Belgian Blue

Who2 · 23-09-2018 9:55pm

Hard Knocks wrote: »

Would the British type crossed with BF give the ideal suckler cow?

No you added bf.

TITANIUM. · 23-09-2018 10:02pm

charolais0153 wrote: »

Some turnaround. A miserable looking calf in all honesty

Ya she was I agree with you. But I'd restrict the cows pre calving allot more then most lads. Starting about 2months out and go more severe in the last 3 to 6 weeks depending on the cow. They tend to take allot more of the mineral lick aswell with a bit of hunger on um.

Never wrestle with pigs · 23-09-2018 10:10pm

anthony500_1 wrote: »

Out of interest what bulls do you run with the simmentals, and are you breeding for beef or replacement market???

SIM bulls, breeding for replacement market. I've Heifers going to the ballymote and gort sale. They pay well but you take a hit on the bulls. I've bought a nice young Ch bull to use on everything next year. I think you get paid as much if not more on bulls and heifers as weanlings if done right by the Ch. My cows push my SIM bulls into 460/500 kg with 5 weeks of meal. I'm interested to see how I get on with the Ch. He is by a dovea bull that was by domino, name escapes me now but looks like a good muscle maker.

The way the year landed made me think about the whole farming and pushing numbers and becoming vounerable with weather and tight on silages. I got a bit stung last winter. I've dropped numbers and bought a handful of pedigree lims and IV a few pedigree sims. Going forward I think I will keep things simple and hopefully breed a smaller number of quality pedigree animals. I don't think that there is a huge difference in money when you add everything up like extra meal, straws, royalty frees, semen testing, holding longer etc but I'll have less calving and more dry stock. There's savage work with cows especially when working and family have to by done too. I really love suckler cows and breeding so I'll never get out of them but definitely not going to be looking for farmer of the year by pushing things to the max anymore. Sorry for going off topic ðŸ˜‚

Limestone Cowboy · 23-09-2018 10:43pm

TITANIUM. wrote: »

Hedge your bets lads and go for as charolais outta a blue.

Her brother here seen last week. Belonging to a friend. Born naturally aswell.

patsy_mccabe · 23-09-2018 10:47pm

Took this fella for a walk today, as he was getting lazy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUDNnBkGufY&list=PL56C4B64B4D98EFF6&index=3&t=0s

TPF2012 · 23-09-2018 10:56pm

patsy_mccabe wrote:

Took this fella for a walk today, as he was getting lazy.

He wouldn't survive long on my farm. Functionality not great.

anthony500_1 · 23-09-2018 10:58pm

Limestone Cowboy wrote:

Her brother here seen last week. Belonging to a friend. Born naturally aswell.

Serious stock. I've not much more than bad cattle when you see pictures like this

valtra2 · 23-09-2018 10:59pm

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

Took this fella for a walk today, as he was getting lazy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUDNnBkGufY&list=PL56C4B64B4D98EFF6&index=3&t=0s

Sweet mother of Jesus

TITANIUM. · 23-09-2018 11:11pm

Limestone Cowboy wrote: »

Her brother here seen last week. Belonging to a friend. Born naturally aswell.

Hes a smashing calf. Don't mind Patsy he's to fond of them auld narrow Angus

bogman_bass · 24-09-2018 1:02am

charolais0153 wrote: »

Ideal suckler cow imo is never going to have 50% friesian in it

Have to disagree with you there. If I had a choice between a 50%fr cow and a 50% CH cow I’d go for the Fr cow more often than not. For me the 50/50bluexfr is the best cow you can get.

Pidae.m · 24-09-2018 6:45am

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

Took this fella for a walk today, as he was getting lazy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUDNnBkGufY&list=PL56C4B64B4D98EFF6&index=3&t=0s

Nice shed patsy

cacs · 24-09-2018 7:25am

Great thread. Keep it going. Some super cattle. I am part time farming and I breed stores and the only option I can see is red lim. I would love to breed charolais but not possible in my situation. Nothing else will get you a fair price in the mart the west

charolais0153 · 24-09-2018 8:17am

cathal irwin wrote: »

Great thread. Keep it going. Some super cattle. I am part time farming and I breed stores and the only option I can see is red lim. I would love to breed charolais but not possible in my situation. Nothing else will get you a fair price in the mart the west

Yellow charolais cow with lim bull will give you golden calf ,could register as ch then

RobinBanks · 24-09-2018 3:07pm

BB bull calf went 3.88 per kg and a heifer 3.37 per kg in Ballina today. I got out at the wrong time!!

charolais0153 · 24-09-2018 3:13pm

RobinBanks wrote: »

BB bull calf went 3.88 per kg and a heifer 3.37 per kg in Ballina today. I got out at the wrong time!!

Weights? Great money

RobinBanks · 24-09-2018 3:24pm

charolais0153 wrote: »

Weights? Great money

Bull was 250 heifer 340. Nice CH bull 390kg made 1165. Just under €3

Grueller · 26-09-2018 9:44pm

Grueller wrote: »

Titanium, sorry about the slow reply. Was at a wedding yesterday and sure you know the rest.

First photo is a blue heifer off a lim x blue cow. Photo does nothing for her. She is possibly my best ever heifer even if she could do with a little more length.

2nd photo is a pair of blues off a pair of limo cows. The two dams are actually twins.

3rd photo is a 3/4 bred limo mother and a blue bull calf.

Heifer number 1 now sold.
€3.81 per kilo.

RobinBanks · 01-10-2018 9:32pm

Seen a BB bull 330kg make 1165€ in Ballina today. Just 2 blue bulls for sale.

I sold some lim bulls and part bulls. Best price was 2.85 for a lim bull. Worst was 2.4 for a part. Got very bad money for the part bulls but they were poor quality. Very bare, lanky and mental. They had muscle but not enough to paper over the obvious cracks.

The blues are still a good trade by the looks of things but Char is king around here. Today confirmed that for me. Some crazy prices for yellow char bulls.

sonnybill · 01-10-2018 10:29pm

RobinBanks wrote: »

Seen a BB bull 330kg make 1165€ in Ballina today. Just 2 blue bulls for sale.

I sold some lim bulls and part bulls. Best price was 2.85 for a lim bull. Worst was 2.4 for a part. Got very bad money for the part bulls but they were poor quality. Very bare, lanky and mental. They had muscle but not enough to paper over the obvious cracks.

The blues are still a good trade by the looks of things but Char is king around here. Today confirmed that for me. Some crazy prices for yellow char bulls.

Hi robin ,
What kind of prices did the yellows go?

Tyson Lannister · 01-10-2018 10:40pm

I'll have to try fly the flag for the parthenaise! 2 pedigree heifers I bought last year. They will be 2 years old in April

RobinBanks · 01-10-2018 10:54pm

sonnybill wrote: »

Hi robin ,
What kind of prices did the yellows go?

Around 3.20kg average.calves were anywhere from 350 to 420kg

Cavanjack · 01-10-2018 11:13pm

RobinBanks wrote: »

Around 3.20kg average.calves were anywhere from 350 to 420kg

The best of luck to the buyer to try and make a few bob on them.

charolais0153 · 13-10-2018 7:40pm

Going to try this lad during the week. Expectations arent that high though...

Icelandicseige · 13-10-2018 8:39pm

charolais0153 wrote: »

Going to try this lad during the week. Expectations arent that high though...

Fine animal. What age and weight would you think he would be..?

charolais0153 · 13-10-2018 8:40pm

Icelandicseige wrote: »

Fine animal. What age and weight would you think he would be..?

8 months 400kg

valtra2 · 13-10-2018 9:42pm

charolais0153 wrote: »

Going to try this lad during the week. Expectations arent that high though...

1185

charolais0153 · 13-10-2018 9:49pm

valtra2 wrote: »

1185

Think your 150 off but what do i know

TITANIUM. · 13-10-2018 9:54pm

charolais0153 wrote: »

Think your 150 off but what do i know

The calfs worth the bones of 12hundred alright. He's only 8months. If he doesn't make close to it I'd be hanging onto him. What's he off by the way

valtra2 · 13-10-2018 9:57pm

charolais0153 wrote: »

Think your 150 off but what do i know

He is but going by this year you just never know.

charolais0153 · 13-10-2018 10:16pm

TITANIUM. wrote: »

The calfs worth the bones of 12hundred alright. He's only 8months. If he doesn't make close to it I'd be hanging onto him. What's he off by the way

Bbq x shapey limo 2nd calver

charolais0153 · 15-10-2018 6:41pm

charolais0153 wrote: »

Going to try this lad during the week. Expectations arent that high though...

400kg 1100. As good as what was got i suppose

TITANIUM. · 15-10-2018 8:07pm

charolais0153 wrote: »

400kg 1100. As good as what was got i suppose

He was a cracking calf to be fair to you. 400kgs at 8 months. Good going by the cow. He still came into 2.75 a kilo.

TITANIUM. · 15-10-2018 8:10pm

TITANIUM. wrote: »

He was a cracking calf to be fair to you. 400kgs at 8 months. Good going by the cow. He still came into 2.75 a kilo.

Plus I meant to say, he's gone now and not coming back so don't be tormenting yourself thinking you let him go to easy. You never know he could have turned his 4legs up to the sky on you in a months time.

charolais0153 · 15-10-2018 9:02pm

TITANIUM. wrote: »

Plus I meant to say, he's gone now and not coming back so don't be tormenting yourself thinking you let him go to easy. You never know he could have turned his 4legs up to the sky on you in a months time.

I dont really think about them in that regard tbh. 1100 is a good price for a calf in general.

Suckler farmer · 03-02-2021 1:02pm

I was thinking of buying a few Belgian blue dairy cross heifers and letting our Aubrac bull run with them in June. Is their pelvis smaller that other breeds or is this just a myth?

Grueller · 03-02-2021 9:58pm

Suckler farmer wrote: »

I was thinking of buying a few Belgian blue dairy cross heifers and letting our Aubrac bull run with them in June. Is their pelvis smaller that other breeds or is this just a myth?

I have blue cows here off limousin mothers. I then bull these to a blue from their 2nd calf on. No problem calving them.

TooOldBoots · 04-02-2021 2:28pm

Is it worth using the small BB that the dairymen use on heifers? I've been putting the Saler AI to the heifers at the moment. Afaik hasn't the market for those BB disappeared when they stopped exporting to Italy?

tanko · 04-02-2021 2:55pm

The easy calving BB bulls that are used on dairy cows aren't suitable for suckler heifers imo, unless you want plenty of bother calving them.
You could use an easy calving Lim on them if you want a change from the Salers.
LM 2014 is the best Lim bull for heifers i think.

Grueller · 04-02-2021 10:41pm

TooOldBoots wrote: »

Is it worth using the small BB that the dairymen use on heifers? I've been putting the Saler AI to the heifers at the moment. Afaik hasn't the market for those BB disappeared when they stopped exporting to Italy?

Absolutely not. I got €1190 for 292 kgs last September. 350kgs for €1350 and they were twins.
The blue is king of the ring at the weanling sales around here anyhow.

Farm365 · 05-02-2021 8:23am

tanko wrote: »

The easy calving BB bulls that are used on dairy cows aren't suitable for suckler heifers imo, unless you want plenty of bother calving them.
You could use an easy calving Lim on them if you want a change from the Salers.
LM 2014 is the best Lim bull for heifers i think.

Why isn’t the easy calving BB suitable for suckler heifers?

jfh · 05-02-2021 8:34am

Suckler farmer wrote: »

I was thinking of buying a few Belgian blue dairy cross heifers and letting our Aubrac bull run with them in June. Is their pelvis smaller that other breeds or is this just a myth?

I run a lim bull on bb dairy Cross heifers, no problem calving, don't think they have the longevity though

charolais0153 · 05-02-2021 8:52am

Farm365 wrote: »

Why isn’t the easy calving BB suitable for suckler heifers?

stanflt wrote: »

Using bb here also- just had a lovely bull calf @58kgs- mother up licking in seconds- calf already sold and will go at day 14

60kilo calfs out of springers would be fun

Hard Knocks · 05-02-2021 11:46am

Farm365 wrote: »

Why isn’t the easy calving BB suitable for suckler heifers?

Sadly in allot of cases easy calving bulls (no matter the breed) can have daughters narrow at the hips

tanko · 05-02-2021 5:56pm

Farm365 wrote: »

Why isn’t the easy calving BB suitable for suckler heifers?

When you put a BB bull on a dairy cow there's no muscle coming from the cow so the calf usually won't be too muscled when it's born.

If you put a BB bull on a suckler heifer you're going to have muscle coming from the heifer as well as the bull so could end up with a well muscled calf with a big end that the heifer won't be able to calve.

tanko · 05-02-2021 6:06pm

Hard Knocks wrote: »

Sadly in allot of cases easy calving bulls (no matter the breed) can have daughters narrow at the hips

I think that's a bit of a myth.
I've had cows off easy calving bulls like Highlander, Ionesco, On-Dit, Milbrook tanko, Ozeus, Pirate, Rio, Kilkelly Duke, Earp etc that have very good calving ability.

charolais0153 · 05-02-2021 9:01pm

tanko wrote: »

I think that's a bit of a myth.
I've had cows off easy calving bulls like Highlander, Ionesco, On-Dit, Milbrook tanko, Ozeus, Pirate, Rio, Kilkelly Duke, Earp etc that have very good calving ability.

U look at top 50 bulls for daughter calving ability, very few are fit for heifers. Ice cream, tvr, CWI ,adx ,tomschoice jet, mbp, joskins are all in it, no sign of eby ,Ivor or zag or fiston. Only one saler in top 50 , more than 20 charolais

Hard Knocks · 05-02-2021 9:49pm

tanko wrote: »

I think that's a bit of a myth.
I've had cows off easy calving bulls like Highlander, Ionesco, On-Dit, Milbrook tanko, Ozeus, Pirate, Rio, Kilkelly Duke, Earp etc that have very good calving ability.

From my own experience
I’ve saw 2yo Charolais heifers calve to the Charolais bull without issue
I helped with sections on AA heifers who couldn’t calve to the AA

When I am choosing a bull hopefully of a daughter I look at daughters calving figures not the bulls Calving difficulty

Belgian Blue

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