Genetic Gain

[idalee]

Here is a bull we are using.  He is Idalee Pioneer 812 ET and was from a set of embryos I purchased from the Horseshoe Creek 5th Frozen in Time embryo sale in 2013.  He is sired by Saskvalley Pioneer 126P out of Six S Leah 55L.  I don't know what he weighs because he is too big for my scales.  He is a frame score 8.5 and it isn't all leg and daylight,  so he is pretty heavy!    His birth weight was 106 pounds from a commercial Holstein recipient and he weaned at 589 pounds from a free choice acidified milk replacer program.  His first two calf crops were all born unassisted with an average birth weight of 89 pounds.    They had an adjusted weaning weight of 703 pounds.  All calves are on mother's milk,  pasture and alfalfa hay with no creep.    By comparison,  a contemporary bull used on the same kind of females, genotypically and phenotypically,  average birth weight of 86 pounds and an average adjusted weaning weight of 554 pounds.  Calves from both bulls were on the same pastures and alfalfa hay,  so this 149 pound advantage for Pioneer 812 is real genetic gain.  His first daughters will be calving this spring,  so his influence on maternal character can be evaluated at that time.       

 

[idalee]

Here is a bull calf from Idalee Pioneer 812 ET.  He was born in July and weaned last week.  His birth weight was 95 pounds and his adjusted weaning weight was 820 pounds. 

 

[idalee]

Here is a daughters of Pioneer 812 who will be two years old in March and will have her first calf in April 

 

[mark tenenbaum]

Where are you Idaho or Montana somewhere? That must be some pretty good grass-They look in real good order -are they out of cows that go back to Dover, Larson breeding etc? Because those are some strong gains and the genetics must support it on both sides O0

 

[idalee]

We are located in Southern Idaho.  This is big dairy country so when the pasture plays out,  the cattle get alfalfa hay.  By dairy standards it is not good enough,  but is great for beef cattle.  The original herd was Native Milking Shorthorn and when I realized they didn't have the performance or volume I needed,  I purchased a Coalpit Creek Leader 6th son,  YY Ultra Leader,  from Ralph Larson.  He is still here and a great maternal sire.    So calves from Pioneer 812 are out of that maternal base.    The red coming two year old heifer is out of a Milking Shorthorn cow,  whereas the roan bull calf is out of a YY Ultra Leader daughter (1/2 Milking Shorthorn). 

 

[Duncraggan]

Bulls look good, interesting breeding programme you have there!