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Horns or polled

B

Bar M

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 29, 2012
Messages
156
Location
South Central North Dakota
As this is the time of year that we are looking at EPD's and trying to make decisions on this years herd bulls. I have noticed that there are still cattle out there with horns (continental breeds). I was wondering how big of a deal it is for those of us that cross to use a bull that is horned rather then a polled bull? Or are good bulls just good bulls polledor other wise?
 
Most breeds naturally have horns. IMO, polled cattle within a breed have had one charachteristic concentrated on. Again IMO, this has led to downfall of other traits that are desired in cattle.

Not saying there aren't good polled cattle because there are. I just wouldn't advise turning back a good bull because you may have some horns to burn off the progeny. :wink:
 
When I was younger I didn't mind a little extra work but now everything I do centers around saving time and labor so if I ever crossbreed again it's polled for sure. Just push the "easy button".
 
There are good polled genetics out there and if I see another horn to be removed it is one too many. Maybe horned gene's are necessary to survive gcreeks country but where I live our polled herd will stand up to critical inspection. :wink:
 
Big Swede said:
When I was younger I didn't mind a little extra work but now everything I do centers around saving time and labor so if I ever crossbreed again it's polled for sure. Just push the "easy button".
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:agree: I hope I never have to see pastes, dehorners, or burning off buttons again...I see someone stole my big set of dehorners I left hanging on the old shop wall...No real matter as I never planned to use them ever again- neighbors borrowed them more than I used them--- but I see new they are about $500-600...
 
gcreekrch said:
Most breeds naturally have horns. IMO, polled cattle within a breed have had one charachteristic concentrated on. Again IMO, this has led to downfall of other traits that are desired in cattle.

Not saying there aren't good polled cattle because there are. I just wouldn't advise turning back a good bull because you may have some horns to burn off the progeny. :wink:
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Couldn't agree more.

Polled is a nice option but there are far more important things to look for. Just because it's polled does not mean it will be less work or a better return on investment.
 
gcreekrch said:
Most breeds naturally have horns. IMO, polled cattle within a breed have had one charachteristic concentrated on. Again IMO, this has led to downfall of other traits that are desired in cattle.

Not saying there aren't good polled cattle because there are. I just wouldn't advise turning back a good bull because you may have some horns to burn off the progeny. :wink:
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We actually have two cows in the herd that are polled. LOL - one because my wife demanded we keep that POS - and I bowed down to "she who must be obeyed".

The other belongs to a kid who does some work for us now and then - the calves have supplemented his college education and in truth adding one to the bunch did not do a darned thing to hurt us - and it helps him.

As we run Horned Herfs I would have to say I agree with you. We never cut the horns off the cows we keep.

Horns - not the evil so many make them out to be.

Best to all

BC
 
As one who raises pb. simmental,The switch to polled genetics was a easy one that ha proven to be a bonus.finding a homozygous polled bull(one whose calves will be all polled )can be a challenge.I have found that most of my customers are willing to take the risk and deal with the horns at branding time with a hot iron,I can also supply those.for a price.IT all boils down to " A good bull is a good bull regardless if he has horns or not".horns are just a nuiscance and need to be dealt with at a yong age.
 
Most breeds naturally have horns. IMO, polled cattle within a breed have had one charachteristic concentrated on. Again IMO, this has led to downfall of other traits that are desired in cattle. (quote)

In my humble opinion this argument is 80 plus years outdated. Yes at one time the polled trait was a basis for selection. just as color or size may have been. But if you look at the Hereford breeed for example who are your trait leaders?

Also why other than person preference do you want horns for? I am in Minnesota and no other stae has as many wolves as we do and I see no rush back to horns. If I am in error let me know but just my opinions. Farmguy
 
farmguy said:
Most breeds naturally have horns. IMO, polled cattle within a breed have had one charachteristic concentrated on. Again IMO, this has led to downfall of other traits that are desired in cattle. (quote)

In my humble opinion this argument is 80 plus years outdated. Yes at one time the polled trait was a basis for selection. just as color or size may have been. But if you look at the Hereford breeed for example who are your trait leaders?

Also why other than person preference do you want horns for? I am in Minnesota and no other stae has as many wolves as we do and I see no rush back to horns. If I am in error let me know but just my opinions. Farmguy
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Well - speaking for myself - if you were to see what gcreek and I looked like you would have to say we are still in that era

BC
 
Broke Cowboy said:
farmguy said:
Most breeds naturally have horns. IMO, polled cattle within a breed have had one charachteristic concentrated on. Again IMO, this has led to downfall of other traits that are desired in cattle. (quote)

In my humble opinion this argument is 80 plus years outdated. Yes at one time the polled trait was a basis for selection. just as color or size may have been. But if you look at the Hereford breeed for example who are your trait leaders?

Also why other than person preference do you want horns for? I am in Minnesota and no other stae has as many wolves as we do and I see no rush back to horns. If I am in error let me know but just my opinions. Farmguy
Click to expand...

Well - speaking for myself - if you were to see what gcreek and I looked like you would have to say we are still in that era

BC
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Bite tongue here . . .
 
gcreekrch said:
Most breeds naturally have horns. IMO, polled cattle within a breed have had one charachteristic concentrated on. Again IMO, this has led to downfall of other traits that are desired in cattle.
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So that must mean that red angus aren't as good as black angus since they were chosen for single trait of the recessive red gene the breed carries :???: :wink: :P

And as far as with angus cattle there has been so much genetic trait selection and changes since the time back in antiquity when they may have had horns that I don't think the hornless issue plays much into the total picture with them...
 
Broke Cowboy said:
farmguy said:
Most breeds naturally have horns. IMO, polled cattle within a breed have had one charachteristic concentrated on. Again IMO, this has led to downfall of other traits that are desired in cattle. (quote)

In my humble opinion this argument is 80 plus years outdated. Yes at one time the polled trait was a basis for selection. just as color or size may have been. But if you look at the Hereford breeed for example who are your trait leaders?

Also why other than person preference do you want horns for? I am in Minnesota and no other stae has as many wolves as we do and I see no rush back to horns. If I am in error let me know but just my opinions. Farmguy
Click to expand...

Well - speaking for myself - if you were to see what gcreek and I looked like you would have to say we are still in that era

BC
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You can speak for both of us B C. :D

I won't get into the discussion of Polled Herefords again Farmguy, it seems I ruffle a few too many feathers. :wink:

Having marketed a lot of bulls for the breeder I buy mine from it has become apparent that the only reason potential buyers can come up with for the opposition of Horned Herefords is that they don't like to dehorn. I've never heard one comment on growth, maternal, disposition or any other trait other than the abcense of horns.

OT, I believe that the Red Angus cattle were inferior to blacks due to the tight gene pool at the beginning of their popularity. Crossing back to the odd black doesn't do them any harm, the same as using a horned bull on some polled Hereford cows.
 
We run polled cattle and buy polled bulls, but we have run horned cattle and I see a lot of good ones. I think if you are going to have horned cattle it is better to have them all or most of them horned. If you are running polled cattle, that one horned calf is a real pain in the butt as you need to make sure you catch it in the chute and pull out all your equipment to dehorn, etc. If they are all horned, it is just part of the deal, but the odd one or two in a polled herd is a make work project.
 
I am not belittling Horned Herefords but whenever this subject comes up some will always run down Polled herefords. If you prefer the Horned variety that's fine but it doesn't help your cattle to make negative comments about others. Like it or not the vast majority of Hereford breeders prefer the polled trait. I am looking at my Genex catalog, twelve Herefords, Eleven Polled. I assume that cattlemen prefer no horns as dehorning is a routine task. Thank You Farmguy
 
Grandpa used to say when they bred the horns off them they bred the brains away! :D :D I like horned herefords myself over the polled i have looked at, but that's just me. To each his own i reckon. :D
 
leanin' H said:
Grandpa used to say when they bred the horns off them they bred the brains away! :D :D I like horned herefords myself over the polled i have looked at, but that's just me. To each his own i reckon. :D
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I heard that but the saying was No horns no A$$
 

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