Speckle Park

[AGN76]

Anyone using them in suckler herds? The Dovea Genetics rep told me that a well known Shorthorn breeder (can't remember his name) had seen Kilbarry Harper calves and said they were the best calves he's ever seen, from any breed.

 

[delilah]

Can't answer your question, but those who like to diss rare breeds - 'they are rare for a reason' and all that guff - should take a look at the genetics of the Speckle Park.

 

[unlacedgecko]

Can't answer your question, but those who like to diss rare breeds - 'they are rare for a reason' and all that guff - should take a look at the genetics of the Speckle Park.

Not sure of your point?

 

[Macus3]

I've used them as a beef Cross on holstein cows alongside aa right through to beef. The speckle parks grow and thrive much better and go into well grown fat cattle on very little meal. Just like belgian blues you need to use a whiter

bull to get coloured calves, otherwise they come out black like angus

 

[Farmer Roy]

They are gaining a lot of popularity in grazing based systems here

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Yep, they're great, and calves sell well down here at least.

 

[Farmer Roy]

We don’t really do “high maintenance” livestock here, which is why I suppose they are popular . . .

 

[delilah]

Not sure of your point?

25% British White/ White Park.

https://canadianspecklepark.ca/history.html

 

[Farmer Roy]

Also largely Angus & Short horn, 2 very good solid old breeds that have pretty much formed the basis of the Australian herd ( along with Herefords & infusions of various Indicus breeds )

 

[ladycrofter]

I had AA and SH and various crossing %'s of those two. Most cows were 3/4 AA. Brilliant, excellent doers, very milky, great temperament.
Glad to hear it's an "official" xbreed.

Be interesting to hear how the Speckle Park compares to Murray Grey.

 

[chunky]

Very keen on trying these, the breeds they originated from are solid, they look to have been selected for good traits and I think they will generate interest from a direct selling aspect because of their appearance. I just can’t find really anyone doing them in the UK, so looks like imported semen or maybe a trip to Ireland unless anyone knows any English herds?

 

[sidjon]

Mate in NZ is using them heavily as a sweeper bulls on his dairy units and said the hides are worth a fortune, not sure if that's a selling point though

 

[RobP]

Sid & Ann Hollier have been running a herd of Speckle Park in Dorset for a good few years. They have a website LongAsh Speckle Park. They import genetics from Canada.
We have a dozen or so cows & are using some imported genetics from Australia. We are based 30 miles north of London. If you’re local feel free to get in touch & come & have a look around.
We had a bull for sale on Sell my Livestock but he got sold last Friday.

 

[Davy_g]

I used them over well muscled pedigree blonde heifers for easy calving.
Also used Wagyu.
Wagyu were far easier calved but SP were not bad at all.
SP calves were excellent by comparison - night and day - and lovely marked.

In the end i thought the SP calves were similar to staying pedigree blonde and the Wagyu are my go to for a small short gestation calf for a well muscled heifer.

Give SP a go, I dont think you will have any regrets. Im sure it was a Dovea bull i used.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Mate in NZ is using them heavily as a sweeper bulls on his dairy units and said the hides are worth a fortune, not sure if that's a selling point though

It kinda is, if that's an outlet for bulls.

Pretty much anyone alive can tell a SP calf from a Jersey type, same cannot be said for AAx at least until they're dry.

If you're in the business of leasing bulls out for sweepers then cutting off their heads, it's an easy $500 bonus - just for their fancy jacket genetics

They also seem to be more placid / more dairycowlike, which suits that use, a lot of newer dairy staff don't know what to do with bulls that don't behave like the cows and freak out, which freaks everything out.

 

[Whitepeak]

Sid & Ann Hollier have been running a herd of Speckle Park in Dorset for a good few years. They have a website LongAsh Speckle Park. They import genetics from Canada.
We have a dozen or so cows & are using some imported genetics from Australia. We are based 30 miles north of London. If you’re local feel free to get in touch & come & have a look around.
We had a bull for sale on Sell my Livestock but he got sold last Friday.

They had a great team at the Three Counties Show this weekend I was very impressed, I'd never seen a speckled park before. His bull in particular was very nice, his cow was maybe too narrow through the front end to do well in the interbreeds, but you could tell they would be easy calving being a nice wedge shape.

 

[sidjon]

It kinda is, if that's an outlet for bulls.

Pretty much anyone alive can tell a SP calf from a Jersey type, same cannot be said for AAx at least until they're dry.

If you're in the business of leasing bulls out for sweepers then cutting off their heads, it's an easy $500 bonus - just for their fancy jacket genetics

They also seem to be more placid / more dairycowlike, which suits that use, a lot of newer dairy staff don't know what to do with bulls that don't behave like the cows and freak out, which freaks everything out.

I know he has sold a lot of calves to lifestylers because you can definitely tell what they are by the coat.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

I know he has sold a lot of calves to lifestylers because you can definitely tell what they are by the coat.

When we were building our herd, those extra few bucks from the bulls (well, it's nearly 30% added to their value by leasing them out for sweepers) really made a difference to how many heifers we could afford to keep per year.

I'm quite biased as a result, we just couldn't have done that with anything other than herefords