THM Durango 4037

[KNERSIE]

Thanks George, that atleast gives me a starting point. Do you perhaps know whether there is an online catalogue with photos of his progeny?

Here is the catalog:

http://www.reedent.com/midwest/catalogs/njw/njw.pdf

I'm having a hard time convincing myself that I shouldn't actually go to this sale...if for no other reason rid myself of some barn-blindness.

George

I thought everything was going pretty well till Lot 27. It certainly wouldn't take much for him to outbreed himself, any cow he bred with a little bone and muscle would surely look better than he does.

George, you will have to educate me on the barn blindness thing, how does going to the sale fix a barn blindness problem, I guess I'm missing the boat, like I am with lot 27.

I have to agree on lot 27, he is the worst animal on the sale.

 

[alexfarms]

I think what catches our attention about this bull is he is being presented as an oddity. The main pic that is published makes him look short legged, long, fleshy and deep bodied on the one hand and then on the other hand he has relatively high growth epds and reasonable bw epd. We aren't seeing alot of bulls that are pulling off that combination of phenotype and projected genotype. He has little eye pigment and he looks a little sway backed. In the additional pics, when he was young, he looks steer headed. If he didn't have the set of epds he has to go along with the main pic, I don't think he would get a second look. He has caught my attention also. It looks to me like the pic is taken from a high vantage point. He might pan out alright or reality may set in...it may just be a very good promo job and his epds may change quite abit.

 

[SRBeef]

What about the negative Scrotal EPD?

 

[KNERSIE]

What about the negative Scrotal EPD?

I have very big scrotums in my herd so i doubt it will cause a trainsmash.

I think what catches our attention about this bull is he is being presented as an oddity. The main pic that is published makes him look short legged, long, fleshy and deep bodied on the one hand and then on the other hand he has relatively high growth epds and reasonable bw epd. We aren't seeing alot of bulls that are pulling off that combination of phenotype and projected genotype. He has little eye pigment and he looks a little sway backed. In the additional pics, when he was young, he looks steer headed. If he didn't have the set of epds he has to go along with the main pic, I don't think he would get a second look. He has caught my attention also. It looks to me like the pic is taken from a high vantage point. He might pan out alright or reality may set in...it may just be a very good promo job and his epds may change quite abit.

Being reasonably proven I doubt his EPDs will change much. He may very well be an oddity in the sense that he sires a type that I can live with and he seems to be doing it consistently. If it is indeed just a good promo job then I have to take my hat off to whomever took the pics and made the final selection for the catalogue, that person sure has an eye for cattle and for presenting animals looking their best.

 

[redfornow]

Durango is a small framed meat wagon.
He was 5.5 or so by my eye deep with good structure and lots of pigment. Now its been a few years ago that I saw him, but he spent a summer here in ky..
Very free moving, I saw him in with 30 cows after the summer on forage and he looked great.

Now he is a heifer bull, in everyway. Dont try to make him what he aint... lol I tried.
I believed I could have it all, and was disappointed the first year I used him. Really I expected to much.

You are not going to get performance out of him.
I havnt found him to "press the scales down" Now he puts on pounds, but if weight is your only motivation. There are better bulls out there without a doubt that will put on more pounds quicker in the hereford breed.
But also if pounds is all your looking for... I think I would be more inclined to go char or simmie.

BUT... if you are looking for a bull that you can breed to heifers and get a live calf that will make great cows?
He is your guy. Moderate framed good milking, not great udders but very solid.
I have used both durango as sire and one of his sons. He is a useful bull. Just dont get carried away with the idea that come weaning time something special is gonna happen... Cause it aint. But the calves will be live, lively and solid.
They will not cost you much, and I have been very happy with the heifers so far.

As compared to 242 or progress he is much more of a performance bull, no dinks just not gonna be a curve bender.
I like progress more than 242, I am using a progress son on a number of Durnango sired calves this year. Spring will be the tale.

 

[alisonb]

Knersie, just for my interest, how does this bull compare with Locheim Markwart 0688?

 

[KNERSIE]

0688 is far superior phenotypically, is more what the breed needs as far as eyes go, but he is no calving ease bull regardless what the numbers say. The bull I mentioned that turned out to be a disaster in my herd was 0688. I do have a few dandies out of him, but the cost was too high. His breeder is still a friend of mine that I have lots of respect for, but i won't use 0688 again if the semen was free.

 

[CosgrayHerefords]

I've seen many Durango's this year and if you are looking for stout made, deep, long, attractive females he was by far the most consistent producer. His sons showed good muscle expression and masculinity. To me he is the real deal and we will use him and his son About Time a great deal this year on both our replacement heifers and cows.

Knersie, what are your thoughts on these bulls, BonHaven Wall Street 079, TH 75J 243R Bailout 144U, and the bull for sale in Wards offering TH 14M 63N Tundra 1S.

 

[Herefords.US]

George, you will have to educate me on the barn blindness thing, how does going to the sale fix a barn blindness problem, I guess I'm missing the boat, like I am with lot 27.

I probably should have been a little more informative. Besides attending that sale and seeing the Ward herd, I'd try to stop and look at a couple more good herds between here and there, including Ned Jr's. In the past, I've always come away from visits like those with a fresh perspective and I am able to look at my own cow herd more objectively.

George

 

[Jake]

Now looking at many hereford advertisements I'm still not sold on the udder quality in many herefords and I was wondering if any of you would comment on what I see as mediocre udders on so many of the cows in the catalog. There seems to be an awful lot of slope to the udders and eneven teat size.

 

[rocket2222]

George, you will have to educate me on the barn blindness thing, how does going to the sale fix a barn blindness problem, I guess I'm missing the boat, like I am with lot 27.

I probably should have been a little more informative. Besides attending that sale and seeing the Ward herd, I'd try to stop and look at a couple more good herds between here and there, including Ned Jr's. In the past, I've always come away from visits like those with a fresh perspective and I am able to look at my own cow herd more objectively.

George

I'm with you now George, "yes honey, one more road trip and a couple more sales and the barn blindness will be healed up completely" yeah, now I get it.

 

[rocket2222]

Now looking at many hereford advertisements I'm still not sold on the udder quality in many herefords and I was wondering if any of you would comment on what I see as mediocre udders on so many of the cows in the catalog. There seems to be an awful lot of slope to the udders and eneven teat size.

I'll agree with you, compared to say 10/15 years ago though, they are on average a lot better. I think some real improvements were made a few years back, then breeders started focusing on carcass traits, and have let the udder slip back a little in their selection order. Definitely something that breeders still need to pay a lot of attention to. Including me.

 

[KNERSIE]

I've seen many Durango's this year and if you are looking for stout made, deep, long, attractive females he was by far the most consistent producer. His sons showed good muscle expression and masculinity. To me he is the real deal and we will use him and his son About Time a great deal this year on both our replacement heifers and cows.

Knersie, what are your thoughts on these bulls, BonHaven Wall Street 079, TH 75J 243R Bailout 144U, and the bull for sale in Wards offering TH 14M 63N Tundra 1S.

For me Wall Street lacks neck extension and he is from a very sweet part of the country and I'm very acidic making him a gamble on doing ability. His sire has done very well for Bonhaven, but his dam's production record isn't brilliant and she died young from gallsickness if I remember correctly. Don't know 144U at all, 1S is certainly more impressive now than he was as a calf, but for me I'd like to see more gut. Friends of mine has seen progeny at Bonhaven and they weren't all that excited about his calves.

 

[KNERSIE]

Now looking at many hereford advertisements I'm still not sold on the udder quality in many herefords and I was wondering if any of you would comment on what I see as mediocre udders on so many of the cows in the catalog. There seems to be an awful lot of slope to the udders and eneven teat size.

I'll agree with you, compared to say 10/15 years ago though, they are on average a lot better. I think some real improvements were made a few years back, then breeders started focusing on carcass traits, and have let the udder slip back a little in their selection order. Definitely something that breeders still need to pay a lot of attention to. Including me.

I don't see any udders that not functional? Yes there is always room for improvement, but trying to perfect an already functional udder while letting other things slip as what is happening in the angus breed is counterproductive in my opinion. I'll much rather have unequal, yet still functional udders than a whole breed with chicken legs.

Not meaning to start a fight, but big teats and sloppy udders seem to be a bigger problem in the true herefords than in the mutants from the dark side.

 

[KNERSIE]

Back to Durango... anyone knows who sells his semen except for Reeds?

 

[rocket2222]

Back to Durango... anyone knows who sells his semen except for Reeds?

You might try contacting Meads, the breeder.
706-339-1144
[email protected]

 

[alexfarms]

George, you will have to educate me on the barn blindness thing, how does going to the sale fix a barn blindness problem, I guess I'm missing the boat, like I am with lot 27.

I probably should have been a little more informative. Besides attending that sale and seeing the Ward herd, I'd try to stop and look at a couple more good herds between here and there, including Ned Jr's. In the past, I've always come away from visits like those with a fresh perspective and I am able to look at my own cow herd more objectively.

George

I'm with you now George, "yes honey, one more road trip and a couple more sales and the barn blindness will be healed up completely" yeah, now I get it.

I think the Hereford breed suffers more from show-cattle-blindness than barn-blindness, especially on the polled side.

 

[WichitaLineMan]

I think the Hereford breed suffers more from show-cattle-blindness than barn-blindness, especially on the polled side.

I couldn't agree more. Of all the breeds, the Hereford breed is the most negatively effected by the show circus.

 

[DOC HARRIS]

KNERSIE - and others-

I don't see any udders that not functional? Yes there is always room for improvement, but trying to perfect an already functional udder while letting other things slip as what is happening in the angus breed is counterproductive in my opinion. I'll much rather have unequal, yet still functional udders than a whole breed with chicken legs.
Not meaning to start a fight, but big teats and sloppy udders seem to be a bigger problem in the true herefords than in the mutants from the dark side.

:clap: :clap: KNERSIE-- You are absolutely correct with these "above quote" statements. This is what I was referring to in the 5th post of "this" thread. Focusing on ONE TRAIT to the detriment of others is foolish management! "Funnel Butts" is just ONE of the negative characteristics which has blighted the Angus Breed as a result of "Single Trait Selection and UNselection" choices.

DOC HARRIS

 

[Herefords.US]

I'm with you now George, "yes honey, one more road trip and a couple more sales and the barn blindness will be healed up completely" yeah, now I get it.

Rocket, with everything that's been going on with my wifes's health in the last two years, I haven't been able to make any "cattle trips". She's a city gal and doesn't share my enthusiasm for such things anyway. And right now, the thought of dropping her off at my inlaws for a few days and giving us both a much needed vacation from each other - while I take a road trip and enjoy the scenery of Wyoming and Colorado as well as the Hereford cattle! Well, that all sounds pretty heavenly! :lol: And I bet the elk are bugling in Rocky Mountain National Park!

So, yes, I guess you DID get it! :tiphat:

George