Opinions on the "best" suckler cow

[M-J-G]

Perhaps that means Beef EBVs aren’t fit for purpose?

Ssshhhhh, don't tell anyone!!!

 

[M-J-G]

Jersey x Belgian Blue put to a Charolais bull is king.

Maybe for a specific farm, the ones I had were x lim and weren't hardy enough to out winter, and had bags that were too low for a calf to suck from, even more so if they were down with milk fever.

Too high input to be the mother of a king IMO, but everyone has different ideas of what's good, and they aren't self replacing so got no more air time.

I'm not sure if the BB would be a better cross with a Jersey, I've found them to be generally softer for out-wintering than a Lim x.

 

[Johngee]

Yes, I think everyone knows this, but a cow also has to be practical enough to suit her environment, and this is where a lot of us would find problems with Jersey X cows.

Absolutely, I think it's horses (or, in this case, cows) for courses. In a lowland situation the cow needs to be very efficient so as to justify having a single suckler herd on ground that could carry dairy cows or grow crops for example. On hill ground you've got to keep a cow that will survive and thrive on poor quality grazing in a harsh environment.

 

[Ysgythan]

Ssshhhhh, don't tell anyone!!!

 

[dogjon]

Jersey x hardy British.
Every breed comparison trial done in the world has had the Jersey cross cow as the best performing cow and the Jersey cross meat as the best quality meat.

My wife and the neighbor lady are hoping that the best cow is a Jersey x Wagyu. They have gone together on a bottle calf project. Watching them halter breaking the heifer calves has been highly entertaining.

 

[Bossfarmer]

Yes you can put the cows into a heptivac style system, give them a booster a month before they calve, or alternately you can jab your calves

surely everyone on here jags their calves before they go out?

 

[Henarar]

surely everyone on here jags their calves before they go out?

For what ?

 

[Weasel]

The best suckler cow is a sim-luing put to either a Charolais or limmy bull

 

[Cows 'n grass]

These are J X Blue, all heifers

These are 26 months

And these are about 14m

They would have seen 200kg cake before they were 6 months old but then just grass and kale. All out wintered.

I would be absolutely amazed if they were remotely fiesty. A bigger worry would be a lack of maternal instinct, something my jerseys are not great at.

 

[Traffic dodger]

When you’re all picking what to rear as sucklers do you already have a market you’re aiming for with the finished product. Ie selling on to be finished, or a local butcher, or a supermarket chain. Just wondered.

 

[Ashtree]

I was at a mixed breed suckler cow sale today. No question the big prices fell fair and square on true deep red lims. Large frame animals with tidy udders, and deep red soft fleece of hair, just mental prices.
Anything with even a little hint of dairy showing in make up, just propping up bottom of the price league.

 

[Woolless]

I thought jerseys were killing machines?

Some of the bulls are unhinged!

 

[AGN76]

When you’re all picking what to rear as sucklers do you already have a market you’re aiming for with the finished product. Ie selling on to be finished, or a local butcher, or a supermarket chain. Just wondered.

We sell at 12 months, and selling anything other than a Lim, Blue or Charolais around here is a waste of time.

 

[Traffic dodger]

I was thinking if it costs a lot more to transport a particular breed to a market/area where it sells better then local but raising that breed local works better then other breeds or does this not happen ?

 

[Wolds Beef]

@Northeastfarmer You forgot the Lincoln Red
28 came in for calving
26 have calved
1 to calve
1 empty
25 calved on there own, live calves and sucked themselves
1 needed a slight tug but has a live calf and sucked itself.
All pedigree Lincoln Red.
WB
Winceby Herd.

 

[applejack]

@Northeastfarmer You forgot the Lincoln Red
28 came in for calving
26 have calved
1 to calve
1 empty
25 calved on there own, live calves and sucked themselves
1 needed a slight tug but has a live calf and sucked itself.
All pedigree Lincoln Red.
WB
Winceby Herd.

@Wolds Beef what is the status of the Lincoln Red regarding polled, are they officially hornless?

 

[Wolds Beef]

@applejack You can not register a Lincoln Red if it has horns. sometimes one pops up with scurs.
WB

 

[Wolds Beef]

@applejack Why not try some Lincoln Red semen on your Holsteins and tell people how you get on! It certainly would be interesting.
WB

 

[AGN76]

@applejack Why not try some Lincoln Red semen on your Holsteins and tell people how you get on! It certainly would be interesting.
WB

Would the offspring heifers milk well enough to join a low input dairy herd?

 

[Wolds Beef]

The Lincoln Red was a dual purpose breed at one time. I believe the last ones milked were somewhere near Lincoln!
WB