Cattle cross question

Kettle Creek Cattle

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I'm a long way away from this yet but I'm looking for some of that long time knowledge and experience.

I'm currently raising a holstein/angus heifer bottle calf. I was thinking about growing her out and breeding her with my purebred Hereford bull. Would the resulting calves make good beef animals, or should I just raise up the cross calf and send her to freezer camp? Would the calves be worth it in your knowledgeable minds? Thanks!
 

farmerjan

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The resulting calf will be 3/4 beef. Yes if a heifer, will make a decent beef animal for future breeding. You will get additional milk from the dairy back in the dam's side. Some herefords have not great udders, something they have been breeding to improve in the breed overall. Part will be how the current heifer develops, and her udder when she calves. Some of the crosses don't make that much milk, some milk more like a dairy cow. Most of the angus/dairy crosses that I have raised will make fair beef cows; often I will put a 2nd calf on them if they have a good sized udder as a heifer. Many are milked for the house and the rest shared with their calf.
The next generation; the 3/4 beef will usually be a pretty good beef animal. Again, it will depend if the animal looks like it takes more after the dairy side or the beef side. The ones that look more dairy, will be a little more of hard keepers.... meaning they will be more likely to need a little more feed as dairy animals in general need more and higher quality feed to keep their weight on.
I have several that are now 3/4 angus - 1/4 jersey or holstein/jersey. They run with the beef cows. The 1/2 angus - 1/2 dairy animals I will put an extra calf or 2 on, and feed extra so they milk more to raise the calves without losing condition. It all depends on how the original crossbred comes into milk in the beginning as to what the subsequent heifer calf will do. Most that are 3/4 beef will raise on calf well.
 
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