Pedigree cows for commercial beef

[South West Ireland]

All,

What are your thoughts on using pedigree Belgian Blue cows crossed with an easy calving Limousin or Shorthorn for commercial beef ?

 

[M-J-G]

I can't see the point in that type of cow.

A Shorthorn cow with a Lim or BB bull makes more sense in my mind

 

[pauld]

Don't do it. You need a crossbred cow with hybrid vigour if you are genuinely being commercial.

 

[Werzle]

All,

What are your thoughts on using pedigree Belgian Blue cows crossed with an easy calving Limousin or Shorthorn for commercial beef ?

If you have got the ped bb's already and fancy a change of bull then crack on but i cant see the point in buying some to do it. No point buying expensive racehorse mares to breed cheap riding ponies is there .

 

[dannewhouse]

I think you're looking at the complete wrong way around.

Imo a pure blue cow will be one of the more expensive cows to run?
Harder calving, more feed, possibly less milk?

The other end is a first cross out of dairy or a native breed, I have both, cross to continental and get a decent calf. You then want a better calf so go more continental type cow (I have a few ped Lims now) but you can end up short of milk, so a better calf but not as grown/more creap so back to same point.

My worst calvings are blue cross cows to lim bull. Not much room in them and throw a big square showy calf but sometimes c section which takes the profit.

 

[Vader]

All,

What are your thoughts on using pedigree Belgian Blue cows crossed with an easy calving Limousin or Shorthorn for commercial beef ?

We have got some bb x limo cows.
Bought as heifers.
Put them to blonde bull.
Cracking calfs, no problem calfing them and plenty of milk.
But we don't bull stuff till they nearly 2 year old so grow to full potential so more room to calf.

 

[Bill the Bass]

Pure/pedigree lim cows to a Blue bull is a popular option around here.

 

[Henarar]

All,

What are your thoughts on using pedigree Belgian Blue cows crossed with an easy calving Limousin or Shorthorn for commercial beef ?

Lim bull on blue is a good cross, personally I wouldn't be so keen to use a shorthorn bull on blue cows though.
Went on a vist to see a herd where they keep pedigree blues and they also keep pedigree lims but most of their cows were a cross between the two, they would cross them one way then back again, fantastic calves, there were creep feeders out but even so.

 

[Hesstondriver]

I can't see the point in that type of cow.

A Shorthorn cow with a Lim or BB bull makes more sense in my mind

out of interest why didnt you suggest a Simmy ?

 

[Whitepeak]

We have got some bb x limo cows.
Bought as heifers.
Put them to blonde bull.
Cracking calfs, no problem calfing them and plenty of milk.
But we don't bull stuff till they nearly 2 year old so grow to full potential so more room to calf.

And with a Blonde bull you have a good chance of getting that roan calf everyone seems to go mad for

 

[M-J-G]

out of interest why didnt you suggest a Simmy ?

Just because the OP mentioned BB and Lim.
A BSH cow is an excellent cross with a Sim, but I'm guessing the OP is looking for wee fancy pants type show calves if he's going to the extremes of keeping pure BB cows.

 

[M-J-G]

And with a Blonde bull you have a good chance of getting that roan calf everyone seems to go mad for

Which is ironic when the BBs have mainly moved away from colours.

 

[Hesstondriver]

And with a Blonde bull you have a good chance of getting that roan calf everyone seems to go mad for

a poor mans limmy

 

[Hesstondriver]

Just because the OP mentioned BB and Lim.
A BSH cow is an excellent cross with a Sim, but I'm guessing the OP is looking for wee fancy pants type show calves if he's going to the extremes of keeping pure BB cows.

i suppose id say the simmy would have more room and more milk , unless it was a very traditional Belgium bred blue ?

 

[Vader]

a poor mans limmy

Or go limo x blonde.
Supercharged limmy...

 

[Hesstondriver]

Or go limo x blonde.
Supercharged limmy...

i still think blonds are underrated

 

[thorpe]

i still think blonds are underrated

no more than redheads!

 

[Vader]

i still think blonds are underrated

Trouble was there was couple early ai bulls that were said to be bad calvers so breed never got a good start.
We used them and had no trouble.
We find them easy calving and live well on average food .
Very good killing out ratio as well.

 

[Whitepeak]

a poor mans limmy

The thinking (and honest) man's limmy

 

[Whitepeak]

Which is ironic when the BBs have mainly moved away from colours.

Maybe that's why they are in demand, there's not as many about