Jersey Herds

[BobbySusie]

I was at a discussion group meeting last night and talk came around to what beef bulls lads are using on jerseys and on average what price per calf at 4 to 6 weeks old.
I have seen the thread on blues on here and I mentioned it.

One lad has 120 Danish jerseys and is culling all his bull calves. It seems an awful waste of potential and revenue, not to mention potential animal welfare issues.

In an ideal world, what bulls do you use on your jerseys and why. What are they worth?

 

[Cows 'n grass]

Sexed and beef is the only option going forward. My bull calves have been collected by a local zoo for years now. Outside of spring I think they pay £1 but mine all born in spring

 

[BobbySusie]

Sexed and beef is the only option going forward. My bull calves have been collected by a local zoo for years now. Outside of spring I think they pay £1 but mine all born in spring

At least the calves have a purpose. What easy calving beef bulls work well on Jersey.

Is sexed semen reliable, apart from conception rates, does each pregnancy to sexed semen result in a heifer.

 

[Bald Rick]

I was at a discussion group meeting last night and talk came around to what beef bulls lads are using on jerseys and on average what price per calf at 4 to 6 weeks old.
I have seen the thread on blues on here and I mentioned it.

One lad has 120 Danish jerseys and is culling all his bull calves. It seems an awful waste of potential and revenue, not to mention potential animal welfare issues.

In an ideal world, what bulls do you use on your jerseys and why. What are they worth?

It is probable that most, if not all, processors will follow Arla with the ban on killing calves so yer man is going to have to rethink.
With the seismic move to sexed semen, there is going to be a glut in heifers unless Jersey herd owners box clever.
We use Angus almost exclusively for ease of calving but going forward we need to ensure that we supply into the right market so we are starting to lay nefarious plans that must remain secret ..... shhhhhh

 

[Llmmm]

I was at a discussion group meeting last night and talk came around to what beef bulls lads are using on jerseys and on average what price per calf at 4 to 6 weeks old.
I have seen the thread on blues on here and I mentioned it.

One lad has 120 Danish jerseys and is culling all his bull calves. It seems an awful waste of potential and revenue, not to mention potential animal welfare issues.

In an ideal world, what bulls do you use on your jerseys and why. What are they worth?

Blue is the only bull that will give a saleable calf to jersey imo however by the time you have fed it to 6 weeks to get size in to sell your not lucking at much profit putting all to jersey isnt a bad idea plus finding a blue bull that will put up with walking is hard and expensive to buy.

 

[Bald Rick]

Blue is the only bull that will give a saleable calf to jersey imo however by the time you have fed it to 6 weeks to get size in to sell your not lucking at much profit putting all to jersey isnt a bad idea plus finding a blue bull that will put up with walking is hard and expensive to buy.

No. Even “easy calving” blues can cause problems to a Jersey. What’s the point in knackering the cow/lactation for the sake of a few pounds?
Jersey offspring will never fetch much money unless they are high genetic females

 

[Llmmm]

No. Even “easy calving” blues can cause problems to a Jersey. What’s the point in knackering the cow/lactation for the sake of a few pounds?
Jersey offspring will never fetch much money unless they are high genetic females

Depends how small your jerseys are ive never seen problems with proven easy calving bulls its rare to even have to pull them

 

[Bald Rick]

Depends how small your jerseys are ive never seen problems with proven easy calving bulls its rare to even have to pull them

Adult live weight average 475kg.

We have a largeish herd and the only problems we have had was with blues. Not worth a candle as buyers shy away from anything beef with “jersey” in the bloodline

 

[Devon lad]

I’ve had way more trouble with Hereford bulls compared ai easy calving BB. Imo Angus has too small a frame for jersey/jersey-x also identification with Angus can be difficult with block calving sometimes.

 

[jerseycowsman]

No. Even “easy calving” blues can cause problems to a Jersey. What’s the point in knackering the cow/lactation for the sake of a few pounds?
Jersey offspring will never fetch much money unless they are high genetic females

Never had a problem calving blues.
They look like blues, unlike all other beef crosses. Usually get between £100 and £250 for calves. Sold 6 at 12 months old this spring and got £650 each for them

 

[Bald Rick]

Never had a problem calving blues.
They look like blues, unlike all other beef crosses. Usually get between £100 and £250 for calves. Sold 6 at 12 months old this spring and got £650 each for them

Don’t disagree that they look “beefy” but from our own experience, calving problems are more likely from blues than other breeds.

 

[som farmer]

I’ve had way more trouble with Hereford bulls compared ai easy calving BB. Imo Angus has too small a frame for jersey/jersey-x also identification with Angus can be difficult with block calving sometimes.

get a rubber stamp made up, cheap as chips on e bay, 5 lines, 5 bulls eartags, or no's and names.
quick stamp, all bulls of 1 breed you use, job done, no trouble at markets, they accept it.

 

[Dian Landman]

Here in South Africa we use Wagyu bull semen on our Jerseys in the last 3 weeks of AI season. They fetch quite a good price. We take them to 90kg. Bulls and heifers. There is quite a market for F1 Jersey/Wagyu crosses.

 

[GenuineRisk]

Never had a problem calving blues.
They look like blues, unlike all other beef crosses. Usually get between £100 and £250 for calves. Sold 6 at 12 months old this spring and got £650 each for them

Good to hear - what we’ve found over on the dairy herd too. Can I ask what colour calves you get ? Do you always use a white BB bull? We rarely hear of problems with Blues over Jerseys - most Jersey cows shell them like peas. I love using the jerseyxblues as recips as they usually calve a ped embryo and make the best mothers too. As to the Jersians, only breed to use if you want a saleable calf or stirk.

 

[som farmer]

we were in trials in the 70's using Charolais on channel island cows, lovely calves, horrendous calvings, casualty cows etc, uncle never ever used cha again, we also tried limo on friesians, same problems, ended up jabbing cows 2/3 weeks early. That was then, now bulls very different, blues usually look all right, and have been bred to calve easier. I saw some red pollx in market, really didn't look as if they had come out of jerseys, and sold fairly well.

 

[jerseycowsman]

Good to hear - what we’ve found over on the dairy herd too. Can I ask what colour calves you get ? Do you always use a white BB bull? We rarely hear of problems with Blues over Jerseys - most Jersey cows shell them like peas. I love using the jerseyxblues as recips as they usually calve a ped embryo and make the best mothers too. As to the Jersians, only breed to use if you want a saleable calf or stirk.

3 use a twyning ash 3 way cross from UKSS. Usually come out black and white brindled and like tanks compared to the jerseys. Rarely if ever white