HELP Easy calfing charlois bull?

PANADOL

http://www.icbf.com/taurus/bull_search/index.php?search_type=name&search=RATHOMA+EGGIE

Just bought this bull for 1500 hes about 550kg and 16monthes old. however the most important thing for me is that he is easy calfing as i wont be around when they are calfing. According to the icbf web (above) he has 4 stars for calfing difficulty ,he has hollowtree nickalos and indurin in his bloodline both have 3 and 4 stars for calfing difficulty just wondering how dependable this stats are and would you use such a bull on a heifer ,or is it just a complete lottery and its only after 9 months you really know? how would you rate his breeding lines etc. it just seems like a complete lottery to me as the bull isnt proven fertile yet all comments welcome
Thanks

reilig

He has 4 star rating for calving so that's pretty good.

Is 550kg not a bit light for a chaorlais bull?

I have a limousin bull that was 575kg at 10 months - he's 14 months now so has to be well over 650kg. I'd expect the chaorlais to be heavier than the limo.

I have had a lot of calves off indurin in the past few years. All easy calvers and good healthy calves that are usually standing a few minutes after birth.

Wouldn't use a chaorlais bull on a heifer unless I had a good few calves off him and I was sure that he was an easy calver.

PANADOL wrote: »

http://www.icbf.com/taurus/bull_search/index.php?search_type=name&search=RATHOMA+EGGIE

Just bought this bull for 1500 hes about 550kg and 16monthes old. however the most important thing for me is that he is easy calfing as i wont be around when they are calfing. According to the icbf web (above) he has 4 stars for calfing difficulty ,he has hollowtree nickalos and indurin in his bloodline both have 3 and 4 stars for calfing difficulty just wondering how dependable this stats are and would you use such a bull on a heifer ,or is it just a complete lottery and its only after 9 months you really know? how would you rate his breeding lines etc. it just seems like a complete lottery to me as the bull isnt proven fertile yet all comments welcome
Thanks

Shauny2010

PANADOL wrote: »

http://www.icbf.com/taurus/bull_search/index.php?search_type=name&search=RATHOMA+EGGIE

it just seems like a complete lottery
Thanks

Its a bit of a gamble to use an unproven Bull on heifers especially since the data reliability for calving is only 39%. But its not only the bull you need good strong wide heifers or else you could be calling in the Vet to open the side door.
If he does prove an easy Calfer than €1500 is cheap
Best of Luck with him

BeeDI

reilig wrote: »

He has 4 star rating for calving so that's pretty good.

Is 550kg not a bit light for a chaorlais bull?

I have a limousin bull that was 575kg at 10 months - he's 14 months now so has to be well over 650kg. I'd expect the chaorlais to be heavier than the limo.

I have had a lot of calves off indurin in the past few years. All easy calvers and good healthy calves that are usually standing a few minutes after birth.

Wouldn't use a chaorlais bull on a heifer unless I had a good few calves off him and I was sure that he was an easy calver.

Had a son of indurain, for five years. Absolutely no trouble calving. Had one section on mature cow, but that was because the calf was seriously twisted and couldn't get it lined up for normal delivery. Bred well and calves were up quick to suck. Kept several replacements from him, and as Charlie's go, they are good milkers. One of them calved a monster last night, out of a son of CF52. Threw him out no bother.

pakalasa

From his breeding, chances are he will be easy calving. You could hand pick a few of the heifers which look the squarest at the hips and just chance these. How many heifers do you have? Will they be 3 year olds calving? Bit of a gamble really! Heads or tails.:D

Bizzum

I have used Indurain, Hollowtree Nickolas, and Hara Kiri over the years and found them to be easy/average calved.
I never use a Charolais bull on heifers,(patricularly an unknown bull!), even on pedigree Charolais heifers, I use a Lim or Blonde.
There are more factors in calving difficulty than the bull alone, you need to be selecting your cows correctly and manageing them pre-calving correctly.

Sundy

Has anybody noticed navel problems out of Hollowtree Nikolas?

Bizzum

Sundy wrote: »

Has anybody noticed navel problems out of Hollowtree Nikolas?

Nope. What sort?

Sundy

Bizzum wrote: »

Nope. What sort?

2 bad ones on his calves this year from unrelated cows. One is ruptured and the other one is big and hard. The vet says he is seeing it more and more now in predigree charolais calves.

PANADOL

There are more factors in calving difficulty than the bull alone, you need to be selecting your cows correctly and manageing them pre-calving correctly.[/QUOTE]
manageing them pre-calfing ? as in cutting back on their feeding 6 wks before calfing feeding hay etc or are their other things that can be done?

reilig

PANADOL wrote: »

There are more factors in calving difficulty than the bull alone, you need to be selecting your cows correctly and manageing them pre-calving correctly.

manageing them pre-calfing ? as in cutting back on their feeding 6 wks before calfing feeding hay etc or are their other things that can be done?[/QUOTE]

The other major thing that you can do is make sure that your cows get enough feeding while they are suckling the calves to ensure that they don't get thin. By feeding them in summer, you're not fattening the calf inside them. Then when you house them for the winter, the cows will be in good condition and will need minimum feeding ie. Restrict the daily amount that you feed them. This will ensure smaller calves and easier calving.

EDIT By feeding in Summer I mean lots of grass

Bizzum

Sundy wrote: »

2 bad ones on his calves this year from unrelated cows. One is ruptured and the other one is big and hard. The vet says he is seeing it more and more now in predigree charolais calves.

No naval issues last year.
One the year before, on a Lim heifer by Sterling. It never came against her though, she went on well.

pakalasa

Had a few HWN calves here too, no naval problems either.