Thunder Cloud has a very unique pedigree, in that it combines Shorthorn genetics from the 60s and early 70s from all around the world.
On his sire's side he goes back to a Canadian bred bull named Scotsdale Tradition X, who was a son of Manitiba Sunrise x, and out of a Mandalong Super Elephant x dam( Elephant was an Australian sire). There is a second cross of Super Elephant in the sires pedigree as well as considerable original Scottish Shorthorn bloodlines from herds like Pennan, Bapton, and Denend, as well as others.
On Thunder Cloud's bottom side, there is again a very unique set of genetics. There is also a shot of one of the only polled sons of Bapton Constructor named Constructor X, who was born in Canada, and exported back to Scotland. The dam of Constructor was a TPS bred female from the Coronet Leader line,from Thieman's in Missouri. It is also interesting to see that there is an American bred female close up in his pedigree, named Broadhooks of Upsall x, who was bred in the Hillside herd of the Bennett's in Washington state. This cow was sired by Hillside Collynie 100th x and was from a dam named Hilldale Rimrock Lassie x. This is some of the very early polled breeding from the 50s and from what I have heard, and what I remember of the Bennett herd, these cattle would be extremely popular today. There is yet a third infusion of Super Elephant in the bottom side of this bulls pedigree, as well as a Weebollabolla sire from Australia named Weebollabolla Royal Commission x.
There is no genetics in this bulls pedigree from the modern era, as every animal in his pedigree goes back to bloodlines of the late 60s or earlier. He appears to be a bigger framed bull, which makes sense, as the British breeders are still wanting there breeding stock to be a little bigger framed than most here in N America.This to me, does not mean he is not worth using, but I think he could be a great sire to use on smaller or moderate framed females, or females that have enough frame but need some more natural thickness and volume. He will bring very easy fleshing ability to any program, and he would certainly be a complete outcross to anything we have here now. His breeding is so removed from most lines here in North America, that there should be some hybrid vigour in his calves. I would think he will also add thickness and guts to his offspring, and it certainly may be worth trying on some of today's bloodlines we have here. He may be an outcross sire that will produce some interesting cattle.
I hope some breeders will bite the bullet and give this bull a try. Can't be any worse than some of the bulls presently being offered here.
I did not get to see this bull when I was in Britain last year, as I did not get to any herds in England(.I hope to visit several next year.) I have heard about him and what I heard intrigued me. I did see a couple other bulls over there that certainly impressed me as well, and I think there are some others that would work here as well. One bull I really liked was being used in a commercial herd in Scotland. He was purchased in the Perth Spring bull sale for 8500 pounds, which was equivalent to $17,000 last year. I found it simply amazing what commercial producers there would pay for herd bulls. This bull was very thick, soft made and extremely sound.
