Fall season in the Bitterroot Valley

[tamarack]

Nice animals Ralf. I am looking forward to more Coalpit calves this spring AI some Muridale Buster 2nd heifers to him should make some good bulls. Librarian did you ever get any AI to Speckle Park bulls ?

 

[librarian]

Tamarack, no I haven't gotten it together to AI. Natural service is just too easy and I think AI might confound some environmental feedback from the bull side.
I do think Speckled Park on the heifer version of this blackish bull would be extra good. Or that this blackish bull on a British White would work well to get close to the original Speckled Park color and carcass traits. I've often wondered about a red version of Speckled Park.
But I don't want to digress a lot from RedBulls post.
My YY bull is a CCL6 son. I'm really anxious to try him on some Galloways with a red gene. I think CCL6 has the right combination of length, depth and gut to make the cross work just right for early finish and good YW on grass. His dam is a mix of Dover and Diamond. Can't go wrong with that.

 

[RedBulls]

Well, the bulls are home from the U of Idaho bull test. 15 of their steer mates are at the Tri-County Feed Test yard at Oakland, IA and their heifer mates are still being home schooled in the art of becoming low maintenance cows like their dams and older sisters. The heifer calves have never had a kernel of grain in their lives and have wintered on grass hay, occasional bale of so-so alfalfa and some wheat hay. Their yearling weight average adj. to 365 days was 765 lbs. at mostly low 5 frame scores. They are cycling regularly. We calved 16 of their 2 year old sisters and herd mates this past month with the sole assist being an easy one due to a breech birth. The maternal instincts have all been great. The heifers are concerned, but not at all hostile when it comes to weighing, tattooing and tagging the calves. This is a trait I appreciate more and more as the years pass.

The bulls were all weighed for ultrasounds on 2/4/16. Their average age was 357 days, average weight was 1,044; Average Rump Fat of .30; Average Rib Fat of .24; Average REA of 12.3 and average of 4.02  IMF.  The Vet is always impressed with the semen quality of the bulls. This year’s BSE’s showed their Motility range from 90-95% and Morphology ranged from a low of 79% up to 93% with Scrotal measurements ranging from 35-38 cm.

They are very similar to type and kind to this bull. The bull photographer was a "no show" so I had to take them myself. This guy looks a lot better in "person"!

More pictures and info can be found on our website: “www.yydurhamcattle.com”

 

[RyanChandler]

Impressive all around-  great look on that young bull and equally impressive scan data to go with it-- 

 

[JTM]

Very good results on the ultrasounds Ralph. I'm interested what kind of ration the bulls were getting? I love the program and how you are developing your heifers and the criteria you have set. As we've discussed before it's near identical to what we are doing. Also, those yearling weights on the heifers are really good for having not been fed any grain. Our heifers are developed very similarly. I believe only getting 2 lbs. of grain currently and pretty low quality hay because it never stopped raining last hay season. Average weight on our heifers is real close to yours. We are pushing our calving back to the end of March next year so they have plenty of time to achieve 70% mature weight before breeding. I believe that anyone looking for Shorthorn commercial acceptance should be paying close attention to what you have to offer.

 

[RedBulls]

Thanks Ryan and Josh. I've copied and pasted a note from Wayne at the Center from last year, when I asked for details on the ration. Please see below. I've got the Lab reports also. If you'd like to see that, please email and I will send a copy.

"Mr Larson
The bulls were fed a hay based, high roughage ration. The ration was designed for the calves to have an average ADG of 3 pounds. To date this goal has been achieved as the ADG for all four pens of bulls is 3.1 pounds. The ration has allowed the bulls to express their genetic capabilities and have separation in performance of the calves.
The ration during the test would average: 45% ground alfalfa/grass hay, 35% corn, 10% wheat midds and 10% liquid supplement. This allowed the bulls to grow at the desired rate and remain sound.
I hope this is what you wanted. If not, let me know."

Ranch Manager
University of Idaho
NMCREEC
16 Hot Springs Ranch Road
Carmen, ID

As far as heifer development goes, I subscribe to the belief that heifers should be developed as closely as possible to the way they will be managed as cows. I think that this contributes greatly to their longevity and structural soundness. Our heifer calves are fed "free choice" round baled hay provided in several feeders that are placed in a way that tries to minimize ground damage. I try to give them a variety. Some is straight meadow grass, some wheat hay, some medium quality alfalfa. Breed up doesn't seem to be a problem. Last year, we AI bred 20 yearlings with a simple 2-shot protocol followed by observation and then timed breeding. Of the twenty head, 13 conceived for a 65% success rate. I have tried much more complicated breeding protocols in the past, with no better results, but much more intensive management.

 

[beebe]

Nice cattle, congratulations.

 

[Duncraggan]

As far as heifer development goes, I subscribe to the belief that heifers should be developed as closely as possible to the way they will be managed as cows.

This statement sums up, beautifully, where we should all be to achieve the highest profitability in our operations.
I like the bull very much and will repeat a previous post I made. Get genetics from your best bulls with worldwide semen exporting companies like Select Sires and Semex. There is, I am sure, good demand in the Southern hemisphere for asterisk free genetics.