Saler bull on heifers?

Jimmy2020

What saler bull would you put on heifers?

I hope to AI 3 limo cross heifers in the new year, what do you consider to be an easy calving percentage?

Thanks

Boards.ie: Niamh

Moved to Farming & Forestry forum :)

ABitofsense

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058219264/saler-bull-on-heifers

Ive used Knottstown Roy from Progressive calved this year on a smallish heifer Aax ~550kg at calving & 24mths old. Calved herself with heifer calf was 37kg. One of my quietest calves from this year.

tanko

You couldn’t go wrong with Knottown Roy for easy calving on heifers and very good quality calves too. Any bull less than 6% on the beef heifer calving index should be easy calved. Manclaux from Bova is worth a look, have some heifers in calf to him for the Spring.

Jimmy2020

Thanks for your replies I'd say I'll give that bull a go.

Do ye keep any saler cows? I'm hoping to have a few and cross back to a char bull and hope for the best really.

Probably get 3 bull calves now knowing my luck.

Thanks

tanko

Only have four Saler cross cows here so far but intend to increase that number, they have a lot going for them imo, especially on poorer quality land. Half of them are going to be bulls, i sell them as store bullocks and find they sell just as well as the Limousins here. They are a bit harder finished than Lims but that’s just the type of them.

Jimmy2020

How do you find handling them salers and what's there temperament like after calving, sorry for all the questions.

Who2

I think there’s too big of a loss on the bulls to justify breeding them. I’ve came to the conclusion saler, shorthorn and Simmental are better off being left to the breeders and buy in the heifers that suit. I’ve far too many bulls every time I use those breeds that never come into much.

I know I’ll get a roasting for saying that but I’d rather pay the premium on the heifers than take the loss on the bulls.

squinn2912

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118212823#Comment_118212823

It is a dilemma alright. I’m pretty disappointed in my sim bull calves spring especially. Autumn look better but the spring ones looked good enough when they were younger. Bellyish now. Funny the heifer calves are better quality. Anyhow he’s away again. More were with the lim bull that was a replacement himself. Charolais bull bought now so getting heifers in 2-3 years will be the thing.

I’d usually ai a few of them in the hope of getting a few heifers taking the bull hit on a small sample like that isn’t too bad you’d end up with 2 bulls in a pen 2/6 on sale day etc. If you’re aiming for nice replacements on your milkier more maternal cows then the lim calf will still do that job.

Buying in is grand but breeding your replacements and you know more about them. Saying that, I bought 8 replacements about 12-18 months ago and they’ve all calved at least once now. Out of the 8 I’d be delighted with 4 happy enough with 3 and 1 is going.

tanko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118212766#Comment_118212766

I don’t find them any harder handled than any of the Lim, Sim or CH cows i’ve had around the place over the years, any breed of cow is potentially dangerous after calving, the biggest scare i’ve had was with a Sim x Lim cow and a friend of mine was nearly killed by a pedigree Simmental cow so who knows. Like Limousins, Salers got a bad reputation docility wise but any of the Ai Saler bulls i’ve used have been pretty good.

Sugarbowl

I use Salers here too. Have kept some as SAX cows. Out of them all, I’ve 1 that would be cranky around handling. My biggest problem with them at the moment is drying them off, going around with my bucket of dry tubes like a dairy farmer 😀

keeping 3 saler heifers as replacements this year, knottown Roy, Beguin and Highfield Odhran. It will be my first time keeping those sires. At the moment, Highfield Odhran is looking the best of the 3.

Also I find it is regularly handling and interaction with them as calves is what quietens them. Even if only walking pass them in the field.

Jimmy2020

How are their feet on slates over the winter?

tanko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118237252#Comment_118237252

Very good i would say, they have hard tough black hooves, they’ve been bred on rough high ground in France which makes them hardy. Saler cows are lean animals, they don’t pile on fat when they’re dry, leaves them lighter than other breeds which is a good thing on slats i find.