New Highlands

[Rob30]

I just bought a new fold of highlands. Did not plan on buying this breed, but the deal was too goood to pass up. We now have ten cows with calves and 4 bred hiefers.
Any ideas on the best bull to breed to. I want a polled bull. We are thinking polled hereford or shorthorn. We have found angus a little too highstrung for us. We have used a Welsh Black on highlands before. They produce a very nice calf but they are rare. We have a yearling bull that is 1/2 hereford 1/2 angus/charollais. He is nicely muscled and his temperment is good. He looks like a red angus. We also have a red poll bull but he is a small framed animal as well. I am afraid the calves will take forever to finish.
We will be selling all of the beef off our farm. We already have a well established meat business. However we have been buying most of our stackers to finish.
Also any ideas for a feeder? I have thought about just cutting out every second bar in our bale feeders. That would allow for the horns.

[G. Seddon]

If your Highlands are registered, I'd recommend a Highland bull.

[Ross]

I have some Dexters I could sell ya! Nice young bull in that bunch.

[laughingllama75]

If your not going to go reg. Highland bull and want more of of a beef type......I would go with hereford. We used a hereford bull on our highlands and we got the best of both worlds. polled, shaggy and great temperments. most had white face/heads and they all beefed out well. Hope this helps!

[SteveO]

You might look at the lowline. Polled about the same size and docle. You could even go with a percentage one and get the same traits.
Steve

[cedarcreekranch]

I'd try the Lowline, too. Good beef, nice size and good temperament.

[lonelyfarmgirl]

This is what we do. Cross breed highlands and raise them for our meat store.
We use a pinzgauer bull, but they are not polled. The cross-bred babies are awesome. Shaggy, hardy, grow a bit faster, nice hybrid vigor. Sounds like you already have a nice cross bred bull, so whats the question?
Highlands on grass take 3 years to finish, so keep in mind, that your finishing time might be a little longer no matter what. Some of our cross babies finish sooner, some don't. It depends on whose genetics they got.

For our round bale feeders. We leave them as is. Occasionally, someone gets their head stuck. It's usually when the horns are JUST the right size. Mostly they don't. I think it's happened to 4 animals in the last 3 1/2 years, but always in the rain at 20 degrees outside. If you are really worried, just cut out every other bar. One time, we had to cut out the bar to get one out that was stuck. It was not fun. Do it before it happens.