Beef AI/Bulls MEGATHREAD

RD10 · 12-01-2016 8:10pm

bogman_bass wrote: »

are you selling as weanlings? The only reason I ask is that I've had good results using GJB but I'm finishing them. Maybe not as fancy as a LM but by God do they grow!

Yes majority of them will be sold as weanlings. Have been building up numbers the last few yrs so unless i get a few nice 4/5* heifers that i can pick and choose from they'll be going.
GJB could be worth a look at for some of my smaller heifers though. Have u any pics of his progeny?

RD10 · 12-01-2016 8:22pm

Canaryblue wrote: »

Personally I think Anatrim Bodybuilder is the nicest bull they have, not sure if I'd use him on a heifer though. Whats her breeding do you mind me asking?

Yes i agree with you on Anatrim Bodybuilder. If she was a bigger heifer i might chance her but she's not the widest and looks like she had been on slim pickings before i bought her in. She's filling out a little now since she arrived, but you know yourself its hard put condition on them when inside.
She's by curaheen wakeman.

RD10 · 12-01-2016 8:29pm

Nettleman wrote: »

how bad in the temper on hca progeny. I have a few straws in the flash and might use them this year?

I dont find them too bad. Although was dosing weanlings the other day and one hca heifer was the only one going daft trying to turn around in the crush! Had a hca bull before and he was grand. Think it depends on the cows side too.. dont mix like with like!
Heard people talking about lennon frosty being bad on docility but ive a heifer from him quiet as a mouse. Just depends.

tismesoitis · 12-01-2016 10:05pm

Have 3 fiston bull weanlings and I wouldn't rate the bull at all!! Icbf weighed all calves recently and fistons didn't average 1kg per day growth. Had an lgl just over 1.5 and 5 zgh Bulls average 1.35. Fistons were by far the worst group!!

Canaryblue · 13-01-2016 1:14pm

RD10 wrote: »

Yes i agree with you on Anatrim Bodybuilder. If she was a bigger heifer i might chance her but she's not the widest and looks like she had been on slim pickings before i bought her in. She's filling out a little now since she arrived, but you know yourself its hard put condition on them when inside.
She's by curaheen wakeman.

She should have great stars anyway off him. What other AI companies would be available to you? You'll have to avoid all the bulls that go back to Raceview Merle-Beauty which is about half the simmentals in Irish AI.

Nettleman · 13-01-2016 1:44pm

tismesoitis wrote: »

Have 3 fiston bull weanlings and I wouldn't rate the bull at all!! Icbf weighed all calves recently and fistons didn't average 1kg per day growth. Had an lgl just over 1.5 and 5 zgh Bulls average 1.35. Fistons were by far the worst group!!

I used Fiston on some of my best cows when he was a test sire, 2013 i think- 3 bulls I sold as weanings only average and made poor money. kept 2 heifers on to see and they filled out ok, but my best cows have produced better. I still cant decide whether to bull them or not. concern over milk yield and muscle on back end. Letting them run to 3 year old calving to mature more for calving. Bodybuilder was at ploughing a few years back, and seems to be better than APZ

croot · 13-01-2016 2:22pm

Nettleman wrote: »

Bodybuilder was at ploughing a few years back, and seems to be better than APZ

That's what you call damming with faint praise. Isnt APZ just about the lowest ranked sim bull in AI.

tanko · 13-01-2016 2:28pm

Bodybuilder is €20 a straw.

Nettleman · 13-01-2016 2:34pm

croot wrote: »

That's what you call damming with faint praise. Isnt APZ just about the lowest ranked sim bull in AI.

APZ was being peddled as the gods gift to cows....I didnt swallow the propaganda but alot of men did. I havent used bodybuilder so cant say but he might work well but i got pasted on another thread for saying the availability and quality of high reliability high maternal SIM bulls in AI stations is crap-so Im not resurrecting that again. I am a big fan of Simmental cattle but factories and finishers dont like thier KO's on males. I see derrypatrick herd was using FSZ and FWO this year so lets see what DWG they get when those calves are on the ground.

Fuxake · 13-01-2016 2:36pm

RD10 wrote: »

Yes majority of them will be sold as weanlings. Have been building up numbers the last few yrs so unless i get a few nice 4/5* heifers that i can pick and choose from they'll be going.
GJB could be worth a look at for some of my smaller heifers though. Have u any pics of his progeny?

GJB not guaranteed easy calving. Had a brute of an experience with a 3 y old Simmy heifer. Had another one calved to a Limo heifer no probs outdoors. growth rate seems exceptional so let's see.

Nettleman · 13-01-2016 2:36pm

tanko wrote: »

Bodybuilder is €20 a straw.

would lads spend 50 euro or more for a straw for commercial or would that be just mad?

Salerchamp · 13-01-2016 2:36pm

tismesoitis wrote: »

Strongly thinking of using RIO saler on our heifers that will calve at 2 year old. Any thoughts??

Heard RIO straws are down to the last few hundred now. Price is still 8 or 10 euro I think

RD10 · 13-01-2016 3:18pm

Canaryblue wrote: »

She should have great stars anyway off him. What other AI companies would be available to you? You'll have to avoid all the bulls that go back to Raceview Merle-Beauty which is about half the simmentals in Irish AI.

Well my ai man uses p.g but im sure if i asked him he'd be willing to purchase straws from elsewhere.
she was a 3* gone up to a 4* now so hopefully she'll keep going that way. Her mother is by hillcrest king i forgot to mention.

patsy_mccabe · 13-01-2016 3:25pm

The last time I used RIO, last year I think, the AI guy said he hardly ever gets asked to use him. Just goes to show how guys are making their decisions based on ICBF numbers now. Heifer didn't hold to him, by the way.

bogman_bass · 13-01-2016 3:49pm

Nettleman wrote: »

would lads spend 50 euro or more for a straw for commercial or would that be just mad?

Yes and yes!

bogman_bass · 13-01-2016 3:49pm

Fuxake wrote: »

GJB not guaranteed easy calving. Had a brute of an experience with a 3 y old Simmy heifer. Had another one calved to a Limo heifer no probs outdoors. growth rate seems exceptional so let's see.

No but still easier than most Limos.

Salerchamp · 13-01-2016 4:54pm

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

The last time I used RIO, last year I think, the AI guy said he hardly ever gets asked to use him. Just goes to show how guys are making their decisions based on ICBF numbers now. Heifer didn't hold to him, by the way.

Had an ICBF rep on farm a few weeks ago and he kept saying RIO daughters are great mothers. To think that a few years ago RIO was negative for milk as well!!

Miname · 13-01-2016 8:04pm

RD10 wrote: »

Well my ai man uses p.g but im sure if i asked him he'd be willing to purchase straws from elsewhere.
she was a 3* gone up to a 4* now so hopefully she'll keep going that way. Her mother is by hillcrest king i forgot to mention.

Put a shorthorn on her, it's a savage cross once you get a heifer. I've two heifers calved to the shorthorn bull bressie and they just farted them out. Small handy calves that seem to be constantly trying to swig every cow going.

RD10 · 13-01-2016 9:28pm

Miname wrote: »

Put a shorthorn on her, it's a savage cross once you get a heifer. I've two heifers calved to the shorthorn bull bressie and they just farted them out. Small handy calves that seem to be constantly trying to swig every cow going.

I actually bought in a sim x sh heifer at the same time i bought in this p.b simmental heifer a few months back. They make a lovely animal alright, nice markings on her. And dya know i would never have even taught to use a sh on this simmental for her first time. You'd more than likely take a hit with bulls though.

Miname · 13-01-2016 10:24pm

RD10 wrote: »

I actually bought in a sim x sh heifer at the same time i bought in this p.b simmental heifer a few months back. They make a lovely animal alright, nice markings on her. And dya know i would never have even taught to use a sh on this simmental for her first time. You'd more than likely take a hit with bulls though.

I had one last year, a pure runt when he was born but came into 840 at 300 kilos so wasn't desperate bad.

Salerchamp · 15-01-2016 4:20pm

New Dovea 2016 catalogue is out. I can't have it as a link as I'm a new user but check their facebook page for it!

Kovu · 15-01-2016 4:23pm

Salerchamp wrote: »

New Dovea 2016 catalogue is out. I can't have it as a link as I'm a new user but check their facebook page for it!

Here ye go

http://issuu.com/doveagenetics/docs/dovea_beef_catalogue_2016/1

tanko · 15-01-2016 5:44pm

Fine catalogue, i see a boardsie has a pic of one of their calves in it:cool:

Canaryblue · 15-01-2016 6:52pm

They've included both of the Charolais they bought at the Christmas Cracker, would anyone try either of these on test?

Edit: Just noticed the straws of either won't be available till May

patsy_mccabe · 15-01-2016 7:04pm

Seeing that everyone is having a bash at APZ. Here is one bull I had by him this year. 400Kgs and €880 when sold.
Born 28 Feb 2015, sold 24 Nov 2015.

Limestone Cowboy · 15-01-2016 7:34pm

tanko wrote: »

Fine catalogue, i see a boardsie has a pic of one of their calves in it:cool:

Wasn't expecting to see that

Kovu · 15-01-2016 7:45pm

tanko wrote: »

Fine catalogue, i see a boardsie has a pic of one of their calves in it:cool:

Who's that now? Or the bull at least!

Limestone Cowboy · 15-01-2016 9:27pm

Kovu wrote: »

Who's that now? Or the bull at least!

Mine

vagabond calf!

Kovu · 15-01-2016 9:35pm

Limestone Cowboy wrote: »

Mine vagabond calf!

Nice fella! Did they let you know at least?

Limestone Cowboy · 15-01-2016 9:38pm

Kovu wrote: »

Nice fella! Did they let you know at least?

No, I sent it to them on fb a few months back. Just went on for a snoop when Tanko said there was a boardsie calf on it. Wasn't expecting to see him pop up in front of me.

patsy_mccabe · 15-01-2016 9:44pm

tanko wrote: »

Fine catalogue, i see a boardsie has a pic of one of their calves in it:cool:

Jeez, you don't miss much.

Salerchamp · 15-01-2016 11:14pm

I see another Vantastic son has been added to the books..... Limousin breeding will be getting very narrow if they keep using bulls from similar blood lines

annubis · 02-02-2016 11:42am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7Z-9y6KILQ
Blelack digger, 50 euros a straw
he doesnt look mighty in this video but seems to score highly on eurostar, anyone using him on PB charolais?
is lisnagre handsome gone from dovea catalogue, thought he looked a nice bull

tanko · 11-02-2016 3:15pm

Has anyone any experience of using the Limousin bull Gamin (ZGM) from Bova? He's the top ranked terminal bull across all breeds on the ICBF active bull list. He has serious terminal figures and is easy calved, only 4.6% at 91% reliability.

welton john · 11-02-2016 7:41pm

tanko wrote: »

Has anyone any experience of using the Limousin bull Gamin (ZGM) from Bova? He's the top ranked terminal bull across all breeds on the ICBF active bull list. He has serious terminal figures and is easy calved, only 4.6% at 91% reliability.

have 2 heifers off him from fr cows so prob not much help to you. they were v easy calved tho and at 3 weeks old showing nice muscle more so than other lims used before.lovely hips to them too.will try him on some hca second calvers this year to put a bit of style into them.

tanko · 11-02-2016 8:04pm

welton john wrote: »

have 2 heifers off him from fr cows so prob not much help to you. they were v easy calved tho and at 3 weeks old showing nice muscle more so than other lims used before.lovely hips to them too.will try him on some hca second calvers this year to put a bit of style into them.

That's good, he seems to have the unusual combination of being a high muscle bull which is also easy calved. What do you think of your HCA heifers, I've come to the conclusion that HCA breeds better Bulls than heifers.

Sheep breeder · 11-02-2016 8:09pm

tanko wrote: »

Has anyone any experience of using the Limousin bull Gamin (ZGM) from Bova? He's the top ranked terminal bull across all breeds on the ICBF active bull list. He has serious terminal figures and is easy calved, only 4.6% at 91% reliability.

we had a Gamin heifer calf born 3 weeks ago to big ped cow, very handy born calf just fell out of the cow and after a week just started to take off and has serious backend and lots of style, a freind also has some on the ground and serious calves, we are going to use him on the char and lim maiden heifers this year,

welton john · 11-02-2016 8:43pm

tanko wrote: »

That's good, he seems to have the unusual combination of being a high muscle bull which is also easy calved. What do you think of your HCA heifers, I've come to the conclusion that HCA breeds better Bulls than heifers.

We have a few of them from dairy herd every year and the same two lads come to buy them every year either calved or incalf.Have calved down 10 - 15 of them the last few years and theyre definately not the prettiest to look at but make up for it in other areas. very milky , quiet, they are much better calvers than they look too.some have been mad after calving but i guess that could be said for any breed. have two suckler bred ones calving this year and ill prob keep them
edit : we sell any bulls at a few weeks so couldnt comment on them

Mac Taylor · 12-02-2016 8:52pm

tanko wrote: »

Has anyone any experience of using the Limousin bull Gamin (ZGM) from Bova? He's the top ranked terminal bull across all breeds on the ICBF active bull list. He has serious terminal figures and is easy calved, only 4.6% at 91% reliability.

Bova are trying to push his breeding with pedigree breeders, know a few lads that have got a few calls from bova wondering had they looked him up and would they buy his straws, there was a question about his docility but it seems he is OK on that aswell.

Mac Taylor · 12-02-2016 8:54pm

welton john wrote: »

We have a few of them from dairy herd every year and the same two lads come to buy them every year either calved or incalf.Have calved down 10 - 15 of them the last few years and theyre definately not the prettiest to look at but make up for it in other areas. very milky , quiet, they are much better calvers than they look too.some have been mad after calving but i guess that could be said for any breed. have two suckler bred ones calving this year and ill prob keep them
edit : we sell any bulls at a few weeks so couldnt comment on them

Great to hear, have 4 of them that I am hoping to bull this year.

sonnybill · 12-02-2016 11:39pm

OZS limo is a great bull IMO. I have a 5 star black daughter of his due this week and she letting down a lovely springing .. She out of a BB cow that has good milk also but lovely springing for a heifer . I had good muscley bull calf by OZS also

bogman_bass · 12-02-2016 11:46pm

tanko wrote: »

That's good, he seems to have the unusual combination of being a high muscle bull which is also easy calved. What do you think of your HCA heifers, I've come to the conclusion that HCA breeds better Bulls than heifers.

Really. I've only the one HCA heifer calved so far but I can't fault her

tanko · 13-02-2016 12:40am

My experience of HCA heifers is that they are inclined to have poor docility and their calving ability isn't great. ICBF figures say the same also.

I've always sold the bull calves as weanlings and looking at my ICBF profile they almost always kill out as U grades, even a few U+ grades and at heavy weights too. That's my two cents worth anyway.

tanko · 13-02-2016 12:46am

sonnybill wrote: »

OZS limo is a great bull IMO. I have a 5 star black daughter of his due this week and she letting down a lovely springing .. She out of a BB cow that has good milk also but lovely springing for a heifer . I had good muscley bull calf by OZS also

Yeah, he's a super bull, works best on bigger cows i find. What bull is the heifer in calf to?

blue5000 · 18-02-2016 11:40pm

Anybody got any recommendations for a belgian blue with ok calving figures?

bogman_bass · 18-02-2016 11:45pm

GEU from progressive 5 stars across the board.

SRI if you can get straws

DBZ

tanko · 18-02-2016 11:53pm

SFL from Bova is only 5.5% calving difficulty, STQ from NCBC is popular also. There's a fair bit of info about both on here.

welton john · 19-02-2016 12:05am

got good calves off atg last year v easy calved. nicer calves than dbz imo

blue5000 · 19-02-2016 9:44am

Thanks lads, looking for something for the u 16mth job, under 10% calving difficulty, lower if possible. where would I find 250-350 day live weights?

patsy_mccabe · 19-02-2016 10:40am

blue5000 wrote: »

Thanks lads, looking for something for the u 16mth job, under 10% calving difficulty, lower if possible. where would I find 250-350 day live weights?

Download the top link here. Its an MS Excel file with all the data. Have a look under Weanling weights and weanling prices. That should give you an idea.

http://www.icbf.com/?page_id=200

Beef AI/Bulls MEGATHREAD

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