Which breeds cross well?

[Sweepa]

Ideally im aiming for these attributes

• Easy Calving
• Good Conformation
• Good milking

Aiming to bring the calves off the cows around a year old and sell them. Which cows cross well to achieve this?

 

[Sandpit Farm]

Limo onto a shorthorn. We used to put them back to a limo.

They were great but a bit wild.

 

[Walterp]

Best I've seen is a Limousin over a Limousin x Angus cow.

Beef with attitude.

If you're not fussed about the attitude, then Hereford x Simmental x Hereford works better than it sounds - an old man's suckler cow.

 

[H.M.]

Best I've seen is a Limousin over a Limousin x Angus cow.

Beef with attitude.

If you're not fussed about the attitude, then Hereford x Simmental x Hereford works better than it sounds - an old man's suckler cow.

Lim x angus then back to lim is definitely a cross that works conformation wise, but their milking ability is a bit hit and miss, unless that's just our lot?

 

[Chae1]

Salers x Charollais

 

[Ross121]

Simmental cross South Devon

 

[tr250]

Salers x Charollais

U got many salers then seems to be the cross round here with charalais breeders as their commercials

 

[CharcoalWally]

Simmental X Shorthorn. Both milky , docile , good for calving.

Will leave great bullocks and heifers in big demand as a breeding female.

 

[Chae1]

U got many salers then seems to be the cross round here with charalais breeders as their commercials

yes would have over 300 now. Gradually moving the herd over to all salers.

 

[Wilddog]

South devon x angus. Great cows

 

[harperfarmer]

Curve bender Charolais onto Lim x Dairy cows. Milk, growth, conformation, premium price tag in the store market.

 

[M-J-G]

Curve bender Charolais onto Lim x Dairy cows. Milk, growth, conformation, premium price tag in the store market.

Yeah but you have to deal with those horrible dairy x Lim cows. Unless of course it's BF x Lim. Either way, if you want Lim in your cow you need dairy in there to make them milk.

 

[Ashtree]

Yeah but you have to deal with those horrible dairy x Lim cows. Unless of course it's BF x Lim. Either way, if you want Lim in your cow you need dairy in there to make them milk.

Agree. 25% friesian in lim makes great cow.

Question. With the latest fad from factories and retailers for smaller younger carcasses, I'm pondering what to do with 6 Simmental X Charolais cows I have here.
All first calvers who have calved in past few weeks to lim bull.
Big framed yellowish heifers with white faces and showing lots of milk.

I'm pondering what to cross them with next time around to bring down the size of next generation and still hold milk?

I'm thinking Hereford ..... ? Angus I guess just would look odd!!

Opinions please?

 

[Willy A]

I went to an Agrisearch beef farm walk on Wednesday in Hillsborough NI and one of their topics was comparing Stabiliser Vs LIMXFR dams. All cows were crossed to stabiliser and I would have to say the calves did not impress me. Results seemed to suggest not much difference in performance. The LIMXFR cows weaned a 32.8Kg heavier calve, but the stabiliser breed calves had caught up the weight at end of first winter. Stabiliser cows put on more condition over summer to help with winter feeding costs. I asked were they had got their LIMXFR cows from and they had came from a number of farms and probably had a lot more Holstein influence. They seemed to suggest that with a lot of the better dairy herds fertility, feet and longevity problems were not an issue.
Personally I would have liked to have seen how a CHAR calve would have looked and performed from both cow types for the N Ireland store market.
I am trying to breed my own replacements and want a medium sized cow with lots of milk and a large pelvis. SIM and SALER to increase a cows size but keep milk and a milky AA bull to reduce cow size. Time will tell.
I stay away from LIM in cows as I like using LIM as an easy calving terminal sire.

 

[Ashtree]

I went to an Agrisearch beef farm walk on Wednesday in Hillsborough NI and one of their topics was comparing Stabiliser Vs LIMXFR dams. All cows were crossed to stabiliser and I would have to say the calves did not impress me. Results seemed to suggest not much difference in performance. The LIMXFR cows weaned a 32.8Kg heavier calve, but the stabiliser breed calves had caught up the weight at end of first winter. Stabiliser cows put on more condition over summer to help with winter feeding costs. I asked were they had got their LIMXFR cows from and they had came from a number of farms and probably had a lot more Holstein influence. They seemed to suggest that with a lot of the better dairy herds fertility, feet and longevity problems were not an issue.
Personally I would have liked to have seen how a CHAR calve would have looked and performed from both cow types for the N Ireland store market.
I am trying to breed my own replacements and want a medium sized cow with lots of milk and a large pelvis. SIM and SALER to increase a cows size but keep milk and a milky AA bull to reduce cow size. Time will tell.
I stay away from LIM in cows as I like using LIM as an easy calving terminal sire.

That particular research was done by Teagasc in the Derrypatrick Herd.
The stats and figures for performance to weaning and thereafter to slaughter are all available.
Gave good stats on performance from a myriad of cow types including Charolais.
Google it! If you can't find it, I'm sure I have a link to it somewhere on my 'puter!

A

 

[M-J-G]

Sh x Sim is a great cross. Bullocks weigh like lead and folk can't get enough of the heifers, due to loads of milk, very easily handled, great mothers(without wanting to murder you) and very good fertility.

First two are Sim dam and SH sire
.
second two are 3/4 Sim out of a hybrid dam

 

[M-J-G]

Agree. 25% friesian in lim makes great cow.

Question. With the latest fad from factories and retailers for smaller younger carcasses, I'm pondering what to do with 6 Simmental X Charolais cows I have here.
All first calvers who have calved in past few weeks to lim bull.
Big framed yellowish heifers with white faces and showing lots of milk.

I'm pondering what to cross them with next time around to bring down the size of next generation and still hold milk?

I'm thinking Hereford ..... ? Angus I guess just would look odd!!

Opinions please?

If AI, then a a small framed Fleckvieh will reduced size and improve milk

A shorthorn will also do this, or an older type Simmental where they were smaller yet milky, the small modern ones are too muscular and don't milk well due to them trying to be a Lim.

 

[hillman]

I went to an Agrisearch beef farm walk on Wednesday in Hillsborough NI and one of their topics was comparing Stabiliser Vs LIMXFR dams. All cows were crossed to stabiliser and I would have to say the calves did not impress me. Results seemed to suggest not much difference in performance. The LIMXFR cows weaned a 32.8Kg heavier calve, but the stabiliser breed calves had caught up the weight at end of first winter. Stabiliser cows put on more condition over summer to help with winter feeding costs. I asked were they had got their LIMXFR cows from and they had came from a number of farms and probably had a lot more Holstein influence. They seemed to suggest that with a lot of the better dairy herds fertility, feet and longevity problems were not an issue.
Personally I would have liked to have seen how a CHAR calve would have looked and performed from both cow types for the N Ireland store market.
I am trying to breed my own replacements and want a medium sized cow with lots of milk and a large pelvis. SIM and SALER to increase a cows size but keep milk and a milky AA bull to reduce cow size. Time will tell.
I stay away from LIM in cows as I like using LIM as an easy calving terminal sire.

That particular research was done by Teagasc in the Derrypatrick Herd.
The stats and figures for performance to weaning and thereafter to slaughter are all available.
Gave good stats on performance from a myriad of cow types including Charolais.
Google it! If you can't find it, I'm sure I have a link to it somewhere on my 'puter!

A

Willy A did they finish the cattle ? I had hoped to go up to it but couldn't make it , what was the Consenus on the stabilisers did they leave more money at the end off the day ,was the cow cheaper to keep
Ashtree it was an interesting research but they still said limo x dairy was tops as the calves where heavier from weaning they maintained the lead even do the others closed the weight as time went on

 

[Willy A]

That particular research was done by Teagasc in the Derrypatrick Herd.
The stats and figures for performance to weaning and thereafter to slaughter are all available.
Gave good stats on performance from a myriad of cow types including Charolais.
Google it! If you can't find it, I'm sure I have a link to it somewhere on my 'puter!

A

Found it. Will need to sit down tonight and have a good read.
Was quite disappointed at the Hillsborough farm walk. They talked about what to do to create an efficient suckler herd and then broke their own rules because the want to grow the herd.

 

[Willy A]

Willy A did they finish the cattle ? I had hoped to go up to it but couldn't make it , what was the Consenus on the stabilisers did they leave more money at the end off the day ,was the cow cheaper to keep
Ashtree it was an interesting research but they still said limo x dairy was tops as the calves where heavier from weaning they maintained the lead even do the others closed the weight as time went on

The conclusion was.
Sold as weanlings calves from limxfr were 32.8Kg heavier 73.80 pounds
Sold as stores no significant difference
Sold finished no significant difference

They are going to do research this winter to see what savings can be made using the extra body condition score that the stabilizers take into winter.