Club Calf Cows

[steerkid21]

Me and my brother are trying to start a club calf business, but just cant seem to find the kind that turn into good cows to produce better calves. The ones we have gotten either turn out to be way too shallow or even not milk very well.  Right now were trying to figure out who is throwing the good club calf cows?  If anyone is finding anything or has any advice, anything would be appreciated! Thanks!

 

[knabe]

the biggest mystery on the planet.

 

[Mainevent]

Would have to agree with knabe. Very hit and miss on club calf cows on thier maternal ability, I have a heatwave cow that believe it or not milks very well, and have a very maternal Maine cow that doesn't milk at all, just hit and miss.

 

[SSIMMENTALS]

I reccommend you find some good  Simmangus cross cows with a lot of belly, really sound complete cows. Breed them to the hotter clubby bulls and you should be off to a good start. Or breed them to a maternal Maine bull, keep their heifers, and breed those cattle to the clubby bulls. A lot of times, the heifers that are more steery/ terminal in their type end up being just that. Too terminal to calve/milk and thus don't produce the good ones. As others have said, it's hard to know until she calves and proves what she's going to do.

 

[kfacres]

the cows that make the best cows.. and in term make the best club calves... are either high % maine, angus, and sim or shorthorn.. Prob in that order...  Take those daughters, and flush them to make the best steers...  but put the eggs in a good ole angus or herf cow.. cuz clubby cows aren't worth a darn.

 

[Freerider]

I've sold most of my clubby cows, and started breeding F1's and 3 way cross cows. Maternally bred maine/angus F1 cows bred to clubby bulls seem to work better for me.

I've also started injecting some simmi in there to give me more milk and a more powerful stride.

 

[Shadow Hill Farm]

the cows that make the best cows.. and in term make the best club calves... are either high % maine, angus, and sim or shorthorn.. Prob in that order...  Take those daughters, and flush them to make the best steers...  but put the eggs in a good ole angus or herf cow.. cuz clubby cows aren't worth a darn.

I reccommend you find some good  Simmangus cross cows with a lot of belly, really sound complete cows. Breed them to the hotter clubby bulls and you should be off to a good start. Or breed them to a maternal Maine bull, keep their heifers, and breed those cattle to the clubby bulls. A lot of times, the heifers that are more steery/ terminal in their type end up being just that. Too terminal to calve/milk and thus don't produce the good ones. As others have said, it's hard to know until she calves and proves what she's going to do.

Totally agree!! Unless you want to end up with bunch of cripples then stay away from the club calf cows! I'm more prone to Angus crosses. That's just IMO cause that's what we raise along with registered Angus. We keep our registered bred to registered with the exception of one because club bulls seem to really work good on her.

 

[savaged]

Congratulations on your lottery winnings  ;D

 

[bryan6807]

sim/angus females seem to work the best, may not hit a home run and get a 10k steer, but they will easily raise 2k steers and more. a shot of maine helps and believe it or not we have had luck with straight angus cows, big, deep, powerful angus cows though. to be more specific though we use meyer sons, dream on sons, and on the maine use chill factor. good luck!!

 

[LF Show cattle]

From what I have seen in a lot of breeders that produce a lot of good steers they have  Meyer cows,Irish whisky cows, Chill Factor cows and Who made who cows.

 

[Mueller Show Cattle]

the cows that make the best cows.. and in term make the best club calves... are either high % maine, angus, and sim or shorthorn.. Prob in that order...  Take those daughters, and flush them to make the best steers...  but put the eggs in a good ole angus or herf cow.. cuz clubby cows aren't worth a darn.

I agree with his comment. If you have good clubby built heifers, flush them and implant them into recips that milks good and does not have problems calving. I am getting into doing more flushing and using recips because I learned the hard way, had heifers that were too clubby that had hard times calving and don't milk worth crap. This coming year I will be buying recips, jersey or holsteins, those clubby calves will grow like crazy on dairy cattle.

 

[cpubarn]

Go to a few pasture sales, when the calves are still on the cow.  Pay attention to the cows that have the better calves of a style that you like. Seperate those that are ET calves from those that are out of the cow nursing the calf.  I agree wiith many othe the contents above.  There has to be a little something in the cow, but not too much clubby.