Polled hereford bulls

[gopher]

Having used horned hereford bulls over the past twenty years or so, I now have a polled hereford breeder down the road from our place and he's trying to talk me into switching to polled bulls. It sounds like a good idea getting rid of those horns but my concern is the stories I've heard about polled vs horned aren't all that incouraging. Would anyone care to offer some advice.

[Smithy]

gopher; Do you raise your own replacement heifers? In our experience the horned herefords are better mammas. Better instincts and more milk.

The horned herefords have a nicer shaped head for easy calving, although the one year we used polled herefords we didn't have any problems.

We also use red angus bulls and the lack of horns are a real treat.

[TJM]

The stories are just that, stories. Not sure they weren't started by the horned guys to keep their customers loyal. We jump in and out of the horned gene pool to get different blood lines and some in breed hybrid vigour. Pick the right blood lines in either the horned or the polled, the advantages are there to be taken.

Maybe share some of the stories with us and see if we can't straighten them out for you.

[15444]

I am a polled hereford breeder and know all about the differences between the horned and polled herefords. The horned herefords do make better mothers and have more milk. That is know throughout the Hereford industry, although the polled guys won't admit to it!

The best kind of hereford though is not the horned or polled, it is the scurred. Scurred Herefords are genetically superior to both the horned and polled herefords as it has the capability to create 'hybrid vigour' in the hereford breed.

Gary Witherspoon, PhD, wrote such an article on the Genetic Superiority of Scurs over Horned and Polled Herefords. I began to implement the change to scurred animals by breeding my polled cows to horned bulls last year. The results so far look promising. Calves look bigger, stronger, and more energetic then pure horned and pure polled hereford animals.
I would recommend between a 25/75 - 50/50 mix of polled and horned herefords to get the most bang for your Hereford buck.

[Muttley]

There is probably good and bad blood lines in both the polled and horned. I think your big concern should be if your cows are horned you should be thinking about a polled bull or plan on dehorning.

There is I am sure some great milking lines and good growth bulls in the polled herds.

I have a bunch of polled Hereford semen in my tank I have been useing for a number of years on and off and have been very happy with the offspring both for growth,milk in daughters, and calving ease.

[gopher]

Thanks guys, I appreciated the info. Some of the concerns I had you've touched on such as smaller calves, poor milk, etc. My thinking is to genetically remove the horns to reduce stress on the animals and make it much easier at branding time. 15444 I was interested in your response because it wouldn't be hard to start that program with my herd because it is mostly commercial herfords and we use individual breeding pastures. You mentioned Witherspoon and if that info is on the net I would like to read it. I also hear what the other fellows are saying ---- if you want quality buy good quality bulls!!

[smcgrath76]

Try this address...
http://www.wnhbulls.com/welcome.html

The comments are interesting. I am curious to know how many of you use the NA Hereford EPDs when looking at potential sires and matings?

[Muttley]

I'm not a purebred Hereford breeder but do love the cross on my red and black cows.
I am though a purebred Angus breeder and see EPD'S getting more popular all the time with my customers. One point that I would like to make. With all the new things offered now days to enhance our knowledge of what offspring will do, do not forget the old fashion way of checking out the bull itself as well as sire and dam. I have often seen bulls and females with outstanding credentials on paper be duds. Also make sure you check out the accuracy of the EPD.