate to use either? Thanks.

 

[Luckiamute]

I personally probably wouldn't use either bull because of their terrible marbling EPDs. I typically don't like to select for one trait, or eliminate for one trait, but they are both at the bottom of the breed for marbling and I want my Angus cattle to be able to pass respectable marbling traits on to their offspring. That is one thing I have noticed about a lot of the S A V bulls -- they score low for marbling EPDs. Not to say I wouldn't use S A V bulls, because I have in the past and likely will continue to do so in the future. But the marbling issue does stick with me. I'm thinking of using S A V Resource, but haven't pulled the trigger yet and one of the main reasons is his poor marbling EPD.

 

[frieghttrain]

Sensation is a little better with the epds imo but Seedstock looks better. Seedstock a +.23 RADG and +.48 DMI Sensation is +.22 RADG and +.77 DMI I'd never personally buy either bull just because there are better bulls out there esp SAV. Sav Thunderbird looks to be a cow maker, these are not schaff but apeal to me as well Connealy Combination and Deer Valley Fox Trot just my two cents

 

[LCBulls]

We have used Thunderbird and Seedstock. I personally really like the Seedstock females. They are very correct structure and are backed by Two of Schaffs all time greatest cows (4136 x0075) I don't care what their marbling EPD is because they are that good. The bulls are really nice as well. I do think Thunderbird is good as well, and is underrated but I would choose Seedstock. We haven't used any Sensation yet. Do have a few Sensation to try on a flush.

 

[Air gator]

Luckiamute,
Actually, there is an article in the Angus Journal about marbling that I just looked at this morning.
Marbling is something I struggle with because I do believe that if you are not giving some thought to the quality of meat then you are missing the point of breeding beef cattle. However, I am in the early stages of building a herd and I may need to get some genetics that are below average for marbling and then select bulls to improve that.
Marbling bulls that I have been looking at are Gar Phenom, Sydgen Exceed and Woodland Foremost. I have semen out of PA Power Tool and Gar Prophet but I don't want to get too much milk. Origen had the genomic scores for a lot of the bulls in their catalog last year but I don't think they are in there this year. I wish that some of these high marbling bulls looked as good as some of the bulls without marbling...it would be so much easier. That is a big drawback but then you see a bull like Sav Resource and are really tempted.

 

[LCBulls]

Yeah, I hear what your saying about marbling EPD's. But I would much rather breed cattle that have the hard to find maternal traits bred in. It seems like almost everyone is becoming concerned with highest and best EPD's. We have been guilty of chasing numbers as well and it seems to backfire more often than not. If we were just worried about carcass traits then our cows would start to suffer in other areas. $B is really just a value that should be called $T for Terminal. I believe there's a give and take for everything. Can't have it all even though we would like it if that was the case.

 

[Jake]

Sensations will be lighter birthweight than Seedstocks. I think Sensation is likely to end up being the more popular bull