The whole point of using a crossbred female with a purebred bull is to maximize your heterosis. By using a crossbred bull on purebred heifers, you're only getting a portion of that effect. Theoretically, the crossbred females milk better than straightbreds. Use a purebred bull, then you have the benefits of the increased milk combined with the higher growth in the calves from the outcross bull. Of course, that is assuming a 3 breed cross. ie. Baldy cows bred to Charolais bulls.
I guess the right question, Calhoun, is: what would be the monetary benefit of going to the trouble of finding 2 or 3 crossbred heifers to use with your bull? Is it worth the trouble??? Just because some professor said that is the "best" way to do it, doesn't mean that is the only way. If I did everything the way that they told us to do it at A&M, we probably would have been out of business before we even started! If your heifers are nice, and you like your bull, and they do their job, what's better than that? Other than being purely idealistic and getting carried away by theory. When we started with our Brangus, the plan was to start using some terminal type bulls when we got up to the number of cows we wanted. But after seeing the calves getting better every year, and making a good amount of money with them, I really don't see a big reason to change what we're doing. Sometimes it's ok to be "good enough." Just food for thought. If you think your heifers are junk and are looking for a reason to start over, well, that's a different story.
