Breeding Heifers NEED SOME HELP

[kobo_ranch]

Hey Yall!
Can you give me some advise on the best way to breed first time calvers.  We have some really top notch heifers out Sired by Paddy Omalley (dams are Angus/MaineX) You've told me before most of you breed so they will calve by age of 2.  Our top heifer will be 1 late July this summer, and the others a  month or so later.  So do I breed them like in Nov or Dec>  and put small Jersey bull on them or can I AI them?  If so which bulls do you recommend?
THANKS SO MUCH FOR ANY SUGGESTIONS!!

 

[TJ]

Am I glad my power is back on...    8)   ;D   

Small Jersey?   ???  Before you do that look left. 

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48 lb. actual bw.  I've actually bred Lowline bulls to under a year old Tarentaise heifers that calved unassisted at 20 months & bred back 2 cycles quicker the next time!  And if the heifers are any count, you will get a show calf.  Here is a 1/2 Lowline X 1/2 Shorthorn that is just a little over a year old in this pic.  Doc has never sired a 1/2 blood calf over 70 lbs. that I am aware of.   The pictured heifer is not out of Doc, but she only weighed 40 something lbs. at birth & she's no "mini".   

I will say if you breed a real young heifer (under a year), I'd watch them close come calving time, but I didn't & I've never had a problem. 

BTW, typical age to breed a heifer is around 15 months.       

 

[kobo_ranch]

Am I glad my power is back on...    8)   ;D   

Small Jersey?   ???  Before you do that look left. 

       <
   <
<==================
   <
      <

48 lb. actual bw.  I've actually bred Lowline bulls to under a year old Tarentaise heifers that calved unassisted at 20 months & bred back 2 cycles quicker the next time!  And if the heifers are any count, you will get a show calf.  Here is a 1/2 Lowline X 1/2 Shorthorn that is just a little over a year old in this pic.  Doc has never sired a 1/2 blood calf over 70 lbs. that I am aware of.   The pictured heifer is not out of Doc, but she only weighed 40 something lbs. at birth & she's no "mini".   

I will say if you breed a real young heifer (under a year), I'd watch them close come calving time, but I didn't & I've never had a problem. 

BTW, typical age to breed a heifer is around 15 months.       

ok so you're suggesting AI with which bull exactly?  That's what I was hoping for, but just so worried about damaging or having a dead calf. 

 

[TJ]

ok so you're suggesting AI with which bull exactly?  That's what I was hoping for, but just so worried about damaging or having a dead calf. 

The bull in my avatar... BCC Doc Holliday 04P would be my pick.  However, I could name off several other Lowline bulls that would work very well.  A couple of good Lowline bulls are owned by people here on SP.  Doc Holliday is only $20 per straw.  Hair, style, soundness, thickness, depth, polled, no TH or PHA, high marbling, etc.  Somebody on SP has a nice daughter of his in their avatar the last time I checked, if you want to see how his progeny look.  Lots of pics of his calves here on SP too, if you do a search.   

Doc Holliday is as easy calving as easy calving gets.   

 

[farwest]

To have paddy o malley heifers i would say you're wanting to dabble in the club calf business.  I would breed them that way.  There are calving ease proven bulls that are clubbies..Ali, use the clone, who made who, majors money man,  alot of talk going on on here about gigalo joe lately.  If you're wanting some females maybe go calving ease angus, but their showring chances will be really limited.

 

[TJ]

their showring chances will be really limited.

The chances of winning with most calves out of 1st calf heifers & calving ease clubby genetics are really limited too.  But, more importantly, the chances of 20 calves being born unassisted with those matings are really limited too. 

I'm not saying something else might not work, but I am saying that a Lowline will give you unassisted calves & a legit shot to win in the showring.  And based on what I've seen, I'm talking AOB heifers & light weight steers, not just Lowline shows.  Matter of fact, a club calf guy in Michigan swears that he thinks that a couple of steers doing some winning were Lowline X & now he wants to try it.  I'm also not so sure that  it isn't already being tried too.   

 

[farwest]

It must depend on what part of the country your in.  Haven't seen any lowline classes in shows here in Nebraska or a lowline cross do the damage.  I think JBH has posted on here before, you gotta go for it the first year.

 

[TJ]

It must depend on what part of the country your in.   Haven't seen any lowline classes in shows here in Nebraska or a lowline cross do the damage.  I think JBH has posted on here before, you gotta go for it the first year.

If you like your calf pulling chains, then "go for it".  Taking a chance on damaging a 1st calf heifer just isn't worth it to me. 

And the part of the country doesn't matter, a good calf is a good calf anywhere. 

 

[red]

I wouldn't put a Jersey on them. You'll just get a feedlot calf. There are many good easy calving bulls out there. Money Man, Gigolo Joe, Ali just to name a few on the Maine side.
I agree, getting a healthy calf & live heifer is more important to me than a champion. By breeding her carefully you'll have plenty of time down the road for champions later. Make sure the pelvic size is enough for a safe delivery too.

Red

 

[TGH]

If you want some real calves out of these heifers use Smokin' Joe on them.  Power, Style and Performance to go along with the calving ease.  I've used most of the maine bulls out there and he is the best.

 

[OH Breeder]

These are the ones we have had success with. Dependable calving ease sires. You have a composite female and anyone of these sires would give you a marketable calf.

Northern Improvment- $30 straw Angus
Traveler T510- $30 straw Angus
Gizmo- $100 straw Shorthorn
Ali- if you can find it Maine


Several Simmi's
Dream On- $40 straw
Goldmine-$20

 

[dori36]

It must depend on what part of the country your in.   Haven't seen any lowline classes in shows here in Nebraska or a lowline cross do the damage.  I think JBH has posted on here before, you gotta go for it the first year.

If you like your calf pulling chains, then "go for it".  Taking a chance on damaging a 1st calf heifer just isn't worth it to me.   

And the part of the country doesn't matter, a good calf is a good calf anywhere. 

Let me support TJ's comments here.  Big surprise, huh?  My first impression from the original post is that the owner of the heifers is more concerned with safely calving these heifers than with magically producing the next big steer show winner.  I'd ask first of all, will you be happy with your 2010 calves being born in the Fall?  With the breeding schedule you're considering, late Fall/early winter, that's what you'll get.  No problem as long as that's what you want.  If you're honestly considering using a Jersey bull, why not go ahead and keep the beef cow conformation by using a Lowline?  I, like TJ, can post lots and lots of pics of very good Lowline cattle resulting from other breed cows/heifers covered by a Lowline bull.  Justin can fill in the blanks here, too, with his Shortie program integrating with Lowline genetics.  I strongly suggest you consider using a Lowline bull.  Obviously, TJ has one as do I - well I have semen, the bull himself was put down last Fall.  Here are a couple of pics for you (somehow the other SP'ers knew I'd post these!).  First is my bull, ABF Fitz S219.  The second is a halfblood cow from a Baldridge Oscar bred Angus cow and sired by a different Lowline sire.  The third is the halfblood's heifer sired by Fitz. She's a 3/4 blood Lowline. And, finally, there's a little group of 3 halfblood Lowline calves - 2 with BueLingo dams and one from an Angus, all sired by Fitz    The halfblood weighed about 65 lbs at birth out of an 1800 lb Angus cow.  The 3/4 blood weighed in at about 50 lbs at birth.  There's a very good half Shortie/half Lowline (Bruiser) that is as good as it gets regardless of one's preference in breeds and I believe he also weighed about 65 lbs at birth.  I'd be glad to add more info for you if you have more questions.

 

[kobo_ranch]

It must depend on what part of the country your in.   Haven't seen any lowline classes in shows here in Nebraska or a lowline cross do the damage.  I think JBH has posted on here before, you gotta go for it the first year.

If you like your calf pulling chains, then "go for it".  Taking a chance on damaging a 1st calf heifer just isn't worth it to me.   

And the part of the country doesn't matter, a good calf is a good calf anywhere. 

Let me support TJ's comments here.  Big surprise, huh?  My first impression from the original post is that the owner of the heifers is more concerned with safely calving these heifers than with magically producing the next big steer show winner.  I'd ask first of all, will you be happy with your 2010 calves being born in the Fall?  With the breeding schedule you're considering, late Fall/early winter, that's what you'll get.  No problem as long as that's what you want.  If you're honestly considering using a Jersey bull, why not go ahead and keep the beef cow conformation by using a Lowline?  I, like TJ, can post lots and lots of pics of very good Lowline cattle resulting from other breed cows/heifers covered by a Lowline bull.  Justin can fill in the blanks here, too, with his Shortie program integrating with Lowline genetics.  I strongly suggest you consider using a Lowline bull.  Obviously, TJ has one as do I - well I have semen, the bull himself was put down last Fall.  Here are a couple of pics for you (somehow the other SP'ers knew I'd post these!).  First is my bull, ABF Fitz S219.  The second is a halfblood cow from a Baldridge Oscar bred Angus cow and sired by a different Lowline sire.  The third is the halfblood's heifer sired by Fitz. She's a 3/4 blood Lowline. And, finally, there's a little group of 3 halfblood Lowline calves - 2 with BueLingo dams and one from an Angus, all sired by Fitz    The halfblood weighed about 65 lbs at birth out of an 1800 lb Angus cow.  The 3/4 blood weighed in at about 50 lbs at birth.  There's a very good half Shortie/half Lowline (Bruiser) that is as good as it gets regardless of one's preference in breeds and I believe he also weighed about 65 lbs at birth.  I'd be glad to add more info for you if you have more questions.

ok THANKS for all your feedback--We are in TEXAS and yes want Sept-Nov calves.  These two girls out of Paddy Omalley we've been told are excellent, and we're real pleased.  Would love of course to get a champ, but health of cow and a good live calf is MOST important this first go round.  I would like to see this Bruiser fellow, and ANY bull that might get us a good live calf, and even better a Angus or other breed show quality classification.  Just surprised our club calf jockey was so insistant on breeding to a jersey.  Just want to be very careful!  THANKS AGAIN

 

[TJ]

Here is a 1/2 Lowline X 1/2 Angus cow.  48 inches tall & virtually 1,400 lbs.  Anybody who doesn't think that this cow would make a clubby momma is being stubbornly closed minded & biased for absolutely no good reason, IMHO.  You can't see it, but she's extremely wide based.  If she was bred to a clubby, you would could get a homerun.  So, why is it so hard to comprehend that a 1/2 blood Lowline X 1/2 Clubby could actually be rather impressive  ...and not at all a little "smurf"?  Especially when reports are that judges have picked some 48 - 49 inch steers for champions.

 

[shortyjock89]

We're using a Lowline bull on my show heifer this year, and we're flushing one of our big red Shorthorn cows to a red Lowline bull, and then breeding her back that way.  If Lowline breeders know that you have quality calves out of Lowline bulls, they will be beating down your door to get at them. 

 

[dori36]

<<ok THANKS for all your feedback--We are in TEXAS and yes want Sept-Nov calves.  These two girls out of Paddy Omalley we've been told are excellent, and we're real pleased.  Would love of course to get a champ, but health of cow and a good live calf is MOST important this first go round.  I would like to see this Bruiser fellow, and ANY bull that might get us a good live calf, and even better a Angus or other breed show quality classification.  Just surprised our club calf jockey was so insistant on breeding to a jersey.  Just want to be very careful!  THANKS AGAIN

I'm trying to find some pics of Bruiser.  He's a blue roan half Shortie/half Lowline and is pretty impressive.  I found one on Browarny's site but it might be too tiny to be very viewable.  Stay tuned!  He's in Colorado.  I'm also searching for some good pics of more blue roan half Shorties/half Lowlines owned by friends in Torrington, WY.  They're also tremendous show girls.

 

[Davis Shorthorns]

for me I would go with a angus.  There are plunty of them that can be showy.  I would think about final answer.  I think that we are going to breed all of our heifers to him this year. 

 

[TJ]

I would like to see this Bruiser fellow, and ANY bull that might get us a good live calf, and even better a Angus or other breed show quality classification.

Bruiser is a 1/2 blood & I've heard that he's awfully good.  The other 1/2 is Shorthorn and I'm not sure just how "calving ease" that 1/2 is.  So, I'm not sure that I would experiment with him on heifers, without doing lots of homework on him 1st.  Plus, if you use a fullblood bull like Doc or Fitz, you could register the calves as 1/2 Lowline.  If you want Red calves, you could use Bluey & he's a fullblood too.  If it were me & calving ease was the premium, I'd stick with a fullblood Lowline bull on your Paddy daughters & try to produce something "like" Bruiser. 

My 1/2 Shorthorn heifer is pretty sharp all dolled up & "Nikki" a 1/2 Lowline X 1/2 Shorthorn, owned by Rocky Mountain Lowlines, is very good, and they, along with Bruiser are perfect examples of what you can get out of a fullblood bull on a traditional "show type breed". 

I do want to mention that a kid in Arkansas, dominated the AOB division in his state, last year, with a 3/4 blood (smaller than a 1/2 blood) Lowline heifer.  He won a ton of shows (like 15 or so) & only lost twice! 

There is a Lowline show at Houston & you can always show anywhere in AOB.   

I spoke with a woman from NE Oklahoma this AM who is getting into the 1/2 Lowline business & she knows a lot of youth in her area & she wants to sell the idea to those 4H & FFA kids.  She's wanting enough to have Lowline classifications. 

Trust me, it's just a matter of time & the snowball is just getting bigger & bigger.  That will only mean more & more opportunities to show Lowline cattle.  For example, we went from zero shows east of the Mississippi a year ago, to 5 that are already being planned for this year (including 1 in Georgia) & we may have 6 or 7 or even more! 

 

[dori36]

Here's an attempt to show you the half Shorthorn/half Lowlines that I referred to.  I'd agree w/TJ about Bruzer (I had spelled his name wrong before) being an unknown regarding birthweights.  I'm mostly mentioning him to show what can be gotten by using Lowlines on other breeds of cattle.  So, here's Bruzer at Denver last year, and Nikki at the NILE.  Oops, sorry Nikki is so tiny.  It's all I could find.

 

[TJ]

Small pic or not, Nikki is the real deal... I've seen her in person.