Is there still demand for pedigree blondes?

[davieogrutha]

I bought a heifer 10 years ago hoping I would go into breeding a handfull for a side hobby for the farm. It didn't work oot as the heifer had Johnes. This last year or so it's been in the back of my mind to try it again. With a sale coming up at in a couple of weeks I just wondered if there is still the demand for them. All thoughts/ comments welcome. Thanks

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Trouble with blondes is, they're either really really good....or sh!t

 

[foxbox]

I bought a heifer 10 years ago hoping I would go into breeding a handfull for a side hobby for the farm. It didn't work oot as the heifer had Johnes. This last year or so it's been in the back of my mind to try it again. With a sale coming up at in a couple of weeks I just wondered if there is still the demand for them. All thoughts/ comments welcome. Thanks

Good question. We've used Blonde bulls as terminal sires in our suckler herd for the last 30 years and have been very pleased with the offspring. During that time the breed has adopted EBV's and seemed at one stage to be moving forwards faster than they had previously. It's become obvious in the last few years that the momentum has stalled though and I've been told by one breeder that some other breeders are moving away from EBV's again.

Personally I think the reduction in top weights by abattoirs, trends towards native breeds and lack of technical adoption will see a decline in demand going forwards. I'm looking at alternative breed policies at the moment though; we're sticking with Blondes for the time being but if current trends continue we'll move elsewhere. In your situation I'm afraid I'd look at alternative breeds.

Edit: Sorry, didn't look at your location so my answer is probably irrelevant really.

 

[Whitepeak]

There is demand, the last few society sales at Worcester and Carlisle have seen good averages and clearances for both bulls and females.
Not sure what demand is like up your way though, most of the Scottish boys sell theirs in Carlisle (or privately) rather than in Stirling.

 

[Guiggs]

I'd love a few blondes..(add your own punch line) but they'd have to be the right "type" they seem to be few and far between!

 

[Whitepeak]

Trouble with blondes is, they're either really really good....or sh!t

Trouble is some breeders seem to think that every bull calf born has to be sold for breeding whether it's good or sh*t

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Trouble is some breeders seem to think that every bull calf born has to be sold for breeding whether it's good or sh*t

Yea you need to be ruthless at culling ones that aren't good enough, you can't beat a really good blonde but too many narrow lean plain ones about

 

[CharcoalWally]

Is there a lot of demand for Blondes in the Orkneys? I'd have thought it was all Charolais , Simmental , AA , BSH up there. Same over in the mainland in the NE ?

Definitely a minority interest breed in Scotland. Used to be that Lanarkshire was a hotspot for Blonde cattle up here , but I'm not sure if that's even still the case today.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Is there a lot of demand for Blondes in the Orkneys? I'd have thought it was all Charolais , Simmental , AA , BSH up there. Same over in the mainland in the NE ?

Definitely a minority interest breed in Scotland. Used to be that Lanarkshire was a hotspot for Blonde cattle up here , but I'm not sure if that's even still the case today.

Not much demand here but then again there's hardly any blondes to chose from round here, most have either lims or blues round here...I do know one guy with a blonde and he breeds market toppers

 

[davieogrutha]

I did download the catalogue last night and was shocked at the lack of ebv's. I work with AI and always try a blonde every so often. I did keep a cross bull which I was really pleased with, he gave me some showing calves for our local show and was up near the top when selling at the local mart with the pence per kilo. Which is why I'm on the thought of trying again. A lot of Lim, char, aa and sim breeders up here so was wanting to try something a bit different.

 

[CharcoalWally]

Not much demand here but then again there's hardly any blondes to chose from round here, most have either lims or blues round here...I do know one guy with a blonde and he breeds market toppers

Yeah , this is the thing , every big cattle producing area seems to have it's own favourite. Like you say , you guys like the Lim and Blue , up here the Charolais has been top dog for the last few years with the Simmental cow going across a lot of them.

If a breed can't find an area to be popular in , then it seems to struggle to get a grip. How about over in NI @Davy_g ? The Blonde was quite popular with you guys if I remember?

 

[CharcoalWally]

I did download the catalogue last night and was shocked at the lack of ebv's. I work with AI and always try a blonde every so often. I did keep a cross bull which I was really pleased with, he gave me some showing calves for our local show and was up near the top when selling at the local mart with the pence per kilo. Which is why I'm on the thought of trying again. A lot of Lim, char, aa and sim breeders up here so was wanting to try something a bit different.

Sounds good. What was your bull crossed with?

 

[Whitepeak]

Good question. We've used Blonde bulls as terminal sires in our suckler herd for the last 30 years and have been very pleased with the offspring. During that time the breed has adopted EBV's and seemed at one stage to be moving forwards faster than they had previously. It's become obvious in the last few years that the momentum has stalled though and I've been told by one breeder that some other breeders are moving away from EBV's again.

Personally I think the reduction in top weights by abattoirs, trends towards native breeds and lack of technical adoption will see a decline in demand going forwards. I'm looking at alternative breed policies at the moment though; we're sticking with Blondes for the time being but if current trends continue we'll move elsewhere. In your situation I'm afraid I'd look at alternative breeds.

Edit: Sorry, didn't look at your location so my answer is probably irrelevant really.

In the early years of the Blonde in this country the breeders seemed to be very progressive and keenly adopted EBV's etc. However the society for the last few years has almost gone backwards as they don't seem to encourage the use of EBV's and health schemes. Its been a detriment to the breed, registrations are dropping etc. Hopefully a few new younger breeders and council members will help push the breed forward again, hopefully its not too late.

I'd love a few blondes..(add your own punch line) but they'd have to be the right "type" they seem to be few and far between!

What would be your 'right type'?

Yea you need to be ruthless at culling ones that aren't good enough, you can't beat a really good blonde but too many narrow lean plain ones about

We are ruthless, of 3 bulls registered last year (we're only a small herd atm) we're only keeping one! One was steered and sold store, one is going into the fattening pen and the other will hopefully still make the grade next spring. We're staying away from those big, lean, plain lines which seem to be popular with certain show herds down south that use a lot of French genetics. We're aiming for average size, with width, length and conformation and good fleshing.

 

[davieogrutha]

Is there a lot of demand for Blondes in the Orkneys? I'd have thought it was all Charolais , Simmental , AA , BSH up there. Same over in the mainland in the NE ?

Definitely a minority interest breed in Scotland. Used to be that Lanarkshire was a hotspot for Blonde cattle up here , but I'm not sure if that's even still the case today.

At the moment no. But is it because the option isn't there. Thought if I got a couple o heifers and if luck was on my side and was able to produce something that was decent I would hope to get enquiries. Even if I did get something decent I would use them for my own herd.

 

[Lovegoodstock]

I would argue the society encouraged the breed to go down the path it shouldn't be, raising the minimal weights at a certain age encouraged bulls that went up in the air wit frame, but then produce those leaner sorts that you can feed forever more and still not get fit. Always go for a bull as @Whitepeak, then these cattle are more than a match for any cattle in my market, though think @Whitepeak got his bull selection traits horribly wrong!! Means we probably always compete on the same bulls!!! Good heifers always dear at society sales, not silly like ims or blues, but also you will not breed a 20k bull

 

[davieogrutha]

Sounds good. What was your bull crossed with?

It was out of a limx cow. Got a full sister and half sister from the bull Edendale jigsaw. Both very good breeders. The AI man did like the look of him . Just scunnered he wrecked his knee. Kept a couple daughters off him so hope they can do the business

 

[M-J-G]

In NI during the 90s there were quite a few Blonde bulls used on BF cows and the resultant cross did make a very useful suckler. Many of these were put back to Blonde bulls and their calves were usually good and often fantastic carcase animals.

They do seem to have been superseded by other breeds now, perhaps their leanness hasn't allowed them to mesh as well with the Holstein as it did with their more beefy cousin the BF.

They don't seem to be a popular sire in Scotland, perhaps due to there being a lesser dairy influence to add milk to the equation.

 

[Lovegoodstock]

Very valid point imo @martin gribbon, id have 80 odd blondes bred out of my old, sadly gone, 100 per cent British Friesans, think great cows, milk well, huge pelvis, ether use BB or Blonde back on them, mainly flash e grade cattle that are easy fleshing, fully admit get a few plainer ones but who doesn't? But would be the biggest complaint I find from finishers is that they are too hard a doers, means more time more feed then more weight which is now a problem. Also the regular crossing with the bb x Holstein, great carcass, I do the same but out of BBx British friesan, causes those problems, two lean parents is a recipe for expensive problems, but the right blonde is as good as anything I think, just not enough about

 

[Whitepeak]

I would argue the society encouraged the breed to go down the path it shouldn't be, raising the minimal weights at a certain age encouraged bulls that went up in the air wit frame, but then produce those leaner sorts that you can feed forever more and still not get fit. Always go for a bull as @Whitepeak, then these cattle are more than a match for any cattle in my market, though think @Whitepeak got his bull selection traits horribly wrong!! Means we probably always compete on the same bulls!!! Good heifers always dear at society sales, not silly like ims or blues, but also you will not breed a 20k bull

Or were the minimum weights increased because certain breeders were already going that way?!? Which came first?? But yes it has been a detriment, there are now too many big, plain, hard fleshed ones about that do the breed no favours.
Maybe you've got your selection traits wrong then haha! Either that or @davieogrutha will breed that 20k bull when it has all the traits both you and me want!

 

[Lovegoodstock]

And would have been a 5k bull if we both didn't want it!!! Remember going to Carlisle when I was new to farming, sure there was about 60 bulls to choose from in the autumn sale, and ok maybe not 60 to choose from but that many and a good proportion you would be happy to take home. Went last year, 25 odd entered, 2/3 sold/ 4/5 worth buying, maybe 6/7 but poor. Worcester spring sale was a lot better, but bulls that should be killed should not be presented, rarely sold, depress trade for others and if a newcomer to breed comes for a look it surely puts them off