Suggestions on what kind of bull I should use?

[Toad]

I have run steers for a number of years but have recently decided to start on a cow/calf operation. I have 10 heifers about 600-700lb and not quite a year old and will be buying some more this spring. I bought most off my neighbor and they are 3/4 black angus and 1/4 simmental. My question is what bull would be ideal for me to breed with? I don't plan on turning them in with a bull until this fall but need some ideas on what that bull should be. The main thing I'm worried about with these first timers is calving ease. I figure I can't sell calves unless they are alive when they are born. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Isomade]

Lbw Angus

 

[Bigfoot]

Black corriente first time. Charlois after that. Also sounds like some of them will be ready to breed before fall.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Black corriente first time. Charlois after that. Also sounds like some of them will be ready to breed before fall.

Seriously Bigfoot? C'mon man.

 

[Isomade]

Black corriente first time. Charlois after that. Also sounds like some of them will be ready to breed before fall.

Seriously Bigfoot? C'mon man.

For those who have never done it, there is absolutely nothing wrong with using a correiente on heifers. It's the closest thing to a guaranteed calf crop on heifers. When you get into just one train wreck with 50 heifers you will look at things differently. You just want to make sure and sell the calves at around 300-350 lbs, before they start showing the Cor blood. Do the math for yourself on using a cheap Cor bull on say 50 heifers. Let's say you get 47 calves and don't loose any heifers. There is very little difference in calf price if any at 300. Plus you have a cheap bull that is like a cock roach, you just can't kill em. On the other hand if your LBW Angus, Hereford, GV ect turned out to be not so LBW or just a bad genetic match and you wind up with only 40 calves and 2 dead heifers. Like it or not, Bigfoot has a point. One of the largest ranches around here does just that and it works well for them.

 

[Toad]

The largest are about a year old next month, most were born last May and June. I was planning on separating the largest out and put the bull in with them in August and the rest a few months later. I've watched the sale barns and hunted around but there are not many decent cows for sale out there so I decided to buy heifers. These cost me around $650 but its going to take an additional year to produce calves.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Or a Jersey.

 

[cow pollinater]

or longhorn

 

[cow pollinater]

Waygu works to and they're actually worth something if you market them right.

 

[Coco Donatella]

Black corriente first time. Charlois after that. Also sounds like some of them will be ready to breed before fall.

Seriously Bigfoot? C'mon man.

For those who have never done it, there is absolutely nothing wrong with using a correiente on heifers.

It is a wasted calf, a throw away. Im not saying its a bad idea but I would never do it.
On second thought I will go so far as to say it is a bad idea.

 

[Bigfoot]

Jersey and longhorn show their blood lines. Corriente doesn't till it gets older.

 

[Isomade]

Black corriente first time. Charlois after that. Also sounds like some of them will be ready to breed before fall.
For those who have never done it, there is absolutely nothing wrong with using a correiente on heifers.

It is a wasted calf, a throw away. Im not saying its a bad idea but I would never do it.
On second thought I will go so far as to say it is a bad idea.

How old we're the calves when you sold them? What kind of cows were they out of?

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Using the other two atleast lets the buyers know upfront what they are getting.

 

[cow pollinater]

Jersey and longhorn show their blood lines. Corriente doesn't till it gets older.

You can kind of see it if you're looking for it.
Personally, If I were going to use a junk bull on heifers(which I'm not) it would be something really obvious like longhorn. I want whoever buys my calves to know what they're getting and pay me what it's worth. That way when I have good calves to sell my brand means something.

 

[Bigfoot]

Yaw act like I'm trying to knock the buyers in the head. It's just the black corrientes bring more. I don't slip up on nobody.

 

[cow pollinater]

Yaw act like I'm trying to knock the buyers in the head. It's just the black corrientes bring more. I don't slip up on nobody.

I didn't mean to insinuate that you were doing anything wrong. I'm just saying how I'd handle it if I were going to do it.

 

[Isomade]

Yaw act like I'm trying to knock the buyers in the head. It's just the black corrientes bring more. I don't slip up on nobody.

I didn't mean to insinuate that you were doing anything wrong. I'm just saying how I'd handle it if I were going to do it.

I'm going to do it. Bigfoot can I sell them under your name and get you to sign the check over to me?

 

[Bigfoot]

Or you could do what I do. Sell them in the name of Edward Jones, and deposit it straight in your tax differed IRA. No taxes either way you go.

 

[Bigfoot]

The two char cross calves in the back, and the calf nearest the camera are out of a corriente bull. They work especially well on charolois hiefers. The smoke has horns, the others are polled. My experience is a char heifer has a tendancy to over ride a LBW bull. I always open them with a corriente.

The bull is half corriente. His neck shows it, and his butt is peaked. Thats about it. I wouldn't crowd the bull in a corner. Hes a little gamey. Weighs about 1300 in this pic.

I wouldn't consider them buyer beware. All show their breeding. I would think a cattle buyer would spot them in a minute. If you sell them at about 6 months old they bring what the others do. I like a first calf heifer to have a little extra rest any way.

Side note--------Pictures posted for explanatory purposes. I didn't ask for you show folks to "critique".

 

[Taurus]

I think a Lowline angus or a cheap dexter bull is your best bet. If not, a black hereford would be your next bull.

Now turn my serious face on...what I can't believe that someone would suggest a corriente as a heifer bull! That's good way to waste a year out of the cow's productivity life by raising a junk calf that is sired by a junk bull.