Finding an Easy calving beef bull!

nails · Nov 21, 2021

Homesy said:
It is not just the bull it is the season and management. I've had a lot of trouble this year. Just pulled a big blue 5 minutes ago. From what the vet tells me, the size of the calf is determined in the 6th & 7th month of pregnancy. A grassy late summer like this one will cause problems for cows calving now.

That is the truest statement on this thread. I had a spell of big calves out of ped sim heifers this year but the bull had been not throwing big calves before so rather than blame the bull i blamed my management of the heifers at a crucial time. Few more calving now and are calving un assisted.

More to life · Nov 25, 2021

tr250 said:
Try a saler bull truly the easiest calving bulls I’ve ever known I’d find it very difficult to put anything else on heifers now

Had one once worst calving bull i've ever had but all breeds can do that.

Holsteinfriesian90 · Nov 25, 2021

How are you getting on now @Martyn

Martyn · Nov 25, 2021

Holsteinfriesian90 said:
How are you getting on now @Martyn

We have calved three more to him all needed assistance, they have gone into a bunch with 7 day old limi calves from cows and the AA of heifers are considerably bigger calves. It's wrecked another heifer to add to the statands list

celtis man · Nov 25, 2021

no no no stay away from simmentals on heifers ! are you mad ? we use semex easy angus or have used a friesian inch benny red as that calves easily .

Jdunn55 said:
I keep wondering about simmental? Anyone have any experience of them? I would have thought they'd be easier than limo but still quality calves and the heifers would probably be wanted as suckler cows

Top Tip. · Nov 25, 2021

Try a Blackhaugh Angus , Andrew assures me they are easy calving. He works more on gestation length.

celtis man · Nov 25, 2021

Jdunn55 said:
Limousins do not have to be wild sorry an absolute pet peeve of mine...
All our sucklers have limo in them, all of them are quiet as mice
My limo x friesian calves I've had this year are also quiet as mice

I will go to my grave screaming that limous8ns don't possess a gene for wild behaviour

blondes are the wild ones !

ImLost · Nov 25, 2021

Small live calf is worth more than a big dead one and a knackered cow.

Dexter?

Jdunn55 · Nov 26, 2021

celtis man said:
no no no stay away from simmentals on heifers ! are you mad ? we use semex easy angus or have used a friesian inch benny red as that calves easily .

How long have you been using the Angus from semex, any calves on the ground and how easy have they been?
I wasn't sure about simmental, they have historically always been easy calving on our sucklers and the holstein herd at the college I went to always used simmental and got on well with them

celtis man · Nov 26, 2021

Jdunn55 said:
How long have you been using the Angus from semex, any calves on the ground and how easy have they been?
I wasn't sure about simmental, they have historically always been easy calving on our sucklers and the holstein herd at the college I went to always used simmental and got on well with them

they are what it says easy calving, we have not got any at the finishing stage yet only reared calves .

AGN76 · Nov 27, 2021

Woolless said:
Sounds like he might have been a traditional from your description but if you don't have his name then I can't say for definite.

What about a Ruby Red Devon? They would be easy enough to buy down there. We've killed some Devon X cattle originally from the SW at work recently, not overly big but I liked them.

this. My vet was trying to get me to buy a Ruby for him to flush for us to sell resulting bulls into dairy herds specifically for calving ease

Martyn · Nov 28, 2021

Holsteinfriesian90 said:
How are you getting on now @Martyn

Another f**ked heifer and dead calf, iv never in all my life had to lift a heifer befor until this year, and have a horrible feeling the way the legs are looking she will be going to stattons. Bull booked onto lorry next week, not risking using him on anything again.

Holsteinfriesian90 · Nov 28, 2021

Martyn said:
Another f**ked heifer and dead calf, iv never in all my life had to lift a heifer befor until this year, and have a horrible feeling the way the legs are looking she will be going to stattons. Bull booked onto lorry next week, not risking using him on anything again.

Sorry to hear that. Heartbreaking rearing them just to go in the knacker cart before they even get in the parlour.

Jdunn55 · Nov 28, 2021

Martyn said:
Another f**ked heifer and dead calf, iv never in all my life had to lift a heifer befor until this year, and have a horrible feeling the way the legs are looking she will be going to stattons. Bull booked onto lorry next week, not risking using him on anything again.

That's awful

really feel for you, would there be any benefit to inducing them a bit early to try and reduce size?

Martyn · Nov 29, 2021

Jdunn55 said:
That's awful really feel for you, would there be any benefit to inducing them a bit early to try and reduce size?

Im waiting on a response from organic body, but it's a possibility, thankfully only three heifers left to calve

Jdunn55 · Nov 29, 2021

Martyn said:
Im waiting on a response from organic body, but it's a possibility, thankfully only three heifers left to calve

How are the other 2 that had particularly bad calvings? I have seen a couple of heifers before get put into a field with a couple of calves on them, and eventually make it, it took literally all winter and I thought we were wasting our time but they got there in the end - the calves did very well to say the least!

Wee Willy · Nov 29, 2021

Why do you not C-section?

Top Tip. · Nov 29, 2021

Wee Willy said:
Why do you not C-section?

Exactly, if I think there’s any chance of losing the calf or damaging the cow C.section is the preferred option.

Jdunn55 · Nov 29, 2021

Wee Willy said:
Why do you not C-section?

I would guess pwab? I think all c sections I've seen they always gave a course of antibiotics afterwards

Martyn · Nov 29, 2021

Wee Willy said:
Why do you not C-section?

We have done several, but when you start with a large group you have to try some.

Finding an Easy calving beef bull!

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