Witch Doctor on Heifers?

[Davis Shorthorns]

I have a friend that is thinking about using Witch Doc. on heifers what would you think of this?

 

[shortyjock89]

I've seen a lot of Witch Dr. out of first calf heifers. What do they look like?

 

[olsun]

My brother used  The Witch Doctor on heifers, and had some problems. He is just like most composit bulls, in that they are not consistent. I would advise him to use an easy calving angus bull, and save the heifers some grief.JMO

 

[justme]

I used Witch Dr. on heifers for years and love them.  Bulls, heifers, and steers were very marketable.  Never had a problem at all.  Like any bull you have to check the cows pedigree for calving ease too, every bull will throw a big one now and then, but I wouldn't hesitate to use Witch Dr.

 

[frostback]

Witch Doctor is a Purebred Maine and is 17 years old and still a Gold Label sire for Genetic Horizons. You dont get to be that old in this industry by not producing good cattle. His accuracy's are in the 90s. Like some said all bulls in time can sire some big ones but he is still mentioned a lot when talking about calving ease. Frosty

 

[Davis Shorthorns]

Thanks alot.  The Chi Main that he is breeding is a more moderate framed VERY feminin heifer but I forget who she is out of.  I dont know about the angus heifer.

 

[DL]

The Witch Doctor is one of the tru bovine triathletes in the Maine breed - excellent females, good show cattle, pretty decent bulls AND calving ease with high accuracy - I have used and would use him on Maine-Anjou heifers - however - throw in other breeds, a little clubby, a peanut sized pelvis and it might not work so well. For a lot of these cross bred clubby type fat show heifers - if your goal is a live calf - go for a very high accuracy (>95%) calving ease and birth weight Red Angus bull (marble bone free) - they are out there - small, vigorous, and grow. I have several WD females in production - out of MA heifers - small and vigorous calves - decent growth - but I would be cautious using him on cross bred heifers FWIW

 

[cowman]

You know I had planned on using him as well, but the cattle sired by him I saw at the IBE were not that powerful, which might be expected out of a "calving ease" bull, but they were very big framed as well which concerned me.

 

[yuppiecowboy]

WD has sold a gazzillion units over the years, mostly to be used on heifers. I have had probably 50 WDs out of heifers and never touched one. I know people have, but what I have seen those instances could be attributed to management (too fat, grain in third tri), tiny pelvic clubby breds that couldnt calve a mouse, hard calving genetics on the heifers (throttle, etc) or good old fashioned leg backs, breech, etc.

Dont get me wrong, I wouldnt breed a bunch of heifers and send them to some cornstalks ten miles away and never check; but I know I, and many I know, would use WD over ALI anyday for calving ease.

The post that mentioned WD calves being too tall caught my eye. If I remember he was just about the first "downsizer" bull promoted when there were still a bunch of high% Chi cows running around.

 

[justme]

WD has sold a gazzillion units over the years, mostly to be used on heifers. I have had probably 50 WDs out of heifers and never touched one. I know people have, but what I have seen those instances could be attributed to management (too fat, grain in third tri), tiny pelvic clubby breds that couldnt calve a mouse, hard calving genetics on the heifers (throttle, etc) or good old fashioned leg backs, breech, etc.

Dont get me wrong, I wouldnt breed a bunch of heifers and send them to some cornstalks ten miles away and never check; but I know I, and many I know, would use WD over ALI anyday for calving ease.

The post that mentioned WD calves being too tall caught my eye. If I remember he was just about the first "downsizer" bull promoted when there were still a bunch of high% Chi cows running around.

The tall post caught my eye too.  I was really surprised.  If anything I would fault on my WD daughters is being a little small frame wise.  BUT they seemed to calve like a dream. 

 

[Eberth]

I would have to agree with Justme on that one most of ours are on the small side but do a heck of a job raising a calf. We still use him pretty heavily on 1st calf heifers and end up keeping most of the heifers back for recips because of their easy fleshing ability and maternal ability.