What bull to use

[IHman]

We are in need of another bull. Most of our cow herd is simme, red angus, & some charolaisxsimme. I share a pasture with my father in law who has most of the cows mentioned above. I am buliding my own herd & have mainly F1 herfordX anugus cows with a few black simmentals in the mix. We have one traditional colored simme bull now. I am wanting a hereford/polledhereford bull but FIL is wanting to get a charolais. We had a charolais till this summer and he worked fine but with me adding more black cows I am wondering about getting "rat tail" calves which no one seems to want at the sale barn. We sell our calves around 650 lbs. What do you all think for a bull? Thanks in advance.

 

[Frankie]

We are in need of another bull. Most of our cow herd is simme, red angus, & some charolaisxsimme. I share a pasture with my father in law who has most of the cows mentioned above. I am buliding my own herd & have mainly F1 herfordX anugus cows with a few black simmentals in the mix. We have one traditional colored simme bull now. I am wanting a hereford/polledhereford bull but FIL is wanting to get a charolais. We had a charolais till this summer and he worked fine but with me adding more black cows I am wondering about getting "rat tail" calves which no one seems to want at the sale barn. We sell our calves around 650 lbs. What do you all think for a bull? Thanks in advance.

How does FIL feel about an Angus bull?

 

[Hippie Rancher]

Put a brahma, brangus or braford on those puppies.

 

[IHman]

FIL really doesnt want a black bull, he likes different colors.

As for brahmas, I am afraid you couldnt give them away up here.

 

[dun]

How about Gelbvieh?

 

[Hippie Rancher]

FIL really doesnt want a black bull, he likes different colors.

As for brahmas, I am afraid you couldnt give them away up here.

Yeah, when I saw the location I realized that wasn't gonna work, but you could send your cows to me and I could put one on 'em. And we would get some colors for sure. ;-)

 

[3waycross]

How about Gelbvieh?

Ditto

 

[rouxshortorn]

how about a Shorthorn

 

[ga. prime]

I'd go with the Charolais. I've done a fair amount of char-ang crossing and rat tails have never been an issue.

 

[SPRINGER FARMS MURRAY GRE]

Murray grey

 

[Anonymous]

What are you calling a rat tail.

 

[Avalon]

I think "rat tail syndrome" they say it is more prevalant in continetal breeds that are bred to black cattle. But I've not ever noticed a one.

 

[TREY-L]

We are in need of another bull. Most of our cow herd is simme, red angus, & some charolaisxsimme. I share a pasture with my father in law who has most of the cows mentioned above. I am buliding my own herd & have mainly F1 herfordX anugus cows with a few black simmentals in the mix. We have one traditional colored simme bull now. I am wanting a hereford/polledhereford bull but FIL is wanting to get a charolais. We had a charolais till this summer and he worked fine but with me adding more black cows I am wondering about getting "rat tail" calves which no one seems to want at the sale barn. We sell our calves around 650 lbs. What do you all think for a bull? Thanks in advance.

I don't think Charolais influence is going to cause any type of problem. Producers in this area of the country have been crossing Charolais with Angus for years and I've not ever heard of this condition happening.

Read this: http://jas.fass.org/cgi/reprint/77/5/1144.pdf

Trey