Suggestions? Angus bulls that suit the North country

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Josher

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NW Saskatchewan, Canada
Just been looking for good Angus bulls that have enough size. I've tried resource and stunner so far and the resource calves are really nice and stout but there frame size is bit small for my liking.
 
If you are looking for AI sires -- ABS Australia has the best "notes" on sire sizes if you look at the catalog on their sites -- there are many sires that are also US based (and I would assume some would be Canada also). ABS USA has started to put frame size measurements in their bull search. I vaguely recall Universal or Bull barn having many measurements as well (I don't know about Origen/ST/SelectSires etc).

With that said there are bulls like Byergo Black Magic and Mogck/Sydgen Enhance that are 6+ frame.

Hoover Dam was my go to for about perfect size, but I'm searching a bit myself for the next sire (I'm located in MN). Absolute and Hickok have been a bit small to my liking. Most of my larger cows are out of older sires/out of favor sires. I've got Enhance, Cowboy Up, Powerball, and Black Magic on the ground or on the way. Hopefully I find something from that group that will be useful long-term.
 
I would suggest SS Niagara. He will add a bit of frame to most Angus.
 
Giving 4404 (Basin Rainmaker) a try this year. Haven't seen in person, but have been told from one that has seen him at stud (not a semen rep), that he was one that actually had some size and stood out at Genex, good structured. Nothing extreme as far as epd's. Dam/Granddam look pretty good, too. SS Niagara as a backup.

 
Will definitely look into the suggestions. I just got tired of my brothers lower epd red angus out performing my blacks. This must end lol. And the buyers out here don't care for short stubby cattle. Gotta have some length, width, good hind quarter to go with the extra frame I'm looking for.
 
Giving 4404 (Basin Rainmaker) a try this year. Haven't seen in person, but have been told from one that has seen him at stud (not a semen rep), that he was one that actually had some size and stood out at Genex, good structured. Nothing extreme as far as epd's. Dam/Granddam look pretty good, too. SS Niagara as a backup.


I sampled Basin Rainmaker (as in cheap intro offer) a couple of years ago and have just joined a couple of his heifers in the last couple of months .They grew very well, I have no complaints with them.

Ken
 
I sampled Basin Rainmaker (as in cheap intro offer) a couple of years ago and have just joined a couple of his heifers in the last couple of months .They grew very well, I have no complaints with them.

Ken
Good to know, thanks.. Do you happen to have any pics of your heifers? Who did you breed them to and why, if you don't mind?
 
I used Rainmaker a few years back, got great heifer stock I needed from him. Now I used Connely foolproof from select sires. His steer won grandchampion at fair past fall
 

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Good to know, thanks.. Do you happen to have any pics of your heifers? Who did you breed them to and why, if you don't mind?
I'll see what I can do with photos, might take a few days.
I used Musgrave Exclusive on both of them. I only have one heifer calf by Exclusive so don't have 1st hand experience with him but have used his sire LD Capitalist and have been happy with a couple of bulls I have bred by him. Exclusive was recommended to me by a fellow that grades my cattle and he spent a long time looking at him in the flesh.
The Rainmaker heifers had good growth. I would say they will grow to the high end of a moderate frame 6ish with good length by breadth by depth and seem easy doing and I am hoping Exclusive complements them. I usually go through the EBV's and see if the sire can plug any holes I see as well but I do try and match the phenotype as well.

Ken
 
Maybe lower epd Red Angus are better suited to your part of Canada.
High epd american genetics don't necessarily translate to higher profits everywhere.
Well that may be the case. But before I accept defeat I'm gonna pay more attention to frame size in the ai Sires I use. And also make sure they will work and have worked good in more of a northern climate.
 
I'll see what I can do with photos, might take a few days.
I used Musgrave Exclusive on both of them. I only have one heifer calf by Exclusive so don't have 1st hand experience with him but have used his sire LD Capitalist and have been happy with a couple of bulls I have bred by him. Exclusive was recommended to me by a fellow that grades my cattle and he spent a long time looking at him in the flesh.
The Rainmaker heifers had good growth. I would say they will grow to the high end of a moderate frame 6ish with good length by breadth by depth and seem easy doing and I am hoping Exclusive complements them. I usually go through the EBV's and see if the sire can plug any holes I see as well but I do try and match the phenotype as well.

Ken
About musgrave exclusive have you noticed if his front legs are bowed a little. I asked my ai rep about him and he said he didn't like that about the bull. Just wanted a second opinion and if you've noticed that in his calves..
 
About musgrave exclusive have you noticed if his front legs are bowed a little. I asked my ai rep about him and he said he didn't like that about the bull. Just wanted a second opinion and if you've noticed that in his calves..
I only have one heifer calf on the ground by Exclusive but haven't noticed anything about her legs but then I haven't looked closely yet. The fellow who recommended him to me is a very astute judge of cattle, that is what he does for a living. He spent some time in the paddock with Exclusive checking his legs and movement and said he found him hard to fault.

Ken
 
Six Exclusive calves born Spring of 2020. No structural issues noted. Excellent performance. Heifers maybe not the prettiest.
 
In my opinion, I think you need to take another look at why you don't like smaller framed Angus for that environment. Larger frames work great in the South/southeast. They don't work as well in the north. I'd be a lot more concerned with fleshing and EN value in a bull for a northern herd than frame.

If your only goal is a measuring contest with family...by all means...keep going. If your goal is to make money, I'd be more concerned with your profit margin per acre..not per calf. You can wean a hell of a calf....but if I can run 3 cows for the same inputs as 2 of yours...and mine gain and finish well with excellent marbling and grade on crappy (or non existent this year) grass. I have one cow I swear would get fat by osmosis just looking at grass...to each his own.
 

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