pricefarm
Well-known member
There are getting to be a lot of shorthorn cattle around my area. What do you all think about them good or bad???? Thanks for the info
Shorthorn cattle
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snake67
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pricefarm":3advs2qr said:
Perhaps there is a reason there are getting to be more of them on your area?
Bez
Taurus
Well-known member
Depend on the shorthorn cow, I may or may not like them. I don't like club calf types, nor the fat types but I prefer a commercial solid red shorthorn cow and I do well on Shorthorn x Angus crosses. That said, I culled lot of shorthorn cows and only kept one shorthorn cow in the herd.
Lucky_P
Well-known member
We've been using some solid red polled Shorthorn bulls, by AI, on high % Angus and SimAngus cows for the past 5 years or so.
Have been pleased with the steers - they hold their own against Simmental-sired calves, and have out-performed most Angus-sired calves out of the same group of cows.
Jury is still out on the daughters - only have a couple in production, but have a bunch coming on.
Because of the 'horror stories' we'd heard about birth weights with SH, we've used AI sires with above-average CED. No calving issues, so far, though most have been out of mature cows - but I feel comfortable enough with a couple of the bulls that I don't worry about breeding most virgin heifers to them.
Have enough red-carrier cows in the herd that i'm getting a fair number of red calves, but the market here has been good enough the last couple of years that I'm not getting any dock on them for not being black.
Have been pleased with the steers - they hold their own against Simmental-sired calves, and have out-performed most Angus-sired calves out of the same group of cows.
Jury is still out on the daughters - only have a couple in production, but have a bunch coming on.
Because of the 'horror stories' we'd heard about birth weights with SH, we've used AI sires with above-average CED. No calving issues, so far, though most have been out of mature cows - but I feel comfortable enough with a couple of the bulls that I don't worry about breeding most virgin heifers to them.
Have enough red-carrier cows in the herd that i'm getting a fair number of red calves, but the market here has been good enough the last couple of years that I'm not getting any dock on them for not being black.
cow pollinater
Well-known member
Lucky_P,
Which sires have you used so far? Which ones would you use/not use in the future?
Which sires have you used so far? Which ones would you use/not use in the future?
Lucky_P
Well-known member
cp,
Started out slow - used Waukaru Goldmine 2109 - available from Origen through our ABS rep - for the first couple of years.. Has about the highest CED epd in the breed - and well above average for WW/YW to boot. Very easy calving - I've had enough calves by him that I'm comfortable using him on all but the smallest Angus heifers; have had several first-calf heifers deliver to him with no issues. The Gold Mine daughters are just coming into production, bred Simmental for 'terminal' calves.
Moved on up to Waukaru Coppertop 464, for a bit more growth, but still decent calving ease. Top steers in the past 3 calf crops have been Coppertop sons.
Used some Waukaru Gold Card 5042 last fall, and have several GoldCard calves on the ground; look good, but the jury's still out.
Have used the Rob Sneed '034' bull and A&T Captain Obvious 606S on some of the larger-framed cows with the intent of downsizing frame score some; got mostly heifers, and I like 'em so far, but won't know how they're working for another year or two. The steers were OK to good, but the Coppertops outdid 'em.
The Jordans gave us a chance to use some Waukaru Orion 2047 semen on the herd this year; awaiting the first Orion calves' arrival this spring.
Still have designs on using 2 or 3 more SH bulls from the lineup at CattleVisions (DRC 101VM, JSF Navigator T2, among others), but at present, W.Coppertop 464 is the bull to beat.
Started out slow - used Waukaru Goldmine 2109 - available from Origen through our ABS rep - for the first couple of years.. Has about the highest CED epd in the breed - and well above average for WW/YW to boot. Very easy calving - I've had enough calves by him that I'm comfortable using him on all but the smallest Angus heifers; have had several first-calf heifers deliver to him with no issues. The Gold Mine daughters are just coming into production, bred Simmental for 'terminal' calves.
Moved on up to Waukaru Coppertop 464, for a bit more growth, but still decent calving ease. Top steers in the past 3 calf crops have been Coppertop sons.
Used some Waukaru Gold Card 5042 last fall, and have several GoldCard calves on the ground; look good, but the jury's still out.
Have used the Rob Sneed '034' bull and A&T Captain Obvious 606S on some of the larger-framed cows with the intent of downsizing frame score some; got mostly heifers, and I like 'em so far, but won't know how they're working for another year or two. The steers were OK to good, but the Coppertops outdid 'em.
The Jordans gave us a chance to use some Waukaru Orion 2047 semen on the herd this year; awaiting the first Orion calves' arrival this spring.
Still have designs on using 2 or 3 more SH bulls from the lineup at CattleVisions (DRC 101VM, JSF Navigator T2, among others), but at present, W.Coppertop 464 is the bull to beat.
cow pollinater
Well-known member
Thank you, Lucky_P. That's good to hear to as I put twenty units of coppertop out this year on a trial basis on some of my registered angus cows. I've been doubting myself but you've got me excited again.
Lucky_P
Well-known member
cp,
I think you'll be pleased...
We've been getting good growth and muscling with the Coppertop steers.
His MCE is high, and he's got a high $BMI index, so should be a 'cow-maker', as well. We're breeding the first few Coppertop daughters this fall...time will tell.
Would have to go back and check my notes, but the Jordans were doing some GeneStar testing at one point, and he has, IIRC, 4 of the GeneStar markers for Tenderness, and 3 of the Marbling gene markers, so I'd expect carcass quality and eatability to be good on progeny that go to slaughter.
LLP
I think you'll be pleased...
We've been getting good growth and muscling with the Coppertop steers.
His MCE is high, and he's got a high $BMI index, so should be a 'cow-maker', as well. We're breeding the first few Coppertop daughters this fall...time will tell.
Would have to go back and check my notes, but the Jordans were doing some GeneStar testing at one point, and he has, IIRC, 4 of the GeneStar markers for Tenderness, and 3 of the Marbling gene markers, so I'd expect carcass quality and eatability to be good on progeny that go to slaughter.
LLP
Jake
Well-known member
pricefarm":17ay8wgt said:
Are they commercial cowherds or club calf deals?
Taurus
Well-known member
^Hopefully not club calf deals. Bigger birthweight, poor weanweight, too much feminine in bulls, poor milk production and and hairy.
Lucky_P
Well-known member
No clubby stuff need apply here - though some of the SH sires we've used do have some show stuff back a few generations. SH sires used here have either been developed in 'commercial' or performance/carcass oriented programs.
Gotta have decent calving ease and reasonable BW - but WW and maternal measures - principally MCE and $BMI - need to be in the top echelon, as we're breeding primarily for ANxSH females, but also want good growth in their steer counterparts.
Wouln't be opposed to some 'chrome', but not willing to risk taking a hit at the salebarn, so won't be using any roan or white SH bulls - though there are some good ones out there.
Gotta have decent calving ease and reasonable BW - but WW and maternal measures - principally MCE and $BMI - need to be in the top echelon, as we're breeding primarily for ANxSH females, but also want good growth in their steer counterparts.
Wouln't be opposed to some 'chrome', but not willing to risk taking a hit at the salebarn, so won't be using any roan or white SH bulls - though there are some good ones out there.
Coyote
Well-known member
This is the type of Shorthorn I like , deep and easy keeping.
cow pollinater
Well-known member
If they all looked like that then everyone would be using them. ;-)
Taurus
Well-known member
Yup that is nice bull, tho we would get murdered at the salebarn if the calves showed up as roan or spotted. When I sold my shorthorn cows at the sale barn, the red solid ones brought more ($1,300-1,600) than the roan ones which only $900-1,000....
Stocker Steve
Well-known member
Taurus":1i7ekkuq said:
I had some roans. :nod: Some threw gray calves, others threw a lot of spots, and some did neither.
CKC1586
Well-known member
I have to agree with you on that one. Wowser.cow pollinater":f9qqqmfb said:
CKC1586
Well-known member
Brother used some SH cows with his Piedmontese bull. They did great and the beef was very good from this cross. Tried to find pictures of the calves but as yet have been unsuccessful. I know I took some of a group of calves just can't find them. :? 
houstoncutter
Well-known member
Shorthorns will never be a player until they do something about the spots and roan colors. Doesn't mean their not good cattle, just means commercial cattlemen are not going to take the severe discounts because of color.
Jake
Well-known member
3waycross":2qiplebr said:
HC is right. Especially as long as the shorthorn breed is associated with club cattle they don't have a chance. There are some really good ones out there but there are a whole lot more crippled up clubbies.
