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Hereford bull x Charolais/limousin cow

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  • 27-03-2014 10:52pm
    #1
    agriman27
    Registered Users Posts: 496 ✭✭


    I've an old neighbour man who I always meet at the marts, he is always keepin an eye on whitehead heifers and buys and sells a few, I never really gave him or the whiteheads any heed but listening to him and seeing him selling his stores around 24 months they almost make as much or more than Charolais. I know the doesn't feed much meal or his grass wouldn't be class either. Just wondering does anyone on here run a good Hereford bull with continental heifers and cows. Thought it could be an interesting idea!


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    #2
    bbam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,410 ✭✭✭bbam


    But is he running them in commercial numbers.

    I see lads here way under stocked running animals in excess grass. It's mighty easy to have good animals when your well under stocked.


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    #3
    bogman_bass
    Registered Users Posts: 5,057 ✭✭✭bogman_bass


    I Have used a good bit of HE AI on blue and limo cows the past couple of years. I've been lucky and got all heifers from these matings but I have some nice heifers from it. I have one HExBB heifer that didnt go in calf who will be for the hook in may with minimal feed. The BB can be a bit lean so HE bring some fat to the party on finished animal


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    #4
    Damo810
    Registered Users Posts: 998 ✭✭✭Damo810


    bbam wrote: »
    But is he running them in commercial numbers.

    I see lads here way under stocked running animals in excess grass. It's mighty easy to have good animals when your well under stocked.

    If your way understocked though most lads grass management goes out the window and cattle end up on strong grass and set stocked with little to no fert being used. We tightened up our grazing platform by almost 50% last year and saw better gains than we had in a long time..


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    #5
    Future Farmer
    Registered Users Posts: 430 ✭✭Future Farmer


    agriman27 wrote: »
    I've an old neighbour man who I always meet at the marts, he is always keepin an eye on whitehead heifers and buys and sells a few, I never really gave him or the whiteheads any heed but listening to him and seeing him selling his stores around 24 months they almost make as much or more than Charolais. I know the doesn't feed much meal or his grass wouldn't be class either. Just wondering does anyone on here run a good Hereford bull with continental heifers and cows. Thought it could be an interesting idea!

    Milk?


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    #6
    towzer2010
    Closed Accounts Posts: 533 ✭✭✭towzer2010


    Future Farmer wrote: »
    Milk?

    What do you mean?

    Are you saying that the continental cows wouldn't have enough milk to feed a Hereford calf or that a heifer from a continental cow and Hereford bull would have milk.


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    #7
    Future Farmer
    Registered Users Posts: 430 ✭✭Future Farmer


    towzer2010 wrote: »
    What do you mean?

    Are you saying that the continental cows wouldn't have enough milk to feed a Hereford calf or that a heifer from a continental cow and Hereford bull would have milk.

    Sorry if that comment was a bit short.

    The first comment says he buys Whitehead Heifers, does he buy them out of the dairy herd?

    The traditional breeds seem to have more milk than continentals.

    Having a cow with milk reduces costs & increases profits.

    From all the studies in Grange, where they have 4 types of cow:
    FRXLM
    SIXLM
    LMXCH
    CHXSI

    The most profitable cow for them over years of looking at it is the FRXLM - easiest got back in calf, least empties as a group, lightest cows, most profitable.

    What have they got the others haven't? The most milk.


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    #8
    towzer2010
    Closed Accounts Posts: 533 ✭✭✭towzer2010


    Future Farmer wrote: »
    Sorry if that comment was a bit short.

    The first comment says he buys Whitehead Heifers, does he buy them out of the dairy herd?

    The traditional breeds seem to have more milk than continentals.

    Having a cow with milk reduces costs & increases profits.

    From all the studies in Grange, where they have 4 types of cow:
    FRXLM
    SIXLM
    LMXCH
    CHXSI

    The most profitable cow for them over years of looking at it is the FRXLM - easiest got back in calf, least empties as a group, lightest cows, most profitable.

    What have they got the others haven't? The most milk.

    I agree with that but in relation to the OP's question do you think its a runner?

    I breed all my continental heifers to traditional breeds for there first calving's and you will get great calves from that mix. As you say the biggest problem with continentals is their lack of milk but the heifer calves from that cross should be milkier.


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    #9
    agriman27
    Registered Users Posts: 496 ✭✭agriman27


    That's probly right he wouldn't be over stocked at all but he just kinda opened my eyes to the benefits of the traditional breeds. I just thought if ya had the size and bone in the cow and the easy calving, hardiness and easy feeding of the Hereford to breed easy finished stores and have nice replacement heifers to sell or keep on


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    #10
    towzer2010
    Closed Accounts Posts: 533 ✭✭✭towzer2010


    agriman27 wrote: »
    That's probly right he wouldn't be over stocked at all but he just kinda opened my eyes to the benefits of the traditional breeds. I just thought if ya had the size and bone in the cow and the easy calving, hardiness and easy feeding of the Hereford to breed easy finished stores and have nice replacement heifers to sell or keep on

    I haven't any Hereford but I'm going to try a few this year I think. I should have really because we always had a few Hereford cows in my Dads time and they were always good breeders.


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    #11
    Future Farmer
    Registered Users Posts: 430 ✭✭Future Farmer


    towzer2010 wrote: »
    I agree with that but in relation to the OP's question do you think its a runner?

    I breed all my continental heifers to traditional breeds for there first calving's and you will get great calves from that mix. As you say the biggest problem with continentals is their lack of milk but the heifer calves from that cross should be milkier.

    I would say Hereford on Continentals works.

    But really should you not have it the other way around - Traditional cow with Continental bull?


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    #12
    Miname
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,984 ✭✭✭Miname


    is it not all just another part of larry leading us down the merry path. there was years spent breeding cows that were suitable to breed calves for the italian export market. If everyone starts pushing whiteheads which they seem to be and squeezing all their bulls like they seem to be, then in another few years will it be worth the exporters while scouring round the country trying to gather another shipment from what seems to be out of fashion right now or am i being way over sceptical.


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    #13
    towzer2010
    Closed Accounts Posts: 533 ✭✭✭towzer2010


    Future Farmer wrote: »
    But really should you not have it the other way around - Traditional cow with Continental bull?

    I breed all my own replacements and I'm trying to get some milk back into the herd so thats the angle I'm coming from. I have a variety of cows and since it's all AI I'm not limited to any breed but continental calves from continental dams sell better round here.


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