DC Xcite (Kensal S279 )and DC Coconut (Zodiac)
The female is 50% of the genetic equation and responsible for 100% of the docile or flight environment from birth until weaning.
A recent study on this issue says that a flighty female does not make her offspring 'flightier' during this time. We watched one bought in female with a heifer calf eyeing one of our dogs walking past her at a distance. The cow lunged at, then chased the dog. This cow is very easy to manage. Her heifer now lunges at all dogs while other heifers around her just watch.
Our females are culled for flightiness. How do we determine flightiness? Certainly if the cow watches you and moves out of your way a short distance, it's not flightiness, but if she takes off regularly and runs for quite a distance and/or unsettles a mob as well and they take off following her, then that's flightiness.Also it could be simply that something has scared her or the mob on the day and you just happened to be there. We had a terrible episode in the yards one day and every beast was so hard to get along with and couldn't get them up the race, couldn't move any into yards etc etc. What should have taken an hour or so, took more than ½ a day. That morning the paragliders launched from nearby Mt Borah and were circling high overhead!!
If you aim for great returns ($$$) on your calves you must look at your female line as well. Not enough emphasis is placed on the females. If you put a good bull over crappy females, you'll have half crappy calves - females are 50% of the genetics.
We built our herd from a core of foundation females from Peter Reed's Top River stud which was agisted on our property. These females were in calf to Riverstone Quantum (Brisbane Reserve (Champion.) Quantum was very easy to handle. Then using Kensal S279 (Blackie), a scurred son of Western Park Polled Ganster out of Kensal Black Pearl N192, siring reds, blacks and apricots. Blackie has infused softness, milk, good udders and scrotal size into his progeny as well as strengthening docility. Our breeding plan has included AI sires such as DJ Gentleman in Black, ROM'N Justice, Ramses, Jockey, Sympa and Nenuphar.
And, of course, our senior sire, Froghollow Zodiac, a homozygous polled black son of Wulfs Guardian (Wulfs Rambler) out of a Chas First Choice daughter. Zodiac is throwing some handy calves. We have some amazing Sympa progeny view... on the ground - an impressive black scurred bull and three polled and scurred apricot heifers. Look at our 'Stud Sires' and see 'Come in Sympa'.
We endeavour to breed quality Limousin cattle for commercial cattlemen. Seeking traits that increase profitability from the females (not only the bulls) of muscle, milk, maternal, low birthweights/calving ease, docility and adequate fat cover.
