Building on dairy cross heifers

[Ribble]

I am wondering how many generations it is worthwhile breeding dairy cross cattle for as a suckler herd.

As I understand it, one might use dairy cross heifers sired by a beef bull as mothers for a suckler herd, raising one quarter dairy animals for the hook, but generally it would be usual to buy replacements rather than keep one quarter dairy heifers for further breeding. Is this right?

Are there reasons not to carry on keeping heifers in future generations, using as mothers those with only one quarter, then one eighth dairy genetics?

Thanks.

 

[Agrivator]

The majority of herds with dairy cross suckler cows, will retain at least some of their beef heifers as replacements. The one exception might be calves by the Charollais sire, but anything suitable by Simmental, Limousin, Angus, Hereford, beef Shorthorn, Salers as main examples, can be retained.

The reason for this is that too much Holstein in the first cross is undesirable, and the second reason is that it is safer to breed your own replacements from a disease point of view ( TB and BVD particularly) .

 

[Treecreeper]

Someone much wiser than me once told me that 1st cross is good cross, 2nd cross is ok, third cross is no bloody good whatsoever.

 

[Ribble]

Someone much wiser than me once told me that 1st cross is good cross, 2nd cross is ok, third cross is no bloody good whatsoever.

I know that with some other animals, the f1 cross is fairly predictable, then f2 onwards it can be a bit tricky and unpredictable

 

[M-J-G]

Someone much wiser than me once told me that 1st cross is good cross, 2nd cross is ok, third cross is no bloody good whatsoever.

Which can be the case if using bulls that are too terminal.

Whoever said that obviously wasn't using and didn't have experience of a beef sire with good maternal traits.

I've used bulls strong on the maternal front and I have seen improvements in the cows and calves with every generation that they are away from dairy breeding.

 

[Ribble]

Which can be the case if using bulls that are too terminal.

Whoever said that obviously wasn't using and didn't have experience of a beef sire with good maternal traits.

I've used bulls strong on the maternal front and I have seen improvements in the cows and calves with every generation that they are away from dairy breeding.

Thanks,

How many generations in are you/ what fraction dairy are they for the youngest heifers? Could you tell me more about the bulls/breeds/maternal traits?

 

[M-J-G]

Thanks,

How many generations in are you/ what fraction dairy are they for the youngest heifers? Could you tell me more about the bulls/breeds/maternal traits?

As far as upgraded pedigree beef bred animals with <2% dairy breeding as well as purebred.
Simmental mainly.
I started out with Lim, AA, Her & BB cross dairy and just started onto those with a Simmental bull and didn't stop. I added a dash of BSH at times.

I contract a herd of mainly Her x Dairy, which are ok cows, some are back to Hereford but milk tends to tail off with each generation.
Simmental is now being used to breed replacements so that milk is maintained.

The less Holstein in a cow the better her metabolism will suit being a Suckler, and the better she'll be able to regulate her milk yield to suit her calf.
The dairy x will rear a heavy enough calf but I found them too high input in both money and time, which improves when replaced with maternal beef genetics.

 

[Ribble]

As far as upgraded pedigree beef bred animals with <2% dairy breeding as well as purebred.
Simmental mainly.
I started out with Lim, AA, Her & BB cross dairy and just started onto those with a Simmental bull and didn't stop. I added a dash of BSH at times.

I contract a herd of mainly Her x Dairy, which are ok cows, some are back to Hereford but milk tends to tail off with each generation.
Simmental is now being used to breed replacements so that milk is maintained.

The less Holstein in a cow the better her metabolism will suit being a Suckler, and the better she'll be able to regulate her milk yield to suit her calf.
The dairy x will rear a heavy enough calf but I found them too high input in both money and time, which improves when replaced with maternal beef genetics.

Thanks for the details, much appreciated!