Cattlemen Magazine & Saler cattle

[ALLFARMER]

In the Dec issue of Cattlemen pg 64 the Salers Association of Canada has an add. In it you can clearly see a metal gate that has had a cow try to jump over it and bent it. Do Saler cattle like to climb fences? or just how wild are they? In any event not a good picture!

[Willowcreek]

Back about 20 years ago when Leachmans were promoting Salers, the neighbors ran Saler bulls for 2 years- and 2 years only...During breeding season we always spend time riding keeping bulls spread out and in the right pastures...I found those Salers in my pasture several times- but never had to get off the saddlehorse to open a gate- just get them close to the fence and they were over it...Definitely a lazy mans type of cattle....LOL

[cowman]

Probably around the mid eighties we AI'ed the heifers Salers for a couple of years. It worked very well they came out long and lean and ready to go!
We kept some of the daughters and they made excellent cows...good feet, good udders, no calving problems, lived forever, raised big calves! Were they "flighty"...you had better believe it! It was quite a rodeo when ever you got them in! Have you every heard about the cow that jumped over the moon...
In those days we halter broke every replacement heifer. The Salers took a long time! All the other heifers would be done and out...just the Salers tied up!
When they had their babies you gave them lots of room! They would eat you for breakfast if you messed with their baby.

[Rodjam]

The ones in my herd are the first to come up and get a good scratch. I keep every heifer I get from them and they all breed and and raise a good calf with no extra help from me. Never had any calving trouble with any of them and they have the best looking bags in the herd. Not to mention the best coats in the whole herd. I would like to get my hands on a few more actually. I suspect like any breed the breeders have worked on getting rid of some of those less desireable traits.

[PureCountry]

I think you hit it on the head Rodjam...the breeders have worked to improve their stock - at least the one that bred the critters you now own. The problem I see is that you'll put on a lotta miles and wear out a truck to find good groups of Salers in numbers. I've seen some good'uns, and that deep mahogany wooly hair makes for beautiful crossbred heifers when they're bred right. Too bad most of 'em are so damn high-strung.

[cowman]

Without a doubt they had a lot of good points. Don't think we ever helped one calve and they milked very well, and hey they weren't all completely snaky?
I think the breed got caught up a bit too much in the tall department? The first ones were pretty beefy but later they got a lot of leg under them? They were a good cross on straight herefords and those F1 females bred to a char produced some amazing calves? I actually had one steer calf, no creep, early February born, sold November 7th that weighted 960 lbs. after a 24 hr. stand! The Charlais association bought him and showed him at the PNE in Vancouver! I think he was the best calf I ever raised.

[Rodjam]

I bred them Red Charlois for a couple years (cowman stands and applauds ) and the last 3 years Gelbvieh, been real happy with the latest cross, especially the heifers. Solid dark red with lots of hair. I did have a leggy one from the Charlois cross (cowman sits down ) but nothing like that in the last few years.

[cowman]

I actually think pretty highly of Gelvieh! They are a pretty good breed. Tried some AI years ago and the biggest fault was they didn't have a lot of hair...and maybe milked too much?
I wonder how much Gelvieh influence is in the M4 Beefbooster line? The neighbor has a Beefbooster M4 herd and they sure look like Gelvieh to me...well maybe a little bigger?
My impression of Gelvieh was they were super quiet cattle although very stubborn when they wanted to be.

[PureCountry]

If I was gonna go back to a terminal herd sire system, it would only be Gelbvieh. The 2 years we used them were some of the fanciest steers and heifers I saw anywhere. It just put that little bit more bone and muscle into the British-based cows that they needed, and did it all with keeping them quiet and manageable.