options on heifer safe shorthorn bulls

[Hereford399]

What about Asset? He is like a 3.6 bw.

 

[trevorgreycattleco]

What about Asset? He is like a 3.6 bw.

Id be awful leary of using him on a heifer. Lots of better options for a live vigorous calf.

 

[kfacres]

What about Asset? He is like a 3.6 bw.

Isn't he a full, or 3/4 (for sure half) brother to Salute? 

 

[lightnin4]

What about Asset? He is like a 3.6 bw.

Id be awful leary of using him on a heifer. Lots of better options for a live vigorous calf.

The owners don't recommend him on heifers.  That's good enough for me  ;D

 

[aj]

I heard that the average bwt on registered angus was like 82#s or something like that. I don't know the ave horn is......I'd say 95#'s?

 

[Shorthorns4us]

Ok, let me know if I am wrong, but when looking at shorthorn BW and CE you want:
BW:  the lower the number even into the negative is better
CE:  the bigger the number is better here

I try very  hard not to use anything over BW 2.00--- even on cows if I am A.I. or choosing sires for flushes.  Trying to do my part to help bring BW down in the breed- we have enough bad press.

Commercial acceptance is important to me.
I had a co-worker that is at another location in our company that didn't know I raised Shorthorn-- several of us from the office got together after work one night this past summer and the conversation got on farming and cattle-- I was talking about the cows and calves I had and he said-- "Shorthorns-- no one raises those anymore do they?" 
I am fighting a battle for acceptance here--- commercial guys think they are a joke.

 

[sue]

Commerical shorthorn ads supported by asa dollars are gone.  Nothing wrong with breeding your way into "acceptance" on your own? Stack the pedigrees with the right stuff - the market is there. 

 

[trevorgreycattleco]

Those are all good questions and points. Now let me be the first to welcome you to the reality that most shorthorn breeders face. You are not alone. Once you face this and realize its a long climb, your already ahead. So, now what do you need to be commercially viable in your area? I would say Iowa calves need to have a good rate of gain and be solid in color. With all the corn there, it provides lots of food for a cow herd in the winter so you need a easier doing 5 frame or so cow that can take care of herself. If your calves can perform in the feedlots there and earn a premium, they will sell themselves. I suggest calling the owners of any bull you are thinking of using and see what they have to say. Dont be afraid to use a bull you bred in the future either. Mistakes will come, but thats how we learn.. Cattlevisions.com is a good place to start. PM me if you have any other questions and I will see what I can do.

 

[Shorthorns4us]

I follow my own path pretty well, just sharing an example of the speed bumps I encounter from time to time.
I pretty much have given up on trying to follow fads, or the "big guys" ( no offense)  and I use what works at my farm.
Small operation- treat them all like commercial herd-- low input- even in Iowa- no corn from me-- they better take care of themselves and calf alone- I have to work during the day and have to sleep at night.  I feed out a couple for locker beef, but otherwise I sell on the feeder markiet and private treaty heifers and a few bred cows.  The results from the locker feedouts are really good carcasses.
Come see me if you want something different.
Emily

 

[trevorgreycattleco]

I wasnt saying feed your cows corn, i was saying you can graze lots and lots of cornstalks in the winter time. I havent fed my cattle grain at all for a few years now. They do just fine. Sounds to me like you already have a good idea what you need. Sneeds or A@T would be where Id start. Sure fire, sleep at night, make every basketball game type bulls there in number.

 

[jaimiediamond]

What about Asset? He is like a 3.6 bw.

I guess the major question would be what type of heifer are you breeding?  Asset has never been a bull I have heard being calving ease myself. I am attaching a pdf I made before the spring 2012 epds came out this will let you see all the bulls mentioned on Shorty Heifer bulls maybe you will like the looks of one of them