Breeding Belgian Blues

Nutcase

Recently I bought 2 belgian blue X cross heifers both of which are about 350kgs now. Im goin 2 put them in calf 2 our limousin stock bull next year but I was jst wondering what your thoughts were on whether a belgian blue bull would be suitable to use on them after the limo? I do not want 2 end up with c-sections!

tismesoitis

Nutcase wrote: »

Recently I bought 2 belgian blue X cross heifers both of which are about 350kgs now. Im goin 2 put them in calf 2 our limousin stock bull next year but I was jst wondering what your thoughts were on whether a belgian blue bull would be suitable to use on them after the limo? I do not want 2 end up with c-sections!

i would'nt dream of using blue on blue just askin for a c section and more times than most its too late when u caught at d hips with a double muscle ass. would'nt have any faith in blue cows full stop pelvis width a big problem!!!

bogman_bass

blue crossed with what?

I wouldnt go quite as far as tismesoitis, have had success with bbxfr cows, but would definatly would run a mile from using a blue on them

Nutcase

thanks tismesoitis, so they shouldnt have 2 much problems calving to the limousin?? they are nice wide heifers, not overly muscled and they are prob U's. I dont know what they are crossed with but they are well marked. What other bull could be used on them hearing good reports about blondes??

bud10

I often use BB heifers crossed from BF cows to Limousin, and so far have had no problems with them, thank God. However, if you're heifers are U grade, they are probably crossed from a continental breed. Even though they may have width, blues tend to be quiet tight, I defo would not use a blue on them unless you want a c section and if you are going to use a lim, make sure it's an easy calving bull suitable for heifers. Best of luck with them.

Nutcase

Thanks bud yeah i think ill stick with the limousin for now anyways see how that goes first.. dont like the thought of havin to do c-sections! What did you do with the calves off your cows above? Did you finish them or sell them? What sort of prices would they command in the ring as weanlings say??

reilig

Lads, there's a guy in our suckler discussion that has all bbx cows off AA Cows and he uses easy calving ai bb bulls on them. We were on his farm for one of the meetings during the summer and he was happy to tell us that he had not to get the vet once that year for calving. He had a number of assisted calvings, but the majority calved themselves. He uses AA on heifers. All cows fed on restricted silage and then on hay for a month before due date.

I was at the mart the day that he sold. he had all february and march calves and had only fed creep for a month before selling. He got massive prices. His heifers made more than the bulls and I frecon that they all averaged €3 per kg live weight. None were over fed and a UK dealer bought all of the heifers.

Nutcase

He would have faired out alright at that then so, but would the angus not leave you with a small, short, light weanling?? I suppose he hasnt got very much angus in them anyways!

_walsh_

have a couple of blues myself for breeding show calves, a lot of men are going for the lim x blue to produce a top calve for export, should be a safe bet. if you don't want a section don't use blue, the belgian's who have pure blues use 100% c- section and don't even wait for the feet to appear to start! choose a blue with a good milk record if your thinking of breeding replacements cuase it sure won't come from the blue side!

Nutcase

so do you section all ur blues, or what bull do you use on them?? And these notorious calves that are makin near and over 1000 euros in the mart are they from these limoxblues would you be runnin into alot of calving difficultes with them!! I assume people put a belgian blue back on them again 2 produce for export?

Nutcase

_walsh_ wrote: »

have a couple of blues myself for breeding show calves, a lot of men are going for the lim x blue to produce a top calve for export, should be a safe bet. if you don't want a section don't use blue, the belgian's who have pure blues use 100% c- section and don't even wait for the feet to appear to start! choose a blue with a good milk record if your thinking of breeding replacements cuase it sure won't come from the blue side!

also on your point about the belgians using 100% c-sections i think their costs are half the price of ours which can cost up to 300 euro for 1, it takes a fair chunk out of your profits if that happens imo!:)

_walsh_

thats true, a section in belgium is only round 90 euro but they do a lot neater job then the vets do here (not saying anything bad about our vets) but its practice, the vet nurses do the sewing up over there. but then 1 cow is only good for three sections on each side so u are always culling your 6th calving cow no matter what.a shame when you see the quality of cattle over there, its mad. in relation to the difficult calving of the blue on blue, if you give the limxblue cow an angus or easy calving limi first she will be able to calf them down after! but to answer your first question, not all our blues are sections but we do have them, we also flush our top heifers so would have a few sections on the reseps!! a friend of mine flushed 3 cows and sectioned 15 recepient heifers(fr x limi)

Nutcase

rite you are thanks for the advice there walsh ill try the limo on these first hopefully they will have heifers!!;)

Nutcase

bogman_bass wrote: »

blue crossed with what?

I wouldnt go quite as far as tismesoitis, have had success with bbxfr cows, but would definatly would run a mile from using a blue on them

An old post i know but i jst found out the breedin in those 3 heifers using icbf herd plus:

1) BB(50%) LM(41%) Sire SPX
2) BB(50%) SH(41%) Sire EDJ
3) LM(59%) CH(34%) Sire TKO

Any thoughts on what sort of animals these would make as replacements?

Juniorhurler

I am trying to expand the herd and am buying blue heifers from british friesians. I am then crossing a blonde bull onto them and getting nice calves (calving first crop at the mo). If the heifers develop well I am thinking about reversing the cross by using a blue bull on them. This would give a 3/4 blue. Should produce good weanlings if calving is not too difficult.
The old man crosses a blue bull onto blonde heifers on his holding and regularly breaks the €1000 mark. I am going my way as the heifers are cheap and I am only one step from his set up.

reilig

Juniorhurler wrote: »

I am trying to expand the herd and am buying blue heifers from british friesians. I am then crossing a blonde bull onto them and getting nice calves (calving first crop at the mo). If the heifers develop well I am thinking about reversing the cross by using a blue bull on them. This would give a 3/4 blue. Should produce good weanlings if calving is not too difficult.
The old man crosses a blue bull onto blonde heifers on his holding and regularly breaks the €1000 mark. I am going my way as the heifers are cheap and I am only one step from his set up.

Biggest issue here is width. If the heifer/cow is not wide enough to put out big calves then you will have problems calving. You will have a good milk line with the freisians, but will they be wide enough to put out a big BB calf?? Freisians normally aren't.

bogman_bass

Nutcase wrote: »

An old post i know but i jst found out the breedin in those 3 heifers using icbf herd plus:

1) BB(50%) LM(41%) Sire SPX
2) BB(50%) SH(41%) Sire EDJ
3) LM(59%) CH(34%) Sire TKO

Any thoughts on what sort of animals these would make as replacements?

having never seen the heifers I'm only geussing but that EDJ heifer should have plenty of milk with the shorthorn in her. has she the width in the pins?

Nutcase

bogman_bass wrote: »

having never seen the heifers I'm only geussing but that EDJ heifer should have plenty of milk with the shorthorn in her. has she the width in the pins?

They are only about are year old at the moment, but she would seem average enough the LMxCH would prob be wider at the pins though.. The distance from her hooks to her pins seems quite good but again she is only a year old so guess I will know more after she calves in 2012 hopefully:)!

Would shorthorn x have better milk than a simmental x.. I always believed shorthorns have milk good in protein and fat or am I away with it there??