Blonde bulls

Davy_g

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Co Down
I have about 20 embryos and I would happily sell a % off. That said exporting them would be a nightmare. I have had a few local enquiries this winter, we will see.
Its not really the society who need to promote it or otherwise. Its an expensive gamble and every breeder can decide for themselves. It really requires you to have 10 heifers ready as recips.
Different if you are buying embryos as you know your numbers and have the commercial heifers at hand but compare that to taking your best cow or cows out of breeding cycle, the expense of the drugs, semen etc and then getting a poor flush. I have had anything from 0 viable embryos to 20. My average is probably around 4. Then you have to get the cow back incalf. I decided to just breed normally after my first few ventures into flushing.
I asked a friend about buying his old show cow and flushing her. No chance - she will get her day on his farm. Shame.
 

Whitepeak

Member
Livestock Farmer
Ok so my chances of getting my hands on some are very slim.
I don’t suppose you know which cows/ Bloodlines they have flushed/used?
Would that of been a cow Penelope-Pitstop? I remember seeing her at the highland show she was some cow absolutely huge and very correct.
Do the society not encourage breeders to do this especially with good stock and blood lines?
It’s certainly where other breeds are thriving and easy to get your hands on good genetics and further improve the breed.
Yeah, they were Penelope Pitstop embryos. Think they were by Elite and Genus Hero. We have her grand daughters. The bull we sold in Shrewsbury was a Penelope Pitstop great grandson.
I have about 20 embryos and I would happily sell a % off. That said exporting them would be a nightmare. I have had a few local enquiries this winter, we will see.
Its not really the society who need to promote it or otherwise. Its an expensive gamble and every breeder can decide for themselves. It really requires you to have 10 heifers ready as recips.
Different if you are buying embryos as you know your numbers and have the commercial heifers at hand but compare that to taking your best cow or cows out of breeding cycle, the expense of the drugs, semen etc and then getting a poor flush. I have had anything from 0 viable embryos to 20. My average is probably around 4. Then you have to get the cow back incalf. I decided to just breed normally after my first few ventures into flushing.
I asked a friend about buying his old show cow and flushing her. No chance - she will get her day on his farm. Shame.
We half looked into flushing a couple of our best cows a couple of yrs ago. And like you say the cost and hassle of doing it didn't add up. If we selling bulls for 5k plus they it perhaps makes more sense.
And tbh atm I'm enjoying the challenge of improving the bloodlines we've got. Buying embryos from a proven line doesn't excite me as much.
 

Davy_g

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Co Down
Yeah, they were Penelope Pitstop embryos. Think they were by Elite and Genus Hero. We have her grand daughters. The bull we sold in Shrewsbury was a Penelope Pitstop great grandson.

We half looked into flushing a couple of our best cows a couple of yrs ago. And like you say the cost and hassle of doing it didn't add up. If we selling bulls for 5k plus they it perhaps makes more sense.
And tbh atm I'm enjoying the challenge of improving the bloodlines we've got. Buying embryos from a proven line doesn't excite me as much.
I flushed as insurance against TB. We are now 10 years down the road so those genetics do not excite me any more - being honest and thats why i would sell - no one sells their best heifers right?

Wonder what you put to P/P? Serious show cow of her day - I seen her at the Highland too - awesome - but did she ever breed anything better than herself?
 

FarmerDanny1989

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Scotland
I have about 20 embryos and I would happily sell a % off. That said exporting them would be a nightmare. I have had a few local enquiries this winter, we will see.
Its not really the society who need to promote it or otherwise. Its an expensive gamble and every breeder can decide for themselves. It really requires you to have 10 heifers ready as recips.
Different if you are buying embryos as you know your numbers and have the commercial heifers at hand but compare that to taking your best cow or cows out of breeding cycle, the expense of the drugs, semen etc and then getting a poor flush. I have had anything from 0 viable embryos to 20. My average is probably around 4. Then you have to get the cow back incalf. I decided to just breed normally after my first few ventures into flushing.
I asked a friend about buying his old show cow and flushing her. No chance - she will get her day on his farm. Shame.
I’d be interested to know what breeding of embryos you have?
I get what your saying I have flushed two of my cows previously first one was great 1st flush 9 embryos and second was 5.
the 2nd cow was a disaster tbh and then I couldn’t get her in calf after! So it is a total gamble!
Will your friend flush her? Or does he not do ET work?
 

FarmerDanny1989

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Scotland
Yeah, they were Penelope Pitstop embryos. Think they were by Elite and Genus Hero. We have her grand daughters. The bull we sold in Shrewsbury was a Penelope Pitstop great grandson.

We half looked into flushing a couple of our best cows a couple of yrs ago. And like you say the cost and hassle of doing it didn't add up. If we selling bulls for 5k plus they it perhaps makes more sense.
And tbh atm I'm enjoying the challenge of improving the bloodlines we've got. Buying embryos from a proven line doesn't excite me as much.
Elite and Genus Hero how are they for breeding? Did they mix well with PP?
Are the cows from her line anything special?

I get that and maybe why other breeders in other breeds do it so much as they do sell a lot of 5k plus bulls and heifers to make it maybe more worth while.
Is there any new bulls with semen collected recently? I know about Plato and Polynices anyone going to give them a go?
 

Whitepeak

Member
Livestock Farmer
Wonder what you put to P/P? Serious show cow of her day - I seen her at the Highland too - awesome - but did she ever breed anything better than herself?
The daughter we had was by Marstonmill Elton, and she was nothing like her mother, very plain. Dad got her cheap at the Archer's dispersal sale. It's only now we are getting a few generations down the line that we are getting some really nice offspring. My baby heifer for the Three Counties is a P/P great granddaughter. So she is turning into a good buy.
Think P/P had a daughter Barbie Doll who the Archer's showed quite a bit, but never to the same success as P/P. We also have a daughter of Alfie, a P/P son, and she's an awesome cow! My junior heifer this year is her daughter.
 

FarmerDanny1989

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Scotland


Link to the catalogue for the Blonde society sale at Carlisle on Saturday!
Did have time to watch the sale online and for the small amount forward they certainly didn’t lack in quality! About time the blonde breeders started getting good prices for quality cattle! Hopefully this can continue for the breed. Did anyone purchase any?
 

Whitepeak

Member
Livestock Farmer
Did have time to watch the sale online and for the small amount forward they certainly didn’t lack in quality! About time the blonde breeders started getting good prices for quality cattle! Hopefully this can continue for the breed. Did anyone purchase any?
Sounds like it was a good sale with some quality lots forward. 100% clearance. I've heard that the top few lots all went to commercial herds which is great news.

I haven't seen the sale though as I was showing at Notts County Show yesterday
 

FarmerDanny1989

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Scotland
Sounds like it was a good sale with some quality lots forward. 100% clearance. I've heard that the top few lots all went to commercial herds which is great news.

I haven't seen the sale though as I was showing at Notts County Show yesterday
Might get some show quality calf’s out of that good bunch. Certainly not much blonde X show calf’s to be seen about.

How did you get on?
 

Whitepeak

Member
Livestock Farmer
Might get some show quality calf’s out of that good bunch. Certainly not much blonde X show calf’s to be seen about.

How did you get on?
Think most Blonde X show calves end up as Lim X on the passport tbh

Very well thanks, my bull got reserve Male Champion and my heifer was reserve Junior Champion. So very pleased for our first time out this season.
A Blonde cow and calf got reserve continental Interbreed 👍
 

FarmerDanny1989

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Scotland
Think most Blonde X show calves end up as Lim X on the passport tbh

Very well thanks, my bull got reserve Male Champion and my heifer was reserve Junior Champion. So very pleased for our first time out this season.
A Blonde cow and calf got reserve continental Interbreed 👍
Your probably right there!
That’s really good well done!
Have you a big show team this year?
That’s really good for the breed she must be a cracking cow
 

FarmerDanny1989

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Scotland
Hello everyone
I’m looking for peoples thoughts on Hallfield Plato?
Iv been shown a recent photo of him and I do like the look of him, but he seems very heavily muscled. Has anyone used him or using him and know what he is like to calve to? I’d be putting him in 4/5th Calvers onwards mostly BBx and potentially CHx cows.
 

davieogrutha

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Orkney
Hello everyone
I’m looking for peoples thoughts on Hallfield Plato?
Iv been shown a recent photo of him and I do like the look of him, but he seems very heavily muscled. Has anyone used him or using him and know what he is like to calve to? I’d be putting him in 4/5th Calvers onwards mostly BBx and potentially CHx cows.
Been said to me that he's suitable for heifers. Sire (Brocca Kingfisher) and grandsire (Amaris) both very easy calving. Looking to get straws of the grandsire, as Plato's other grandsire (Hilltop Hector) is the sire of my stock bull and with keeping daughters of him lessons the chance of me using Plato himself. Might get a few in the tank just incase there's a time I can though.
 

Whitepeak

Member
Livestock Farmer
Been said to me that he's suitable for heifers. Sire (Brocca Kingfisher) and grandsire (Amaris) both very easy calving. Looking to get straws of the grandsire, as Plato's other grandsire (Hilltop Hector) is the sire of my stock bull and with keeping daughters of him lessons the chance of me using Plato himself. Might get a few in the tank just incase there's a time I can though.
Aramis is the 2nd best bull in France for calving ease, behind his son Hashtag. So the genetics should be there.
I spoke to the owner at the Agri Expo about his calving ease, and they said all their calves so far had calved naturally. Mainly over cows though. I'd obviously take any anecdotal evidence from the person trying to sell the straws with a pinch of salt, but I didn't see any reason to doubt them. The 2 calves by Plato on the stand certainly looked like they would have been easily born.

Plato at Agri Expo
IMG_20221028_120658.jpg


August born heifer calf
IMG_20221028_115609_1.jpg
 

FarmerDanny1989

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Scotland
Been said to me that he's suitable for heifers. Sire (Brocca Kingfisher) and grandsire (Amaris) both very easy calving. Looking to get straws of the grandsire, as Plato's other grandsire (Hilltop Hector) is the sire of my stock bull and with keeping daughters of him lessons the chance of me using Plato himself. Might get a few in the tank just incase there's a time I can though.
If you put Plato over your stockbulls daughters they would still be a lot less related than most of the lim bulls that go onto the market daily!
 

FarmerDanny1989

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Scotland
Aramis is the 2nd best bull in France for calving ease, behind his son Hashtag. So the genetics should be there.
I spoke to the owner at the Agri Expo about his calving ease, and they said all their calves so far had calved naturally. Mainly over cows though. I'd obviously take any anecdotal evidence from the person trying to sell the straws with a pinch of salt, but I didn't see any reason to doubt them. The 2 calves by Plato on the stand certainly looked like they would have been easily born.

Plato at Agri Expo View attachment 1074279

August born heifer calf
View attachment 1074281
Ok that’s very helpful information to keep in mind thank you!
Will you be using Plato yourself?
mill certainly be giving him a go then.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 79 42.5%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 65 34.9%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 16.1%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 6 3.2%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

  • 1,287
  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
Top