Shaggy cows need some love

[Muddy]

I saw an ad that has highland cows for sale at a reasonable price. Problem is that they're bred with a highland bull and I want to use something on these shaggy cows for better calves. A bud mentioned a black Angus bull but I'm open to any ideas.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Muddy, you don't know a fella who goes by the name Inyati by any chance do ya?

 

[Muddy]

Sorry I don't know this inyati fella as I just joined up :lol: but I've reading up some interesting posts of his :lol:

 

[AllForage]

I saw an ad that has highland cows for sale at a reasonable price. Problem is that they're bred with a highland bull and I want to use something on these shaggy cows for better calves. A bud mentioned a black Angus bull but I'm open to any ideas.

Muddy, what are your plans for the calves? As long as you watch BW I guess whatever suits your fancy. Perhaps one of the sales barn groupies will chime in on the perfect cross to fool the mighty buyers :)

 

[Muddy]

I'm one of these sale barn groupies lol but yea I'm planning to take calves to the sale barn just like my cousins did. I don't know if a black angus bull is the way to go but that's why I came here.

 

[Son of Butch]

Don't you know a black angus bull fixes all :) ....so a low birth weight black angus bull is what I'd go with.

 

[Muddy]

Why a low birth weight bull? The highland cows in the ad is about same size as my cousin's Angus cows. I've seen them in person but I hasn't triggered yet.

 

[Tim/South]

Why a low birth weight bull? The highland cows in the ad is about same size as my cousin's Angus cows. I've seen them in person but I hasn't triggered yet.

Because you have to have a low birthweight bull to be politically correct. Image is everything. (Said by a person with two LBW black bulls :) )

 

[TB521]

I've seen highland/angus cross still really hairy not real big and Smokey colored I think I would try a charolais bull to try and get some weight on the calves

 

[Muddy]

I've seen highland/angus cross still really hairy not real big and Smokey colored I think I would try a charolais bull to try and get some weight on the calves

That's what I am thinking. I've seen few HL x BA crosses and they're still too small for my taste. Has anyone had done a Charolais x highland cross? What about Limousin?

 

[AllForage]

I've seen highland/angus cross still really hairy not real big and Smokey colored I think I would try a charolais bull to try and get some weight on the calves

That's what I am thinking. I've seen few HL x BA crosses and they're still too small for my taste. Has anyone had done a Charolais x highland cross? What about Limousin?

I'm having a hard time seeing your point now. Unless they are giving them away for free why not go another route. Highland horns are large and you will need different style hay rings and such. And please don't say you will de horn them, that is cruel at this point imo.

 

[Muddy]

Because I dont want raising straight highland calves and get little money out of them. Why is it cruel to dehorning the cattle?

 

[Son of Butch]

Why a low birth weight bull?

For calving ease.
One live calf is worth more than 100 dead ones.
You had said you saw an ad [not in person] reasonable price with no other info, that often = small framed.
So I was trying to offer you safe advice with a low birth weight black angus bull.
Why wouldn't you use a Black Angus bull?
You stated you don't want to raise straight Highlands, so why not turn them black with 1st cross?
Are you going to A.I. ?
If not what bulls do you have available to use?

I don't know your cousin or his cows... can they handle calving a Charolais or Simmental calf?
What does he use?

If you were raising to eat rather than selling the calves...I'd say breed them to a Wagyu bull !!!
Wagyu certainly adds end use value. http://www.morganranchinc.com/app/en/pr ... ontent-top

 

[Deepsouth]

I've seen highland/angus cross still really hairy not real big and Smokey colored I think I would try a charolais bull to try and get some weight on the calves

That's what I am thinking. I've seen few HL x BA crosses and they're still too small for my taste. Has anyone had done a Charolais x highland cross? What about Limousin?

I'm having a hard time seeing your point now. Unless they are giving them away for free why not go another route. Highland horns are large and you will need different style hay rings and such. And please don't say you will de horn them, that is cruel at this point imo.

Muddy I've got to agree with allforage unless your just dead set on getting highlands. Why are you worried about a bull right now anyway if their already bred or did I read that wrong? Speaking of reading you need to start proof reading before you post or either stop drinking.

 

[LRTX1]

That's what I am thinking. I've seen few HL x BA crosses and they're still too small for my taste. Has anyone had done a Charolais x highland cross? What about Limousin?

I'm having a hard time seeing your point now. Unless they are giving them away for free why not go another route. Highland horns are large and you will need different style hay rings and such. And please don't say you will de horn them, that is cruel at this point imo.

Muddy I've got to agree with allforage unless your just dead set on getting highlands. Why are you worried about a bull right now anyway if their already bred or did I read that wrong? Speaking of reading you need to start proof reading before you post or either stop drinking.

DS you got that edit in just before I could capture it in a quote. :D

 

[Nesikep]

That's what I am thinking. I've seen few HL x BA crosses and they're still too small for my taste. Has anyone had done a Charolais x highland cross? What about Limousin?

I'm having a hard time seeing your point now. Unless they are giving them away for free why not go another route. Highland horns are large and you will need different style hay rings and such. And please don't say you will de horn them, that is cruel at this point imo.

Muddy I've got to agree with allforage unless your / you're just dead set on getting highlands. Why are you worried about a bull right now anyway if their / they're already bred or did I read that wrong? Speaking of reading you need to start proof reading before you post or either stop drinking.

 

[Muddy]

All right I won't get them then. Dang this crowd is hard to please.

 

[Nesikep]

Don't pass on them because of us! At least not if the reasons given don't make sense to you. You say you're in a cold place, well, they have lots of hair, so that's a good side of them right?

It is a statistical impossibility to please us all!
I'd probably look at breeding them to a Gelbvieh or Balancer.. nice little meat wagons :)

 

[Muddy]

Don't pass on them because of us! At least not if the reasons given don't make sense to you. You say you're in a cold place, well, they have lots of hair, so that's a good side of them right?

It is a statistical impossibility to please us all!
I'd probably look at breeding them to a Gelbvieh or Balancer.. nice little meat wagons :)

thank you my man. I'm just being skeptical on black Angus bull on the highland cows as I don't like how this cross turned out. I'm just try to looking at other alternative breeds that cross well with highlands.

 

[Lazy M]

I'd go with the char bull, just make sure that its low bw. Not sure that these calves would ever do real well at the sales barn, but you might be able to niche market them as freezer beef.