Star Power - Not for Heifers?

[savaged]

He's on my short list for breeding a couple heifers - but talked to a buddy today reporting that several Star Power calves locally have come big, and been squeaky tight pulls (out of heifers).

Anybody had a similar experience?

 

[RSC]

He's on my short list for breeding a couple heifers - but talked to a buddy today reporting that several Star Power calves locally have come big, and been squeaky tight pulls (out of heifers).

Anybody had a similar experience?

I've heard locally of a 120lb+ c-section out of a heifer.  I'm sure the heifers genetics helped some.

Tony

 

[LN]

I had some and wouldn't recommend for heifers.

 

[WWS]

Personally we didn't breed any to him cause we wanted to wait and see but from what we have heard from multiple sources I would highly suggest not usin him on heifers.

 

[Cowboy]

It's about 10 to 3 here in SW Neb, and I'll know in an hour or so if we have a big one or a not so big -- it AIN'T gonna be small though -- that I will tell you now.

I rarely get a calf actually at night, usually early evening or early morning based on how we feed em around here for timeing. Have a 3rd calf Heat Wave-Foreplay in early labor now -- it's gonna be BIG I tihink.

Will  let you know in the morning, don't have any hfrs due to him thank goodness, I was a little nervous about that due to some of the comments last spring on here. Time will tell, we have 3 due to him in the next few days.

No sleep tonight I guess  ;D

Terry

 

[redwingfarm]

We have had 2 Star Power calves in the past 2 wks, both on 1st calf heifers with GREAT results, 1st calf was 68# heifer born unassisted, up and nursing quickly with lots of vigor, 2nd calf was a 80# bull calf born unassisted from a 1st calf heifer up and nursing very quickly (less than 1 hr after birth) this heifer had a cow family history of big calves and we were worried, heifer herself was 95# when she was born, so it seems that at least for us Star Power is not only a calving ease bull but also lowers birth weight from dam.  As to the reports of monster calves I follow a "show-me" attitude.  Its amazing how stories can grow just like some show heifers don't get "found" until Jan.  Star Power worked for us and we are very happy and will use him again

 

[P-F]

I just go by the fact he is now a +2 on bw, for an Angus bull wouldn't bother me but with continetals anything in positive territory I wouldn't say is going to be low BW, plus Genex says use w/caution on heifers,  I would think if their is any BW on the cow side I would choose something else!

I always thought Heartbeat was calving ease, never had a problem over 10 calves, then we lost one heifer and tor up another one pretty good. Both Angus, and back to back, Last time we used Heartbeat on heifers. 

I would just go by that the owners are no longer pushing him as calving ease

 

[GLZ]

I am a bit concerned by the change of numbers from last year to this year.  I recently bought a Red Caesar daughter bred to Star Power for an October calf.  She is a .7 on BW and a 7.3 in CE.  She has me a bit nervous already.


His numbers went from a 12 in CE and a .3 in BW to a 7.7 in CE and a 2.1 in BW.

 

[Cowboy]

OK -- here's your MATERNAL birth weight infusion factor.

Heat Wave- Foreplay 3rd calf cow -- birth was 115

Bred to Star Power - due on 3-12

Calved with a hfr -- 3-5 - 7 days early -- 122 pounds -- HARD pull . Alive - BUT?? may never be worth a hoot, just a big lug if you will.

Heat Wave cow for sale -- any one?? hehehe -- sale barn this summer after weaning if she even does, she has good milk though -- but I've had enough of that.

Can't say I can blame Star Power yet -- will have 2 more in the next few day from totally different blood lines - we will let you all know. CROSS FINGERS if you wouldn't mind! hehehe

Terry

 

[Jill]

We have one due on the 8th and one on the 12th, they are on old cows so should be ok, 122 is even too big for us and I like them somewhat big.

 

[farmboy]

my best friend in the cattle biz bred his show heifer that won our fair to starpower. she is a bleedin purple x meyer x heatseeker. will report back in a month

 

[Jill]

That could be ugly if he is throwing big calves with that combination, might want to sleeve her when it gets closer.

 

[farmboy]

hey, that's what i told him but he wouldn't listen to me. she should be able to handle it though, she was a absolute ground sow  in august as a year and half old with no fat at all.

 

[GLZ]

So his numbers got even worse for the Fall EPD's.

His CE is now a .7, and his BW is  a 3.0.

Not bad going from a 12 to a .7 on teh CE number 

 

[Hofstatter Farms]

flushed an Angus cow to him and four of the embryos come less than a week apart, all were over 110lbs. It could have something to do with the cow also but she has a -1.7BW EPD so i don't know if i would advise using him on heifers.

 

[LN]

So his numbers got even worse for the Fall EPD's.

His CE is now a .7, and his BW is  a 3.0.

Not bad going from a 12 to a .7 on teh CE number 

No kidding, he's probably off the charts on the EPD change table.

 

[Cowboy]

Of the three we had -- 2 went straight to the sale barn for quality issues -- there were just ugly.

The third one I sold as a bull to a comercial guy who runs ONLY old cows he picks up here and there. He wanted a little Simmi influence -- he has been warned on birth weight, even though he was the smallest one I had this year.

Won't be going there again. Pretty dissapointed all in all.

Terry

 

[LN]

I'm quite pleased with my Star Power heifers.

I don't have any coming this year, but I'll probably use him again.

 

[Bone2011]

DO NOT USE ON HEIFERS!!!! We bred 25 units last year on reg. angus cows and i want to say they averaged 120 maybe more! on one cow in particular she was a 3 generation calving ease cow and the calf came at 115. And we usally do not have any problems.

 

[herf96]

A friend of mine has had six c-sections on his cows this calving season, 3 were star powers.