The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Cattle => Topic started by: JedM on June 03, 2016, 03:16:24 pm
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I think some of the members on here keep highland cattle, and I was just looking for some advice on breeding.
I have 3 highland heifers I bought before the winter, they are now 2 and a 1/2 years old and I think they are ready to go to the bull. I don't know of anyone in the area who keeps a Highland bull, but I would prefer to cross them with another breed to improve the beef quality.
I was wondering if most breeds would be ok to cross my highlands with - just worried about having big carves at birth?
A friend of mine has a South Devon bull, which would be the easiest bull for me to borrow. I'd be glad of your opinions.
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Should be ok, have had limousin x calves no problem out of high heifers with no nuts /hay / silage and on very rough grass . Just need to watch how fat the heifers get as this can alter calf size at birth .
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Not sure I'd be convinced about keeping their weight down sufficiently on a Suffolk sward - quite a different proposition from rough pasture in Argyll!
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Thank you.
I don't have any fields with rough grass, but I'll watch their weight. That's interesting you don't need to feed cake or hay.
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Don't feed any thing extra as they have lots of rough ground to roam and the winters are very wet but not cold , calving late spring . Neighbour gives silage over winter as less ground to graze . on good grass they can put condition on very quickly
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My brother (a "proper farmer") runs his wife's 2 pedigree highland cattle with his commercial bulls, either Charolais or Limousine. He has never had any problems with calving, they always manage themselves. Lovely calves they have had too.
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Thanks, it's given me more confidence that everything will be fine!
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I personally wouldn't put a Charolais bull over hiefers although i have some lovely charly cros highland stirks so the cross does work ok.
An Aberdeen Angus would prob be my first choice but what ever breed you choose remember the risks of borrowing bulls. You can get more than you bargained for BVD ect ect
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Have you considered AI?
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Have you considered AI?
Yes, but I can never tell when they are in heat!
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I believe the traditional cross is with Galloway....
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I keep highlands and put them to my hereford bull which produces very marketable offspring.
If your friend will lend you a south devon bull that would be equally suitable, as would any good meat producing breed.
The best way to prevent calving difficulties with heifers is to not overfeed them, particularly in the last few months of pregnancy. So now would be a good time to mate them as they would then calve down in March or April.
Highlands have a very efficient digestive system so do not need anything other than hay over winter. If they have still not calved by May/June then do not let them fill up on quality spring grass or you may end up with a large first calf. (ad lib spring grass is about the most readily available fattening feed you can get.) So either keep them on hay till they calve or put them on limited grazing + hay.
A commercial farmer near us who keeps 100 or so highlands buys young continental bulls in the stores market each year, uses them on his cows for a year, then fattens the bulls and sells them for meat before they are 30 months old.
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Have you considered AI?
Yes, but I can never tell when they are in heat!
Neither can we - that's why we use a fixed time AI hormone protocol. Safer and less expensive than a bull.
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You can get patches to stick on their rumps, which show when they've been mounted. However, you have to watch and see who's standing for who in order to know which one is bulling. If they don't mount each other, it takes knowing them very well and being able to pick up more subtle signs.
Hillie lets the world know, no problem telling with her, and she also mounts others who are bulling, which is a big help! Plenty is less vocal, and doesn't always mount other cows - but as I am usually milking her when she starts to cycle, I am usually alerted by her behaviour in the parlour.
Another tactic is to watch for the blood coming away a day or two after they've been bulling. Then watch them closely 19 days later for the next one ;)
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Have you considered AI?
Yes, but I can never tell when they are in heat!
Neither can we - that's why we use a fixed time AI hormone protocol. Safer and less expensive than a bull.
Each to his own!
But buy a young bull, who will know exactly when they're on heat, grow him on and sell him at a profit, and it actually costs you nothing to get your cows mated. No gathering up for injections or AI, just leave them in a field together and let nature do the rest. :thumbsup:
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Thanks for the advice LRR.
It makes sense to do it naturally, as the bull I will use is free, and produces lovely calves, and he'll know when they are in heat!!