Blue X heifer's

[Henarar]

What breed would be best to AI a couple of British blue X Hereford/Holstein heifers to with a view to getting something that would make a good milky cow if they have heifer calves.
want something that calves easy

 

[M-J-G]

Wouldn't a Blue be ok?

 

[Henarar]

Wouldn't a Blue be ok?

I wouldn't want to keep the 3/4 blue calves to put to the Blue bull,I would rather have a cross

 

[topground]

Stabiliser.

 

[Henarar]

Stabiliser.

Never had one, do they milk ok ?

 

[M-J-G]

What breed would be best to AI a couple of British blue X Hereford/Holstein heifers to with a view to getting something that would make a good milky cow if they have heifer calves.
want something that calves easy

Something that will fit in with your cow type, consistent cow type is important and makes it easey to match a bull to.

What is your cow type?

 

[Wilddog]

Hi new to all this! Been watching for a while tho! I get on well with the black lim on blue x cows.

 

[Walterp]

This is a trick question: there's no second cross that will avoid the inheritance of the narrow pelvic opening/relative to muscle that'll mean difficult calvings, vet's bills, dead animals, etc. It's been thought of before, but even Limousin genetics will not help in this particular situation, in my experience.

Best advice is keep the first cross, sell the second one.

 

[tr250]

Angus they a hell of a cross with blue dairyx cows think they would go well with blue Hereford too they be a more muscley black baldy

 

[Walterp]

Angus they a hell of a cross with blue dairyx cows think they would go well with blue Hereford too they be a more muscley black baldy

We've tried that, with a Hereford x Belgian Blue then crossed to an Angus. An utter disaster - a lovely heifer calf, but dead by the time the vet got her out. If it'd been a bull, we'd have lost the heifer too.

The same animal was put back to a Limousin the following year, which produced a nice calf.

They looked so nice, we sold 'em: not replacement material, under most commercial conditions.

 

[tr250]

It's not just the breed it's the individual bull too how many of that cross did you calve is it only based on one if so it's not a true representation it maybe any one of many other factors of your management we find our Angus tend to perform better than Lims on weight sold dead and although our Angus is top 10% of breed and the Lims are possibly not so good out of their breed the breeder did sell a bull last year for 4000gns so they arnt rubbish that's without the premium.

 

[Blod]

@Henarar you don't have a problem with narrow internal pelvic measurements. Your cows calve easily so ignore Walterp. If you want to keep the heifers how about using BSH? I know where there are some cracking bulls for sale if don't fancy AI.

 

[GenuineRisk]

You've plenty of choice, Steve! I'd probably go Lim as we've a decentish easy calving bull here but if you're AI'ing, you've a huge choice! So I'd probably choose Saler sexed semen, I think - you want heifer calves so maybe try female sexed semen at least the first time? You've got the advantage you're using it on heifers, after all. Are you doing your own AI? That's the only negative if you're not.

If you ask Pip nicely, she'll do it for you - essential that you get timing right if using sexed semen as of course you're using a more stressed product !!

 

[Blod]

but even Limousin genetics will not help in this particular situation,

you talk some rot sometimes.

 

[GenuineRisk]

you talk some rot sometimes.

Well, it's impressive to say the least that he manages to put in such full days farming looking at the time of his posts........ However, commenting on such a clearly titled BB topic means he's presumably hoping to generate his usual trademark controversy on the subject. Not sure why, as he's made his views on the breed very clearly known but there.....

 

[Blod]

@GenuineRisk No No NO! Julie farms. He just watches

 

[Poorbuthappy]

This is a trick question: there's no second cross that will avoid the inheritance of the narrow pelvic opening/relative to muscle that'll mean difficult calvings, vet's bills, dead animals, etc. It's been thought of before, but even Limousin genetics will not help in this particular situation, in my experience.

Best advice is keep the first cross, sell the second one.

And what is your experience of lim x bluex cows Walter? Heresay from neighbours or how many have you actually kept?
My few lim x blue x cross heifers popped their calves out no problem at 2 years old
As someone else suggested, as much to do with individual bulls used as breed I suspect.

 

[GenuineRisk]

And good management of in calvers too, @Poorbuthappy !

 

[Henarar]

Something that will fit in with your cow type, consistent cow type is important and makes it easey to match a bull to.

What is your cow type?

This post made me laugh martin not that there is anything wrong with the advice but you would have to see our herd to know why,A bunch off all-sorts really, I spose you could say that most off them are quite big

 

[Henarar]

Hi new to all this! Been watching for a while tho! I get on well with the black lim on blue x cows.

we have had a few lim X but not lim x blue cows
Could be a bit wild I spose but most likely not in with the rest off our quiet cows
I have never been a big fan of lims milk production from what we have had