Hereford from the dairy herd as a suckler cow

Feckthis

Whats the Hereford x like as a suckler cow and what bull would bring a decent calf selling as a weanling or finishing?

Mac Taylor

Feckthis wrote: »

Whats the Hereford x like as a suckler cow and what bull would bring a decent calf selling as a weanling or finishing?

Have one here, she calves every 12 months and we average around €900 for her calf, no tantrums just does her job and is easily minded. We use a lim bull on her which we found better than the CH. bil is using Hereford bull next year on his dairy cows so will probably chance 1 or 2 of his heifers as sucklers

Miname

I know a lad that has around twenty of them running in his suckler herd and he loves them. Heaps of milk and quiet. They do loose condition faster than the rest of his cows and some cross far better than others with his Charolais bull. He'd have around 20% come that dirty grey with a pure white head but they would have the weight anyways so make up for it that way. I've a share of whitehead heifers coming on that I'll chance the limo bull on them next year.

Bodacious

Miname wrote: »

I know a lad that has around twenty of them running in his suckler herd and he loves them. Heaps of milk and quiet. They do loose condition faster than the rest of his cows and some cross far better than others with his Charolais bull. He'd have around 20% come that dirty grey with a pure white head but they would have the weight anyways so make up for it that way. I've a share of whitehead heifers coming on that I'll chance the limo bull on them next year.

I culled black white head of this cross for same dirty grey colour ... Have a red white head heifer on trial here now instead as I feel she will throw yellow / yellow white head/ spots which would beat the slate grey in the ring

Future Farmer

Feckthis wrote: »

Whats the Hereford x like as a suckler cow and what bull would bring a decent calf selling as a weanling or finishing?

Have used SI and LM on BWHs over the years. Either one is a winner. Super stock. Cows milk well, are very docile, put everything into the calf and come back in calf. Don't like the dirty grey CH.

limo_100

Future Farmer wrote: »

Have used SI and LM on BWHs over the years. Either one is a winner. Super stock. Cows milk well, are very docile, put everything into the calf and come back in calf. Don't like the dirty grey CH.

plus one on the si cross especially if you get a heifer hold the milk and bring the beef. I haven't had a bw in about 5 years but have a heifer i bought as a calf calving in Sept to KEZ. Iv never had a problem with a bw on a Charolais always brought a red calf for me but i only ever had 2 or 3 bw cows

tanko

Feckthis wrote: »

Whats the Hereford x like as a suckler cow and what bull would bring a decent calf selling as a weanling or finishing?

If you're getting them from the dairy herd it would be better if they are out of British friesian cows rather than holsteins. We used to have lots of them, they were docile, made great mothers and had lots of milk.
The biggest problem I found with them was if they had too much milk, calves would have trouble sucking them properly for the first month or so.
Also, they had their fair share of trouble with mastitis.

blue5000

Biggest problem now with sourcing replacement heifers from the dairy herd is Jersey x, never mind Johannes disease.

Limestone Cowboy

tanko wrote: »

If you're getting them from the dairy herd it would be better if they are out of British friesian cows rather than holsteins. We used to have lots of them, they were docile, made great mothers and had lots of milk.
The biggest problem I found with them was if they had too much milk, calves would have trouble sucking them properly for the first month or so.
Also, they had their fair share of trouble with mastitis.

Was just about to comment on the mastitis, have one here at the moment with it. On the plus side of the few we have I never pulled a calf of them and the are the first of the cows to calf every year. Quite cows too, they won't breed show calves but you'll have plenty of weight. I put a lim on them and normally get solid red or black calves and the odd one with a white head. The black calf is one from last year.

simx

Have a handful of bwh cows incalf to ch and LM, 4 calves to ch so far, mostly all grey colour one with a white head/face and one red and white, good calves and great cows for milk and docility