What Breed Next?

[Mid South Guy]

Last year I bought 25 Santa Gertrudis X Hereford Heifers bred to Red Angus bulls. Amazingly I got 21 heifer calves all keepers. Plan to breed them to calve about 24-26 months. They are all good framed and should weigh about 850+ at breeding time. What breed bull would you use to breed these 1/4 SG X 1/4 Hereford X 1/2 RA heifers? I am leaning heavily toward a black Gelvieh because of the muscling, disposition, maternal traits, and it seems the market here is for anything black, but I would like to hear others' opinions.

 

[dun]

I would go with a calving ease bull of about any breed on the heifers and save the GV for their mothers.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

What dun said and personally I'd like to see them breed by a black Angus bull.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Why do you think you need more maternal?

 

[Scroote]

I will assume that by "good frame" you mean large framed. Whether that is good is debatable. Just remember that holsteins are large framed and constantly have calving problems. I would just breed to anything black if that is what you say brings more money. I would not think that you would be keeping any replacements unless you went back to hereford or red angus. Otherwise you are on the way to mongrelization and inconsistency.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Last year I bought 25 Santa Gertrudis X Hereford Heifers bred to Red Angus bulls. Amazingly I got 21 heifer calves all keepers. Plan to breed them to calve about 24-26 months. They are all good framed and should weigh about 850+ at breeding time. What breed bull would you use to breed these 1/4 SG X 1/4 Hereford X 1/2 RA heifers? I am leaning heavily toward a black Gelvieh because of the muscling, disposition, maternal traits, and it seems the market here is for anything black, but I would like to hear others' opinions.

I would want a low birthweight Angus or Hereford on those girls first time around, until I see what genetics were coming out of the woodpile. You have the potential to have some very large calves with the Shorthorn GV genetics jump out IMO. Hybred vigor starts at conception and you have a lot in the woodpile. After the first calf I would be more comfortable in matching the girls up to different breeds.

 

[High Cotton]

I vote a black angus bull. It would give you the color you need across the scales. Black baldies seem some what easy to market. I think it would give you better chance of dodging the train wreck of mongrelization. Where are you located? I'm shooting in the dark but I'm guessing by your name your probably not to terribly far from Memphis.

 

[Mid South Guy]

Thanks everyone for your opinions. I like Dun's idea. Actually the solution came walking down the road yesterday. The neighbors Black Angus bull got out and came to my place. I put him in a pen and called the neighbor to pick him up. When he got there he said he been planning for 2 years to sell him because he is too close related to a lot of his cows and was going to get a Hereford bull, but kept him around because he was such an easy calving bull. Well I just happened to have an extra Hereford bull I used on some Char X cows that I was going to sell. So you guessed it. Neighbor went home with the Hereford bull, even swap.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Please stay on this forum long term Mid South Guy and keep us all posted on how this bull works out.

It would be cool if you'd post some pics of your new herd sire.

 

[Massey135]

I would not think that you would be keeping any replacements unless you went back to hereford or red angus. Otherwise you are on the way to mongrelization and inconsistency.

Breed Regression vs Mongrelization... Hmmm

 

[midtncattle]

I'd like to see some pictures of those momma cows. Also how did those hereford x char work?

 

[VCC]

So if you breed 1/4 SG, 1/4 Hereford, 1/2 RA to an Angus, would the calves not in all actuality be 1/8 SG, 1/8 Hereford, and 3/4 Angus? If he kept any heifers would you breed them Hereford or go back to an Angus?

 

[dun]

So if you breed 1/4 SG, 1/4 Hereford, 1/2 RA to an Angus, would the calves not in all actuality be 1/8 SG, 1/8 Hereford, and 3/4 Angus? If he kept any heifers would you breed them Hereford or go back to an Angus?

Gert or Herford depending on how much ear he wanted and if he planned on retaining heifers.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

I would not think that you would be keeping any replacements unless you went back to hereford or red angus. Otherwise you are on the way to mongrelization and inconsistency.

Breed Regression vs Mongrelization... Hmmm

i choose regression ....it aint a bad term used correctly

 

[andybob]

You will get a consistant calf crop by crossing to Bonsmara which will give a goos composite steer and a good damline heifer, the Tuli will give a top adapted fertile damline, both will give a high degree of heterosis due to their unique genetics, and both are low birth weight breeds.
These pictures will give an idea of the type of crosses you can expect; http://sangacattle.webs.com/apps/photos/

 

[Anonymous]

I'm suprised no one has mentioned putting a Simm on them