Young bull should I keep him?

[Starting late]

I have a herd of older Hereford cows and a very nice Black Angus bull. I just brought home a young bull about 8 mos. old. He is a very good looking bull. Great body shape, very healthy, great coat, full low hanging scrotum, etc. I bought this herd from an older neighbor and I cannot determine which cow is his mother. Would the genetics be OK if I kept him and used him to breed some of his 1/2 sisters that I am keeping to breed? Would it be OK for him to breed the old Herefords? Would his black/white faced 1/2 sisters have nice calves if bred by this bull? If I get some new young Hereford heifers or cows would they have good calves with this "baldie" bull? You all have more experience than I do so please tell me what you think.

 

[redcowsrule33]

Linebreeding can go good or go really bad. No way of knowing which way it'd go for you. I'd be hesistant to use an unknown on heifers especially if some may be related. If it was me, I'd get something where you at least have an idea of what you're getting into. But then I'm all about avoiding trainwrecks where I can.

 

[msscamp]

I have a herd of older Hereford cows and a very nice Black Angus bull. I just brought home a young bull about 8 mos. old. He is a very good looking bull. Great body shape, very healthy, great coat, full low hanging scrotum, etc. I bought this herd from an older neighbor and I cannot determine which cow is his mother. Would the genetics be OK if I kept him and used him to breed some of his 1/2 sisters that I am keeping to breed? Would it be OK for him to breed the old Herefords? Would his black/white faced 1/2 sisters have nice calves if bred by this bull? If I get some new young Hereford heifers or cows would they have good calves with this "baldie" bull? You all have more experience than I do so please tell me what you think.

I would not do it. When things go right it's called linebreeding, when a trainwreck happens it's called inbreeding. The simple fact is there is no difference, and no way to tell which is going to happen without a whole lot of knowledge and experience. If you have to ask, you don't have the knowledge/experience to even think about it, much less try it. Just my honest opinion.

 

[KNERSIE]

Regardless of whether the bull is related or not, he is still just a crossbred. Part of the reason why he looks good is because of hybrid vigour and that he will never pass on to his progeny.

I'm not against linebreeding as I also practice it, but I dare say there goes a little more planning into a typical linebreeding program than simply use a goodlooking crossbred bullcalf.

If your herd is predominantly hereford, use an angus bull. If predominantly angus use a herefordbull and you'll always have baldies that will command a premium at the salebarn.

There are offcourse other crossbreeding strategies that will have more hybrid vigour, but then it tends to become so complicated two or three generations down the road that most commercial guys just end up with a mongrelised mess.

 

[novatech]

Choosing a bull is much to important a decision than picking one out of a group not even knowing who his dam is.
Here are a couple of articles you should read.
http://www.cattletoday.com/archive/2000 ... ay78.shtml
http://www.albcia.org/Bull_Selection_101.html
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/AN/AN02400.pdf

 

[Starting late]

I agree. I will get him castrated this week. I am located in Carlinville, IL and would like to get in touch with someone who would sell me some young purebred Hereford heifers. All the cows in the herd I bought are getting old, and I need some replacements. I already have a good Angus bull.