Nice day for a January cattle drive

[Soapweed]

Hereford bulls on Angus cows makes a good combination. I just don't think it would be a good idea to breed first-calf black heifers to a Hereford. Any Herefords I've been around have fairly good-sized birthweights, besides the fact that the hybrid vigor would also add a few pounds to the calf. The red-hided calves don't bother me, as quite a few of our cows are red. Our red cows (Red Angus x Gelbvieh) are bred to red Simmental.

[Nicky]

First calf heifer with 60 lb calf out of one of our home raised (yes hereford) bulls. Will be calving out 45 heifers all bred hereford this year. I know that's not many compared to lots of you but it's the most heifers we've kept. Have had 6 of them calve so far, heaviest calf was 70 lbs.

[pknoeber]

Nicky, that's a good picture and a beautiful setup. Makes me jealous for that kind of scenery. We get to drive 7 hrs. before we get any scenery like that.
Phil

[Soapweed]

Nice looking cow and calf, Nicky. With 60-70 pound birthweights, your first-calf heifer calving should go pretty easy. Hope the weather cooperates for you.

[Nicky]

Thanks, right now it's raining and quite muddy Like everyone we have a love/hate relationship with moisture. Don't dare complain about it, but don't like calving in the mud. Just think of the grass

[Faster horses]

The only time we have ever had to have C-sections, was when we were running Herefords and we bred all the heifers to Black Angus bulls.

At that time, birthweight EPD's were not known. We felt that, along with hybird vigor is what got us into some calving problems.

Since then we have always straightbred the heifers and gotten along fine.

[WB]

Soapweed: If it a calving ease issue I think you can get around that by selecting a well proven calving ease bull but that might involve using EPDs. LOL.

I will calve about a dozen angus females bred to a Hereford bull this Spring and don't anticipate any problems and wil let you know how it goes.
My dad has some of his heifers bred Hereford that I get to clave out and will be interesting how they will compare to the females that are bred Angus.

I am not that old but feel that the best place for the calf puller is on the wall in the calving barn collecting rust.

[WB]

Nicky: What are the bloodlines of the bulls you used on your heifers?

[Soapweed]

[Prairiebluestem]

I loved those pictures of the Sandhills and the cattle. They sure bring back some memories. To tell the truth, it makes me homesick!