I was hoping some people out there in cattle land could give me a hand. I was at the Canadian Western Agribition in the fall and noticed some interesting animals. They are called Speckle Park and apperently originated in Saskatchewan. I have done a little research on them and it looks like they have done quite well with their carcass quality. At Agribition I also noticed their was some animals in the prospect steer and hiefer shows that looked like some really nice animals. I was hoping someone would be able to fill me in if they know anything else or may have had experience with them. Check out their web-site http://www.specklepark.ca and offer me your thoughts. Also I see some of the association members have some pretty nice web-sites so check those out too. I am looking for opinions on these animals. I am looking to change up my current commercial black angus herd and thought these might add a nice touch. Plus, the coloring would add some awfullly nice showiness to the prospects I sell to local kids.
Speckle Park?
- Thread starter diesel65
- Start date
Help Support CattleToday:
My former neighbour raises Speckle Park cattle. He started with them in approximately 1999. When he moved, I looked after is herd for about 6 months until he got his new location set up. Here are some of my thoughts based on seeing the cattle since then.
1. The birth weights on his calves were not 70-80 lbs, closer to 100 lb for alot of them (the cows were carrying lots of condition).
2. The cows would weigh 1500 lb plus.
3. The cows were deep bodied, thick, extremely good milkers, easy keeping, frame score approximately 6.
4. The bull calves were very impressive calves.
5. The cows were very protective at birth compared to my cattle; but you could still work with the calf without being chased out of the pen.
7. I have a Speckle Park x Hereford heifer and she is a one of the better cows. I would seriously consider using a Speckle Park bull for female production in a commercial herd.
8. I felt that the Speckle Park cattle (especially the bulls) at Agribition have lost a lot of their depth. Because the gene pool is so small, I am concerned if the breeders keep selecting for the style of bulls that were at Agribition, the breed will quickly loose the good deep brood cows it started with.
9. My bigest concern would be marketing the calves. When crossed with Hereford, the calves look like a Speckle Park but with a white head. When crossed with Angus the calves will be black with white areas. I think the white line back will occur and possible black speckling on the white (Check with the Speckle Park association, as I am going by memory on that and my memmory is fuzzy some times
). The speckled calves may be discounted at the auction in Canada.
10. For show steers the colouring is probably a bonus, they do make very eye catching cattle.
I still have a few good connections into the association and if you are interested in a bull, would be willing to help direct you to possible sources.
1. The birth weights on his calves were not 70-80 lbs, closer to 100 lb for alot of them (the cows were carrying lots of condition).
2. The cows would weigh 1500 lb plus.
3. The cows were deep bodied, thick, extremely good milkers, easy keeping, frame score approximately 6.
4. The bull calves were very impressive calves.
5. The cows were very protective at birth compared to my cattle; but you could still work with the calf without being chased out of the pen.
7. I have a Speckle Park x Hereford heifer and she is a one of the better cows. I would seriously consider using a Speckle Park bull for female production in a commercial herd.
8. I felt that the Speckle Park cattle (especially the bulls) at Agribition have lost a lot of their depth. Because the gene pool is so small, I am concerned if the breeders keep selecting for the style of bulls that were at Agribition, the breed will quickly loose the good deep brood cows it started with.
9. My bigest concern would be marketing the calves. When crossed with Hereford, the calves look like a Speckle Park but with a white head. When crossed with Angus the calves will be black with white areas. I think the white line back will occur and possible black speckling on the white (Check with the Speckle Park association, as I am going by memory on that and my memmory is fuzzy some times
). The speckled calves may be discounted at the auction in Canada.10. For show steers the colouring is probably a bonus, they do make very eye catching cattle.
I still have a few good connections into the association and if you are interested in a bull, would be willing to help direct you to possible sources.
LegacySpecklePark
Member
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2008
- Messages
- 7
- Reaction score
- 0
It is good to see that there is some interest out there regarding the breed. I, along with my brothers and father are breeders of Speckle Park cattle. We run a purebred herd of about 25 animals. This is in conjunction with our commercial herd which is made up of Black Angus and Speckle Park. We have been selling animals for a few years and have not ever been discounted. The buyers have seen them before and know of their performance in the feedlots and the carcass quality that results.
We have for the past 2 years had animals at Agribition in the Speckle Park show and in the prospect steer & heifer show. I invite you to check out our website at http://www.legacyspecklepark.com to see a glipse of some of our purebred animals and our prospects which come from the commercial herd. Their you will also be able to see what we beleive in and our values as cattlemen. If you have any other questions keep posting. I am including a pic of one of our yearling bulls and will post some more when I get them.
We have for the past 2 years had animals at Agribition in the Speckle Park show and in the prospect steer & heifer show. I invite you to check out our website at http://www.legacyspecklepark.com to see a glipse of some of our purebred animals and our prospects which come from the commercial herd. Their you will also be able to see what we beleive in and our values as cattlemen. If you have any other questions keep posting. I am including a pic of one of our yearling bulls and will post some more when I get them.
Australian Cattleman
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 29, 2004
- Messages
- 1,380
- Reaction score
- 1
Speckle Park look like they might have a lot offer the beef industry. They have just been released here in Australia. I hope they go better than Tarentaise which I've been trying to find some in Australia. No one advertises so how can you find any animals?
Colin :tiphat:
Colin :tiphat:
It was nice to hear from an actual breeder about these animals. I am happy to see that you posted a picture. I really like the looks of that bull. I checked out your web-site and it looks like you have some nice animals. The pictures of the prospects intrigued me as they look like some flashy animals. That is what I am looking for to offer to my clients that come looking. I want something that is going to catch their eye and these animals definitely do that. If you have a good animal any extra edge to catch the judges eye is beneficial. I do have some more questions about these animals though. What are the mothers like? How are the animals temperment? What are birth weights like? What do you see as the benefits to using Speckle Park? What do you see as disadvantages? What are the colors like? Do you have animals for sale? Where will you be showing again? Any other info that you can give me would be beneficial. Can you post more pictures?
I am also a breeder and can add the following. They are easy keepers, good milkers and docile. Anybody that has any doubts on their beef producing ability needs to look no further than the carcass class results at the Calgary Stampede over the last few years. Not only that but they are a hardy breed that doesn't need to be kept close to the barn at calving time. Anybody that's raise cattle in Western Canada can appreciate that trait, especially if they calve in winter or early spring. Anybody interested in more information or pictures, let me know.
Mechguy,
I was just wondering what your thoughts were regarding the hardiness of Speckle Park. How well do they do on grass? Can they finish nicely while in the pasture? How is their winter hardiness as well, do they stand up in the cold weather? I am full of questions, it just seems that the best way to find out about animals is to ask as many questions as possible and get answers and the opinions of others.
I was just wondering what your thoughts were regarding the hardiness of Speckle Park. How well do they do on grass? Can they finish nicely while in the pasture? How is their winter hardiness as well, do they stand up in the cold weather? I am full of questions, it just seems that the best way to find out about animals is to ask as many questions as possible and get answers and the opinions of others.
LegacySpecklePark
Member
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2008
- Messages
- 7
- Reaction score
- 0
Diesel65,
I wanted to fill you in about the hardiness of these animals. It is no trouble for them to get great gains and finish on grass. They are very hardy. They handle the weather very well and look after themselves. I am posting a picture of an animal in our swath grazing. You can see how cold it looks, but these animals keep performing. I believe they have something to offer everyone and can fit in just about anyplace.
Legacy Speckle Park
http://www.legacyspecklepark.com
I wanted to fill you in about the hardiness of these animals. It is no trouble for them to get great gains and finish on grass. They are very hardy. They handle the weather very well and look after themselves. I am posting a picture of an animal in our swath grazing. You can see how cold it looks, but these animals keep performing. I believe they have something to offer everyone and can fit in just about anyplace.
Legacy Speckle Park
http://www.legacyspecklepark.com
LegacySpecklePark
Member
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2008
- Messages
- 7
- Reaction score
- 0
prospect heifer
LegacySpecklePark
Member
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2008
- Messages
- 7
- Reaction score
- 0
I will post some more pics later
