What way to go with Angus cattle

[beefandsleep]

You mean use a black Holstein ??

Take your point Canadian Angus have got a bit of a reputation in that regard, but I have seen some very beefy US Angus and there breeding values are way ahead of ours in terms of reliability. Might be worth a look.

 

[west coast angus]

we are in the exact same position, have 50 odd pure Angus cows, Just felt the cows where getting smaller, milk was drying up, and cows where harder to flesh!spent ages thinking about the best option, pros and cons etc,
In the end have gone for a polled easy calving simm bull over the shorthorn because i feel they will sell better, milk better and the shorthorn would do nothing to improve shape,
The down side will be the cows might take a bit more feeding, and when crossed with Angus cows take on a horrible dun colour that i dont like!!
The plan is to run with the simm bull for about 3 to 4 years then go back to the Angus, Keeping all replacements out of the simmx cows.
Only time will tell if it was the right thing to do!!

 

[Chapelton]

We're running 200 cows with a mix of AA and BSH blood. Until the Morrison's premium came along we were using more and more AA bulls in search of the M&S premium, and retained heifers grew to have more AA blood in them than we really wanted.

Morrison's have allowed us to use more BSH bulls again, and get that blood back into the retained heifers. The BSH sired animals are killing out well and at good grades, and interestingly growth rates have tended to be better than the 75% AAX calves. We've also got the maternal qualities of the BSH in the females, which is what we're really after.

I don't think we're too far from you so feel free to come and see them! There's a couple of snaps from the AAX and BSHX commercials below.

 

[Alistair McLaren]

Thanks @JP1 I think @valtra 101 has had his questions answered well in the thread so far. All I'll add is with time on his side (I think) he's plenty of time to go and see plenty of herds/breeds this Spring/Summer when the cows should be at their most productive and see which females milk well, take a note of calf numbers and go back after weaning to see them again and decide which animal will add the most value to your herd and that present moment in time. A Bull is half the herd so a little time spent looking will pay off in the long term.

 

[valtra 101]

Yes thanks have had lot of helpful advice,think if anything would go down the shorthorn route if can get a polled bull,if were to try one would be this year to try it,at the moment we needing 3 more bulls to replace ones we have put away recently.bought an angus today private and planning on Stirling on Tuesday,will be looking for another angus and will have a close look at the shrthorns

 

[west coast angus]

Thanks @JP1 I think @valtra 101 has had his questions answered well in the thread so far. All I'll add is with time on his side (I think) he's plenty of time to go and see plenty of herds/breeds this Spring/Summer when the cows should be at their most productive and see which females milk well, take a note of calf numbers and go back after weaning to see them again and decide which animal will add the most value to your herd and that present moment in time. A Bull is half the herd so a little time spent looking will pay off in the long term.

Alistair you will have a far more experience with the Aberdeen Angus than me, So tell me where would you be looking, to get a bull that would leave you heifers that will be really milky and up the milking in the herd?

For all i love Aberdeen Angus Cattle, i have lost count of the amount of times i have been speaking to people at marts, and they all say the exact same thing "there Angus cows have no milk"

My last herd sire is a son of Rawburn Double 0 seven, He has a +19 milk figure top 1% time will tell if he was worth the money!! I know ebvs are to be taken with a pinch of salt!

 

[hillman]

That's reslly sad for the Angus as a breed , cause I would have classed them more as maternal than a beef breed , where's the milk gone ?

 

[west coast angus]

Thats the problem i think alot of herds have gone to the beef! creep feeding from day 1 so no need for a maternal cow!!

I am sure if you do your homework you will still find the right type of animals but its not always easy! and if your keeping heifers it can be a long time before you realise what there milking ability is like!

 

[Dave6170]

Alistair you will have a far more experience with the Aberdeen Angus than me, So tell me where would you be looking, to get a bull that would leave you heifers that will be really milky and up the milking in the herd?

For all i love Aberdeen Angus Cattle, i have lost count of the amount of times i have been speaking to people at marts, and they all say the exact same thing "there Angus cows have no milk"

My last herd sire is a son of Rawburn Double 0 seven, He has a +19 milk figure top 1% time will tell if he was worth the money!! I know ebvs are to be taken with a pinch of salt!

Have you a photo of the 007 son? 007 is quite a bull! Does that highland wagyu place have him now?

 

[west coast angus]

 

[west coast angus]

 

[west coast angus]

 

[Thick Farmer]

I need to stop looking at these pictures - its making me want to get some Angus cows again!

 

[west coast angus]

Have you a photo of the 007 son? 007 is quite a bull! Does that highland wagyu place have him now?

This is him at 2 3/4 years old, Yes highland Wagyu have him now, they paid a lot of money for him.

 

[Dave6170]

This is him at 2 3/4 years old, Yes highland Wagyu have him now, they paid a lot of money for him.

Money is no object there though?! How much do you think? £25-30k?

 

[Old Tip]

In the past everyone would be saying put a Hereford across them and get some Black Baldies, wasn't some bloke up the west coast promoting them as the answer to making money out of beef not long ago ??

 

[west coast angus]

Money is no object there though?! How much do you think? £25-30k?

I think it was over 90k but there was a few cows included in the deal!

 

[hillman]

Bbbbbut would that solve or hinder the milk problem ? Can you get a good Hereford , square with a bit off size ? I'm going to be tarred and feathered now for the above statement !

 

[scholland]

These are two bulls I'm using for ai this year.
http://issuu.com/genusabs/docs/0371_aa_prem_coll_oct14_-_final?e=6868942/10083600. Evor.

http://lawsonpedigrees.com/aberdeen-angus/

And evolution. Evolution was turned out very well at stirling but think he's grown on into a fair bull. It will be interesting to see how Stirling goes tomorrow and Tuesday, the breed is needing a good sale.

 

[hillman]

How's this for lateral thinking? AI some to sexed British Friesian semen.
Crackers or not?

Funny we have had a brief discussion about that cross on 7/8 s continental cows in our discussion group , afraid we had no answers