Bull Advice - Best bull for AI

Rebecca · Post by **Rebecca** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 1:53 am

Hi

I am in Australia but looking at a using AI from a UK bull on a couple of new heifers we have purchased. It is a bit hard to find out info on details like calf size, potential for calving difficulties etc. Soo.. wondering if it would be OK to ask opinions on the bulls from people here. And I realise this will only be personal opinions.

The bulls we are considering using are Brambledel Redberry Prince, Cobthorn Danny Boy, Knotting Leo 3rd. Costs are the same for each animal so that is not an issue. But as they are quite pricey would like to make sure we have the least difficulties possible. Colour is not really an issue, one of our heifer is red, the other black but carrying red & dun (sire was red, dam is dun). Both small correctly put together animals, fairly deep bodied. These are the beginning of our show line as we have previously bred for beef but have children who want to show. So looking for dual purpose bulls.

Other English bulls we could use are possibly Moomin Posh & Woodmagic Hedgehog 3rd (though not sure on how easy it is to get semen from these 2)

Any opinions on the various bulls would be nice. :;):

wagra dexters · Post by **wagra dexters** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 3:51 am

Rebecca, perhaps you could ask your promotions group chairperson, or check the DCAI website for members who have used the various bulls. Start by typing the name of the bull in to animal search, and just keep going until you find who has used them.

Louisa Gidney · Post by **Louisa Gidney** » Sat Mar 17, 2007 2:17 pm

I have Knotting Leo, who is an older full brother to Knotting Leo 3rd. I have my first 5 calves by him. 3 nonshort out of non short cows & 2 short out of short cows. One nonshort & one short heifer, both of whom I am very pleased with at this stage. 4 calvings no problem. 5th, shortleg bull from a first time calving heifer, had to be helped out as one foot was a bit too forward & the other a bit too far back. Managed this without need for calving ropes, vet etc & both now doing fine. Leo is a bit taller than I would really like but I am trying to maintain udder type & Knotting was a dairy herd.

moomin · Post by **moomin** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 11:24 am

Posh is available from Grant Chalk, think it is progenetics. I have had very easy calvings with him here. He is a DCS elite bull stage 2 and his dam is the only DCS elite cow, [elite status for her progeny]. His sire Sarum Bullrush had a register of merit for his daughters milk production so he is a truly dual purpose bull. He has sired show winners and a number of champions over here.
Good Luck whoever you choose!

PeterO · Post by **PeterO** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 10:38 pm

Hi Rebecca

Interesting post as I am in the same position as you, but in NZ. Brambledel Redberry Prince and Hedgehog III are available in NZ but not Danny Boy or Moomin who I would like to use. Unfortunately importing from Progenetics (Grant Chalk) in Australia seems as costly as direct from the UK.

Come on the UK breeders how about exporting some semen to NZ eg Ambreed and get your bloodlines up and running here.

Peter

Inger · Post by **Inger** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 11:20 am

Yes please. :D We'd love to have more variety available. Its a lot less costly to get A.I done than try and import embryos in a surrogate cow. People did import Dexters from Australia a number of years ago (that's how Aussie got to NZ), but the average price that people are prepared to pay for Dexters now, means that importers can't cover their costs anymore.

wagra dexters · Post by **wagra dexters** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 12:58 pm

We may seem to have a good range in Australia, but it depends what a person is looking for. It is very hard to find anything that is not heavily laced with either Experimental, Upgrading, or Parndon C.P., and often all three.

Jo Kemp · Post by **Jo Kemp** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 1:15 pm

My bull also comes from a milky line Harron Sunbeam
He is qualified to export to Australia BUT folks there is a halt there just now due to Blue Tongue being found in Holland. The Australians are treating the EU as one place therefore we are included in the ban. UK Sires etc are in negotiation at the moment and one consignment sat at the terminal - unable to go (were the straws lost? Don't know)
I believe, when the panic is over, the OZ vets will allow semen from UK again, especially if it was gathered before any possibility of Blue Tongue ... the fear is that their action will snowball to other countries in the panic stage .. what joy
Jo

Jo Kemp · Post by **Jo Kemp** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 1:19 pm

So far, the exports of my fellow have been instigated by breeders in the receiving country making up a flask/cannister - one consignment was ordered by a small private export firm and they paid all costs.... this was handy but payment was very slow!
Jo

Rebecca · Post by **Rebecca** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 1:38 pm

Hi All

Thanks for the replies. We have some great bulls here in Oz but it never hurts to increase the gene pool, and although the breed has made huge improvements here new blood has got to be a good thing, and as Margaret says there are issues with experimental & upgraded genetics - though I am a bit dense here because I am not sure what Roly Poly is - fairly new to Dexters (not cattle just the Dexter Breed).

Didn't know that there was an issue with importing from the EU at the moment but can't say I am suprised. Our quarantine regulations are very rigourous, but I actually think that is a good thing, it is much better to be safe than sorry when it comes to infectious diseases. I read about all the difficulties you in the UK have with foot & mouth, Tb etc. and am very greatful for quarantine. Mind you when there are no issues it is great to be able to source genetical material from elsewhere, particularly if you can get the right information about the animals involved. Sometimes it is just a guess as if you can't see the bull in the flesh photos can hide both bad & good points. Our Australian Bred bulls now have to be classified before going on our Accredited list , this way you can have an idea of good & bad conformation for each bull. Of course it doesn't necessarily mean that the goods point will be inherited!! :p

Thanks again
Rebecca

wagra dexters · Post by **wagra dexters** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 4:19 am

Sorry Rebecca, I changed that to his son before I read your reply. It is a line through the Dexter pedigrees that I try to keep to a minimum where I can. Most stock in Australia will have a good bit of it, from both UK and USA imports.

It's no big deal, just that there are lines we like to avoid, and others we like to pursue. It makes no difference, if the bulls a breeder chooses have otherwise short pedigrees anyway.

Articles have been written about various herds, which make interesting reading, and offer a good grounding in the history of your chosen breed. Your promotion group may have a copy of the first Congress book. Science has outdated it in places, but generally a very good read.

Rebecca · Post by **Rebecca** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 2:18 am

Ohhhh.... All makes sense now!! I seem to remember reading somewhere about him - can't remember what now! Will have to have a look and see what I can find - and extend the pedigrees further back on our animals - will need some big sheets of paper!

Quick question, the UK herdbook is it available online to non-members? Would be interesting to trace the bloodlines of some of the AI bulls.

Thanks for the replies - now to dwell into bloodlines some more - Yippee!! I love it. :laugh:

Inger · Post by **Inger** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 6:04 am

Is it on-line now?