How do you determine Donor material?

[buckeye]

You see in sale books that certain lots say future donor. Was just wondering how each of you determine if one is donor material?

 

[savaged]

The actual quality / sale value of it's first two or three natural calves.

 

[mark tenenbaum]

The quality of the hiefer-cow:and what you can create that improves upon her. O0

 

[BTDT]

Some consider a "donor female" anything can is not bred and is being sold, or that can not raise their own calf due to lack of milking ability or bad mothering ability or unable to carry of pregnancy.  That is why I wish that more breed associations would offer the ability to look up offspring of a female.  When I see "donor potential" listed in a sale catalog, my first thought is "she did not get bred even though we tried", or her natural calves are poor due to milking ability.  I ask a lot of questions, and even though I may not get an honest answer, I can usually tell the true story. 

I personally consider "donor quality" a female that has at LEAST 4 calves that are of superior quality. 

I personally would NEVER flush an unproven female (heifer). 

I think probably 60% of the cows being flushed probably shouldn't be. I also think about 80% of the bulls that are being collected and sold as AI bulls shouldn't be either. 

 

[mark tenenbaum]

Ill flush a good one-given I know thier background-a great one is a great one-and waiting for 3-4 calves is a waste of time-NOBODY hits it ET everytime 100% of the time either-you gotta pay to play-and if the first doesnt succeed-you try other matings. O0

 

[dimebag]

I make the decision to flush a cow based on several things : 1 , she has proven herself to me 2 , proven cow families (the heifer calves are keepers) 3 , has the look and power generate the good ones .

 

[BroncoFan]

I think "donor potential" gets thrown around too loosely. IMO a cow has to produce some great calves to be considered as a donor.  If I have a cow that really clicked with a certain bull then I might flush her to him but she wouldn't all of a sudden be considered a "donor cow." I believe some sellers just throw out "donor potential" as an attention getter.