Beef Shorthorn x Maine Anjou ??????

Frenchy · #1 02/04/10, 02:20 PM

Anyone have any ideas how well a heifer of this breeding would be to raise foster calves from? would she milk enough for two calves???................how about a Shorthorn Beef type heifer would she milk enough for two calves?

I know a lot would depend on the heifers type an bloodlines themselves but what I am wondering is just from the breeds shown how well of milkers should they be??

friend of mine has them for sale both was raised as show heifers now that her girl is out of school an no longer showing they are not being used so they want to sell they are asking $650 each for them ...........

tinknal · #2 02/04/10, 02:26 PM

It could be done, but you would be better off with a dairy cross. If you do buy them breed to a dairy bull (I would recommend Brown Swiss or Dutch Belted) so subsequent generations would have better milk production.

francismilker · #3 02/04/10, 03:27 PM

frenchy,
My first impression when I started reading your message was, "well, maybe it could be done." Then, when I read the part about them being former show heifers I decided, "no way". Show heifers are generally feed pretty heavy to fill them out well for the ring. By doing this, they usually end up with a lot of fat deposits around their mammory sytem and for the most part I've never seen any first calf ex beef show heifers be worth a hoot at making much milk. Just my opinion.

BTW, I'm fond of that cross. I've had a few in the past and they seem to add a lot of valued carcass to their calves and tend to grow some good hair for the show ring.