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Crossbreeding

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DOC HARRIS said:
katrina- I empathize with your feelings about being "bored" with the "purebred guys singing on their bloodlines" :roll: - HOWEVER - if you care to "dabble in genetics", particularly envolving a quality crossbreeding program, :shock: PUREBRED genetics is the benchmark and foundation cornerstone for a successful program which will CONTINUE with reliable, dependable and profitable heterosis, or hybrid vigor traits. Using Purebred Foundation Seedstock on BOTH sides of the ORIGINAL breeding pair is the KEY to "dabbling in genetics" by using EPD's and optimal phenotype as the "tumblers" of the lock. The old breeder's adage of "Like Begets Like" is never more true than in a crossbreeding program. For a proper crossbreeding program to be successful both genetically and financially, a genetic balance must be provided at every level. Concentrated purebred seedstock can provide that balance. By using SELECTED Purebred Sires on selected crossbred cows along with careful planning, one can minimize problems down the line such as too much growth, difficult calving and unwanted extremes.

Dabble in genetics and crossbreeding, certainly, - however, validate your breeding decisions with FACTS prior to making a time-consuming and expensive mistake. :eek: LIKE BEGETS LIKE - both good AND bad! :mad:

DOC HARRIS
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Doc, some on these boards are labeled guru's 'cause of the number of posts they made. You just seem to set the standard for the term with each new post. :nod: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :nod:
 
Northern Rancher: I like your choice of 8020 for problem free genetics. My dad has used four sons of him and they will work. Last I heard of him he was 10 years old and still breeding cows.


Interesting story on him. When he was a baby calf Bob Schafer knew he had something special and he went on to be the lead bull in the carload for Oxleys. A local breeder close to here bought him on order but returned him because he was only a 6.5 frame bull as a yearling and he wanted a 7 frame bull.
 
Wb where do you hail from-I've got most or all of the 8020 semen in Canada-I also have a share in a CJH L1 Domino 552 son out of a real good 8020 daughter-he looks like he might be a good one.
 
NR: I call North Central S.D. home. With all your cussing EXT's I didn't realize your interest in Herefords.

I used to mostly cuss Herefords but after having experienced the lack of repespect for human life that some of our higher percentage Angus have I have come to appreciate them a lot more.
 
Murray Fraser at Hussar,Alta-I actually own that bull with him. Very good cattle people and without a doubt the best Horned Herefords I've ever seen. Their sale is in mid march you should head up for it-how far are you from Arnold Bros. at McIntosh. I've been at their place and at Bieber's too a few years back-I guess I was at K?B herefords too but wasn't real impreseed to be honest.
 
I am just north of K+B Herefords. I am not a big fan of their program especially as of late they have followed the Cooper and Holden programs a little too close for me.

I am currently using Polled Hereford bulls on my higher percentage Angus females.

The link to the 8020 story: http://www.open-country.com/oxhmark.html
 
Northern Rancher said:
The Angus line goes back to Nichols genetics and the other one is Angus with a little shot of Simm.
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NR- Is that the Nichols Farms of the midwest (Iowa)?
 
Dave Nichols was about the only Angus breeder I ever talked too that had a clue about poor feet in the breed. Most just say that is some 'other' breeders cattle. Nichols cattle have worked very well for us over the years-don't milk too much-have some guts-decent uddered and good footed. They tend to be less pretty than Montana Angus but pretty is as pretty does.
 
NR- Just curious since I just got his newsletter in the mail tonight- been getting it for sometime... Contacted them several years ago when I was looking for some simX bulls...
 
NR.......better watch it........you buy all the semen up on certain bulls and they're gonna say you have a monopoly ....... and that shouldn't be allowed :!: :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
NR: I want the same thing you do. Cattle that have some guts, don't milk too much but can still raise a good calf, tame enough that you don't risk your life handling them and when its all said and done gain good in the feedlot and hang a desirable carcass.

I like Your choice of Hereford pedigrees. I havn't seen any 552 progeny but Duane Spencer in Neb. owns him and he is known to be no nonsense cattleman. His sire CL 501 was still breeding cows at age 10 and CL 386 was known to sire easy keeping progeny. I did not realize that anyone in Canada was using these genetics but then again I don't get out much.

A lot of the Registered breeders in this area that were long time horned breeders are switching to polled as most commercial cattlemen that have been using Angus don't want to dehorn anymore. There are some good polled bulls out there.

I prefer the time tested genetics wether they are popular or not as there are a lot of good cattle in all breeds that don't see the light of day because they don't have the hot pedigrees or might just be in the hands of a small breeder that doesn't promote much.
 
I pleaded with my A.I. company for years to get a rancher type bull like 552-not some big BW showring Simmental clone-anybody remember TexPrime Time yikes-Bruce Gordon found us 552 and he sold really well-of course the good ones die young as did he-I scooped up what semen was left up here and got it in Murray Fraser's tank-he's got the big bunch of 8020 daughters to use it on. He's got two 552's that he's using out of 8020's-give yourself a holiday and head up to sunny southern Alberta in March-it's a low key sale-just in a salebarn with a feeder calf auctioneer-no ringworms in suits. Send me your address I'll get you a catalogue-they've got a great set of Angus cows too.
 
NR - How is your 552 bull looking? Are you selling any semen on him? I'd be interested in any info you have on him.
 
Tex Primetime: Those days I don't miss at all. It wasn't the direct calving ease that bothered me so much but the maternal calving ease on his grandaughters was the pits. It made for hard calving first calf heifers when you mated them to Angus.

Would love to go to a sale in Alberta but it is a little far out of the way for me. I do appreciate the invite though. I better send Oldtimer thats more his territory but thats right he is a r-calfer they might nab him at the border.

BTW nice pictures of the steers. Looks like someone did a good job of finishing them.
 
Northern Rancher said:
I bought up all the Nichols Performa semen there was up here-I'd like to visit Dave's some day-he's a pretty sharp guy.
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Apparently Perorma works for you--but definitely not shown in the EPD's :???: ...Looks really high on milk for as low in WW and YRL...

BW WW MILK YRL SCR
+1.5 +17 +27 +58 -.06
 

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