Blues on jersey crosses

[som farmer]

All blues for AI now on cows, really struggled to get a good all round Hereford, they seem to be getting harder calving, the blue calves sell themselves but the Herefords can be pretty variable, especially out of the more jersey xbreds

hereford by choice, but with the xbreds, you really don't know what markings come out ! And the more 'modern art' they are, the less they are worth ! Angus can be a bit on the small side, really leaves continentals, mainly BB, though we have used some lim. and simmy, this year.

 

[GenuineRisk]

When you say "too much blue" is that the marking? Or the double muscle?

Colour markings

 

[Holsteinfriesian90]

Colour markings

View attachment 895671View attachment 895672

Why do the ai companies prefer the white ones?

 

[GenuineRisk]

Why do the ai companies prefer the white ones?

Produces a blue roan calf on black and whites, so obviously by a Blue when young calves

 

[Rossymons]

So where does the roan go on a bull marked like that?

 

[GenuineRisk]

So where does the roan go on a bull marked like that?

?

 

[Rossymons]

?

If that bull is too blue compared to a plain bull - what happens to the calf markings from the bull that is too blue?

 

[sidjon]

If that bull is too blue compared to a plain bull - what happens to the calf markings from the bull that is too blue?

You get black calves and everyone thinks their limousin

 

[Rossymons]

You get black calves and everyone thinks their limousin

Learn something new every day!

 

[GenuineRisk]

You get black calves and everyone thinks their limousin

? more likely you Get a red one and it’s called Jeagerbomb!
seriously though, Oracle will probably throw blue roan but maybe very dark roan,

 

[sidjon]

Had quite a few this colour from triple impact this year, but it sold for over £400 @6 weeks old so can't grumble too much.

 

[Holsteinfriesian90]

@GenuineRisk what do you think of this bull?

 

[sidjon]

@GenuineRisk what do you think of this bull?

View attachment 901550

Doesn't look like he has great length, but that maybe the photo.

 

[som farmer]

if he's uk bred, but commercial only, what's in his breeding, not to make him ped ? Having said that, he ticks a lot of boxes, looks good.

 

[sidjon]

if he's uk bred, but commercial only, what's in his breeding, not to make him ped ? Having said that, he ticks a lot of boxes, looks good.

He's from up north, think all cogent bull will be commercial only, think you have to ask breeder to use him on pedigree stock.

 

[som farmer]

friend called in, he rears hfrs for a big spring block herd. He also has the beef bulls, several BBx bulls, which look to tick the box. How many are using xbred beef bulls, and how do they get on, with the calve sales ?

 

[sidjon]

friend called in, he rears hfrs for a big spring block herd. He also has the beef bulls, several BBx bulls, which look to tick the box. How many are using xbred beef bulls, and how do they get on, with the calve sales ?

When we ran suckler cows as well, use to keep a bull or two for sweepers, mixed bag really, some great, Pure Angus cow over lim bull (used for 4 years until he got tb) worst was blue cow over same lim bull, Fing mental tried to kill everything, including it's own shadow and calves weren't the best, now run pedigree Herefords and life is mostly more simple.

 

[Holsteinfriesian90]

Years ago I remember we hired a blue cross limo bull calves were terrible came out all different markings and quality was very poor luckily we didn’t have many calves from him.

 

[som farmer]

When we ran suckler cows as well, use to keep a bull or two for sweepers, mixed bag really, some great, Pure Angus cow over lim bull (used for 4 years until he got tb) worst was blue cow over same lim bull, Fing mental tried to kill everything, including it's own shadow and calves weren't the best, now run pedigree Herefords and life is mostly more simple.

i would use hfds by choice, but, with xbred cows, some very peculiar markings, can emerge, which take a cash hit. As our fertility improves, we intend to use more AI, so only need a chaser for the laggards. The cost of AI, in a tight block, is cheaper than buying good stock bulls. So, the need, is just to get the last few caught, which doesn't justify the risk, or expense, of a good stock bull.
As you say, above, we reared up a jersey bull, not a problem at all, till he went with some hfrs, he was 17 months, served 2 hfrs, and you dare not get close, £320 back from abattoir ! or, a 7 day wonder !! His mate, reared with him, is fine, but we never take chances, and he will be confined to barracks soon !

 

[som farmer]

Years ago I remember we hired a blue cross limo bull calves were terrible came out all different markings and quality was very poor luckily we didn’t have many calves from him.

old man bought a pedigree hereford bull, years ago, all the calves came out as friesian markings ! Kept some to milk, nice animals, dead slow milkers !!!!