# Breeding question



## Farmer Kitty (Apr 6, 2009)

DH is considering keeping Mary's calf to raise as a bull. The question involves his great grandsire. He is a bull we had with the heifers and he threw a lot of heifer calves. 

Do you think he is far enough back to be okay? Or should we sell the calf?

Saw X *Buddy*=
Angel x 97H1600 Pericule-Red=
Mary x 1H8490 Amazing-Red=
Bull calf in question.

I know it would be inline breeding, which can be done if you know what your doing. So what do you guys think?


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## wynedot55 (Apr 6, 2009)

kitty you asked a great question.an i understand why your wanting an answer to it.your DH has a good idea to keep an raise him as a heifer bull.i would do it in a heartbeat.an heres why.you just breed say 10 or 15 heifers a year to him.so that would result in say 8 heifers at the most.an you AI  your cows.wich means you have 17 heifers a yr more or less.


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## Farmer Kitty (Apr 6, 2009)

You lost me in your explaination. 

The number he breeds will depend on how far behind we are in getting the heifers bred and if there are any cows to clean up. We would keep him until he is roughly 2 and then sell him. The neighbor would probably want him and when we were done with Buddy that is where he was sold to. He wanted the last bull we had too but, that bull bred one to many cows and had a heart attack.


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## wynedot55 (Apr 6, 2009)

i said yes id raise an use him in a heartbeat.


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## English (Apr 6, 2009)

I'm not a cattle breeder but I do breed dogs and I think you will be fine with him as a bull.  Again I'm not sure if cows and dogs equate when it comes to line breeing or not.  

Mike


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## Farmer Kitty (Apr 6, 2009)

wynedot55 said:
			
		

> i said yes id raise an use him in a heartbeat.


That part I got. It was why that lost me but, that's okay. It might even make sense in the morning after some sleep.


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## Imissmygirls (Apr 6, 2009)

Kitty, look at the registered pedigrees and see how close some of the breeding is!  You can almost go back to a handful of bulls! I think you are just fine with it.


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## Farmer Kitty (Apr 6, 2009)

Imissmygirls said:
			
		

> Kitty, look at the registered pedigrees and see how close some of the breeding is!  You can almost go back to a handful of bulls!


How true.


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## Imissmygirls (Apr 6, 2009)

More important question: How's Mary look , does she milk, and do you want a batch of her offspring ( or close to it)?


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## Farmer Kitty (Apr 7, 2009)

Imissmygirls said:
			
		

> More important question: How's Mary look , does she milk, and do you want a batch of her offspring ( or close to it)?


Already been considered and if the answers weren't postitive the pedigree wouldn't matter.


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## jhm47 (Apr 7, 2009)

You'll be just fine, provided that the original bull had no serious genetic defects.  Go for it!


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## Farmer Kitty (Apr 7, 2009)

Thank you.

Buddy was a terrific bull and his daughters were/are great!


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## Imissmygirls (Apr 7, 2009)

I think you have your future cleanup bull


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## Farmer Kitty (Apr 7, 2009)

Yep, unless DH decides to change his mind.


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## Imissmygirls (Apr 7, 2009)

And he's red too. 
And I remember the dark ages when red Holsteins were outlawed. 
Funny how they never disappeared.


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## Farmer Kitty (Apr 7, 2009)

Did you know that the original color for holsteins was red? 

Most of our herd has the red factor in it. Probably part of my problem getting the blues. :rolleyes


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## Kute Kitten (Apr 8, 2009)

No, I didn't. I thought it was black.


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## Thewife (Apr 8, 2009)

Farmer Kitty said:
			
		

> Did you know that the original color for holsteins was red?


Hmmm, I didn't know that!


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## Farmer Kitty (Apr 8, 2009)

thewife said:
			
		

> Farmer Kitty said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yep, but then as today black was preferred so they bred them to produce the black color we see so much of today.


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## Imissmygirls (Apr 8, 2009)

I've heard of old farmers who only wanted herds of black Holsteins cow with white feet and tails and white stars on the heads.
it was all probably politics.  Always is in registered circles


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## wynedot55 (Apr 9, 2009)

i got a buddy thats close to 90.an he lived in CA for years.an he knew some of the wolds best reg holstein herds an their owners there.an he said there was 1 dairymen that would brings calves to the sale before daylight if they was read.because he didnt want no 1 knowing he was bringing red calves to the sale.


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