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<blockquote data-quote="HOSS" data-source="post: 815041" data-attributes="member: 1863"><p>I sort of have a hodge podge approach to my cattle genetics selection if viewed from the outside looking in but when looked at from the inside it makes sense. I use both my own bull and A.I. to try and reach my goals. I have an end goal of functional cattle that will grade well (for the terminal ones), be phenotypically correct and have a uniform appearance even though they are from different sires. I usually A.I. my heifers so calving ease is of most importance for them. I can't sell or use a dead calf. I try to pick a low BW bull that will compliment and correct the short comings of the heifer while at the same time keeping my overall goal in mind. Easier said than done. I have started to A.I. my top 10 mature cows to a bull that has the potential to produce off-spring that gets me closer to my goal. These gals are A.I.'d with both retaining heifers or creating above average steers so I use a decent performing, balanced trait, high quality bull for them. My owned bull is put on the rest. I buy the best bull that I can afford (read "makes sense") which is about $2,500 to $3,000. He is also balanced in EPD's with my overall goal in mind. I have retained heifers from my live bulls if they expressed those traits well. In a given season like this year I have calves from 4 sires. Three A.I. sires and my live bull. Two of the AI sires were low BW and were used on heifers. One of those heifers was 1/2 Jersey so I chose a bull that would moderate her milk production and straighten the legs of her calves. The others were bred to another low BW bull that would add hindquarter and length. The top 10 cows were bred to a bull with a little more performance as well as decent maternal traits. The balance of the herd were bred by live cover. The sires were all Balancers or full blood Gelbvieh.</p><p></p><p>In a nutshell I look at genetic selection for individual cows first and then for the herd as a whole with my end goal in mind. I have asked about several bulls on here before as part of my research. A.I. bulls in a catalog look great and could have great numbers but I want to know about disposition, longevity etc. that the catalogs do not show but experience does. I don't have a big operation so I can logistically do this. A guy with a 100 head or more might have a harder time picking sires to fit each cow or heifer.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="HOSS, post: 815041, member: 1863"] I sort of have a hodge podge approach to my cattle genetics selection if viewed from the outside looking in but when looked at from the inside it makes sense. I use both my own bull and A.I. to try and reach my goals. I have an end goal of functional cattle that will grade well (for the terminal ones), be phenotypically correct and have a uniform appearance even though they are from different sires. I usually A.I. my heifers so calving ease is of most importance for them. I can't sell or use a dead calf. I try to pick a low BW bull that will compliment and correct the short comings of the heifer while at the same time keeping my overall goal in mind. Easier said than done. I have started to A.I. my top 10 mature cows to a bull that has the potential to produce off-spring that gets me closer to my goal. These gals are A.I.'d with both retaining heifers or creating above average steers so I use a decent performing, balanced trait, high quality bull for them. My owned bull is put on the rest. I buy the best bull that I can afford (read "makes sense") which is about $2,500 to $3,000. He is also balanced in EPD's with my overall goal in mind. I have retained heifers from my live bulls if they expressed those traits well. In a given season like this year I have calves from 4 sires. Three A.I. sires and my live bull. Two of the AI sires were low BW and were used on heifers. One of those heifers was 1/2 Jersey so I chose a bull that would moderate her milk production and straighten the legs of her calves. The others were bred to another low BW bull that would add hindquarter and length. The top 10 cows were bred to a bull with a little more performance as well as decent maternal traits. The balance of the herd were bred by live cover. The sires were all Balancers or full blood Gelbvieh. In a nutshell I look at genetic selection for individual cows first and then for the herd as a whole with my end goal in mind. I have asked about several bulls on here before as part of my research. A.I. bulls in a catalog look great and could have great numbers but I want to know about disposition, longevity etc. that the catalogs do not show but experience does. I don't have a big operation so I can logistically do this. A guy with a 100 head or more might have a harder time picking sires to fit each cow or heifer. [/QUOTE]
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