Selecting Semen

[Lucky_P]

Same here redcow.
MCE is a top selection consideration, as I'm always breeding for the females, and want them to spit that calf out quick and easy.
MCE way below average put me off from Grandmaster early on - and the farm manager would never let me use a SM bull with WW that low - even on virgin heifers. I know a lot of the show folks like him, and maybe commercial folks, too - but I won't use a bull of any breed with MCE that far below breed average.
Bigger BWs here this winter too, due to the cold and increased DDG feeding to make up for poor hay. SM-sired calves were about normal, out of cows - avg~84#, but the SH-sired calves were heavier - avg 96.6#. Only one needed assistance, and him only because he had an elbow hung on the pelvic brim. But, they were bigger than we usually get - and we'd used some of the same bulls in the past and had an idea what to expect of them, but got a bit of a surprise with this group.

 

[inyati13]

Question for anyone and hopefully Lucky, FSR and redcowsrule will respond. Do you place more of your decision on CE or MCE?

BTW: EPDs have been discussed and this is old "hat" but I wonder about the numbers like our good friend AllForage does. Especially the EPDs like milk, marbling, etc. I wonder how that data is collected and stays current. I know milk production is not directly measured but the manner in which the data continues to be updated is questionable. For example, does everyone really do a competent measurement of the on-going data or does a number get started and it is carried along based on data that goes back in the pedigree?

 

[cow pollinater]

Question for anyone and hopefully Lucky, FSR and redcowsrule will respond. Do you place more of your decision on CE or MCE?

For me it depends on the cow and how she's bred. When I sell to any herd I try to feel out what the problem areas are very gently and try to offer different choices in bull power based on either my best hunch, information they give me, or pedigree. For most beef herds(and dairy herds), problem cattle are severe outlayers in the negative to the genetics that I have to offer so "the one they pulled" is not of much signifigance but I still listen. If calving heifers has been a problem worth them mentioning then CE is an easy first step but in the long term MCE combined with CE is the goal.
BUT... When you use highly proven genetics over and over again I think there is plenty of room for a bull like Grandmaster. He's not helping much for calving ease but he's also not going to hurt you much. I think that if every sim bull ever turned out with a cow had his kind of accurracy you'd find that his MCE would be quite pleasing.

 

[inyati13]

Question for anyone and hopefully Lucky, FSR and redcowsrule will respond. Do you place more of your decision on CE or MCE?

For me it depends on the cow and how she's bred. When I sell to any herd I try to feel out what the problem areas are very gently and try to offer different choices in bull power based on either my best hunch, information they give me, or pedigree. For most beef herds(and dairy herds), problem cattle are severe outlayers in the negative to the genetics that I have to offer so "the one they pulled" is not of much signifigance but I still listen. If calving heifers has been a problem worth them mentioning then CE is an easy first step but in the long term MCE combined with CE is the goal.
BUT... When you use highly proven genetics over and over again I think there is plenty of room for a bull like Grandmaster. He's not helping much for calving ease but he's also not going to hurt you much. I think that if every sim bull ever turned out with a cow had his kind of accurracy you'd find that his MCE would be quite pleasing.

CP- I bet FSR agrees with you.