Of course you knew I would respond! But I can only comment on the simmental selection, since we do not use Angus sires because we are always trying to breed up to purebred status.
First, Grandmaster is considered a purebred, not simangus. And he is the only bull I have used on your list, so I can actually comment on his calves. As you well know Ron, I would use this bull in a heart beat, on a heifer, because that is what we use him on and have never touched a calf. Our calves average in the mid 70's out of him. Yes, they tend to be a little small at first, but seem to catch up their yearling year. For replacement females, we absolutely love him! Here is a great example of what most people I know see from him:
This is a heifer out of a first calf heifer that now weighs over 1200 pounds as a two year old. This picture was taken a few weeks ago, when she just turned two. She was 72 pounds at birth, was shown all the way to the national level, and WAS small in her class of contemporaries. But our birth dates are honest! Her dam was a Pacesetter (Shear Force) x Built Right.
Here she is just yesterday:
I came home from work and she had already calved this 70 pound LMF Movin Forward (ABS) heifer calf 3 days early! The calf was just as I found it, standing and sucking. Look at her udder, just gorgeous! IF my daughter wanted to show a pair, this would be one to consider because in order to be competitive in showing pairs a cow must 1) have a perfect udder and 2) be BIG!
So, yes, his EPD's are not impressive. We used him when they were good, or I would have not touched him. I am glad I did, and I will continue to use him. We have several Grandmaster calves that were born this spring, all out of first calf heifers two and under, all untouched. Everyone I know that has a female in production says the same thing; awesome mothers, great udders, great calves.
So, as I have said before Ron, if you want to keep females for replacement, he is the bull for me to use. Remember, EPD's are a tool in the tool box. For me, what I see and the proof that comes from that weighs more than an EPD.
Now, for the other bulls in your selection, I can only comment on pedigrees. Raisin Cain is sired by Upgrade, who really packs the pounds to his calves. For that aspect, I think you will be happy. I have two Upgrade females in my herd, and though I love them both (they are both half bloods, out of angus dams), BOTH have had problems returning to heat as nursing two year olds. One is due with her second calf next month, and we had to roll her from fall to spring, then run her with a bull for several cycles before she stuck. She would be on the first ride out, but she is my daughter's show heifer from two years ago so she got some slack. She better start performing from here out, or she will be gone. She raised one of the best bulls calves for us, weaned off super heavy and sold well, but time for her to be a cow now! I will be watching her closely this spring to see if she cycles back quicker (she took over 60 days to return to heat as a two year old). The second Upgrade I have in production is just two, but she calved the end of Feb and STILL has not cycled. She is the only two year old in my group that has not returned to heat in 40 days from her calving date. I am getting ready to pull her calf for 48 hours to see if that helps. My sample size is small with Upgrades, and I have not heard this issue with other breeders using him.
In Force is a Shear Force son. As always, Shear Force is a favorite around her for females (the female above has Shear Force in her -nice udders, great docility). He is more commercially orientated, but will work for you I think. He is a half blood, if I remember correctly.
I hope that helps somebody!
I am very fond of my PB simmental, she is the apple of my eye. :lol:
