Reasons to consider Irish Blacks and
Reds
Both Guy Gould and Maurice Boney believe
there are six fundamental reasons for
commercial producers to use Irish Blacks
and Irish Reds:
First, genetic purity.
The breed has four decades of
disciplined line-breeding behind it. It
has had no other breed’s blood
introduced into its small gene pool,
which has been the case in many “pure”
breeds in the United States.
“It’s most important to understand that
a percentage bull cannot, and will not,
reproduce himself,” says Boney. “Simple
arithmetic bears this out: calves sired
by a halfblood bull only possess 25% of
the blood that one is trying to make
improvements with. Then consider one's
chances when using a percentage bull
whose gene pool is made up of several
different breeds. The result of such
matings will produce a broader more
diverse gene pool with hundreds of
different gene trait combinations.”
Adds Boney: “The big bonus for the
commercial producer in using our
purebred bulls is the resulting heifer
calves. These F1 heifers should be
retained and then bred back to our
purebred bulls. The 75% Irish Black
feeder calves have been achieving 90%
Choice or better quality grades, 1,300
to 1,400 pound finished weights, and
dressing at 65% to 69%. Their feed
conversion is 5.1 pounds of grain per
pound of gain. The halfbloods have been
making 80% to 90% Choice, with feed
conversions of 5.3 pounds of feed per
pound of gain. It is a proven fact that
the higher the percentage of Irish Black
blood the higher the performance and
carcass cut-out values will be.”
Second, concentration of desirable
genes.
Unlike other breeds that have
concentrated on expanding their genetic
makeup, the Irish Black and Red breed is
built on concentrating levels of
“homozygosity” of genetic traits rather
than the “heterozygosity” of genetic
traits. By doing so, the ability of the
Irish Blacks and Reds to transmit
desirable genetic traits to their
offspring is much greater than bulls of
other breeds.
Third, fertility.
“Our first experience with the cattle –
when we used just two bulls to breed 140
cows – holds true today,” he says. “We
see the same results in fertility – in
both our bulls and females -- today that
we did then.”
Fourth, carcass quality.
Irish Blacks and Reds consistently score
extremely high for desirable carcass
genetics, particularly in tenderness and
marbling.
Fifth, marketing flexibility.
“The advantages of owning these cattle
gives you so much versatility. There is
nothing we’ve found that will do as well
as these cattle will as productive
females. And there is nothing that will
do better on feed than these cattle.
They possess superior performance and
outstanding carcass quality. “I’ve fed a
lot of these cattle,” says Gould. “Their
cut-outs, yield grades and quality
grades are far superior to industry
averages.”
Sixth, environmental flexibility.
Today, breeders of Irish Blacks and
Irish Reds can be found in every
production environment in the United
States. The breed is resistant to
high-altitude sickness, and won’t
succumb to “brisket” disease when turned
out on high-altitude rangeland. The
cattle are also being successfully
produced in such faraway regions as
Canada, Mississippi, Florida and Texas.
“I’m not aware of a climate anywhere
where these cattle won’t acclimate and
do well,” says Gould. “The cattle have
hair enough to withstand winter, yet
they slick off to handle the heat.”
Together, Gould and Boney market 100+ bulls and
100+ females to a select
group of clientele in 22 states. To
ensure the genetic purity of the
breeding program for the future,
commercial customers must sign an Trade
Mark License agreement that requires
them to castrate all bull calves sired
by Irish Black bulls.
“Our customers appreciate the years of
investment we’ve put into this breeding,
and understand that it’s in everyone’s
best interest to ensure only the
genetically purest Irish Blacks and Red
– not crossbreds – get perpetuated as
breeding stock.
“We have a couple of important goals
that we’d like to accomplish with this
breeding program, and they understand
that it’s in everyone’s best interest to
ensure only the genetically purest Irish
Blacks and Reds – not crossbreds – get
perpetuated as seedstock,” says Gould.
“We want people to understand that there
are some genetic options out there that
they can use to straighten out some of
the problems they’ve faced in using
other breeds or breeding programs.
“Most of the people who see these cattle
tell us that Irish Blacks and Reds are
the best-kept secret in the beef
industry,” he says. “That could be. The
most difficult challenge that we face is
simply getting people to take a look at
them. Once they do, and we show them the
performance and the cut-out data, they
are sold. We very rarely have anyone
show up who doesn’t end up buying some
of these cattle.”
Adds Boney, who has spent most of his
life building Irish Blacks and Irish
Reds into pre-eminence:
“The demand for quality beef that is
tender, well marbled and tasty far
exceeds our industry’s ability to supply
it,” he says. “It has been proven that
people will pay the added price to get a
consistent source of such supply. We
look forward to visiting with those who
recognize the true value of genetic
investment we have made in this breed,
and understand what the true value of
these cattle is to today’s marketplace.
That would not only make it more
profitable for the people producing
registered Irish Blacks and Irish Reds
seedstock, but also for the commercial
producer who deserves a more clear-cut
opportunity to raise high-performing,
profit-making, fool-proof cattle that
excel in beef quality.”
Predictable Genetics
What you have
been hearing about the breed is TRUE!
All the animals in the herd trace back
to five daughters of Gawsworth Performer
HBF 344323. This highly concentrated
small gene pool assures one the ability
to produce consistency and uniformity
with very little variation in the
overall performance and cutout value of
the offspring. Combine this small gene
pool and strict line breeding program
with the essential genetic traits as...
• shortest
gestation periods
• lightest
birth weights
• largest
scrotal measurements
• largest
pelvic measurements
• highest
fertility
• earliest
maturity
• least
back fat
• high
marbling & tenderness scores confirmed
by DNA gene testing weight per day
of age as per bull tests
• high milk
production
• small
teats
• no
pendulous udders
• penis
does not hang down and drag
• winning
carcass contest in both the performance
and actual cut out value of meat
• Brisket
Problems? A number of our bull customers
are home based at 8,000 to 9,000 feet.
We have a fairly
large number of customers that summer at 10,000 feet and above. To our
knowledge, over the past 30
years, we are not aware of a single calf sired by our purebred bulls that
came down with brisket.
• In
addition to transmitting all the
essential gene traits, the big "Bonus"
is the resulting heifer calves. A cow
herd of 1/2 and 3/4 blood Irish Black females will out perform any
commercial herd in your area. Our
dominant gene traits for calving ease makes it possible for one to not
lose and precious sleep during the
calving period.
• longevity
of production
...and you have the true genetic makeup
of our highly concentrated small gene
pool that transmits these genetic traits
with dominant consistency. Plus, they
are extremely gentle and easy to handle
and sort.
Case
Study
Highest
Fertility Beef Cattle Breed Saves You
Money
A
new bull customer this year had
difficulty in understanding our program
of just using one Irish
Blacks
®
bull per 70 - 75 cows. In the past he
had used one bull per 25 cows.
He decided to follow our program, they
sorted open heifers into four pens of
100 heifers each.
In one of the pens of 100 heifers they
put in two of our Irish
Blacks
®
bulls. In the other three pens of 100
heifers each they put in four Angus
bulls to each pen for a total of twelve
Angus bulls for the 300 heifers.
In pregnancy checking (via ultrasound)
the 100 head with the 2 Irish
Blacks
®
bulls checked 93% pregnant. The 3 pens
with the 12 Angus bulls checked out at a
low of 83% to high of 87% pregnant.
We recommend and have been selling one
coming two year old bull per 70 to 75
females to be bred in a herd. One only
needs to purchase 1/2 the number of
bulls that are normally used in a
breeding herd. This is a big savings in
the bull power budget. In our pasture
breeding program we put one bull per 75
females. The gestation period on our
Irish Blacks is 7 to 14 days shorter
than some of the beef breeds. Our 30
year average on birth weights is 75
pounds for bull calves and 68 pounds on
heifer calves. This places Irish Black
bulls ideal for first calf heifers.
Another important gene trait that saves
medical expenses and the loss of bull
power is that of the penis not hanging
down and dragging. In addition to
transmitting all of the essential gene
traits the big BONUS is the resulting
heifer calves that will increase
production in the breeding herd.
Predictable Genetics
"The most level
backs, and deepest, thickest 'butts' in
the Beef Industry today"
 That's
right, these Irish Blacks®
bulls have
the most level backs and the deepest,
thickest "butts" in the beef industry.
They have genetic dominance in
performance, marbling and actual cut-out
value. The above photo was taken in
January of May bull calves.
Our genetic gene pool is small and
highly concentrated. If you use one bull
or a dozen of our Irish Blacks
®
bulls, all the calves will look alike,
perform the same, and cut-out the same.
High consistency.
We have followed a strict closed herd
line breeding program since 1971. All
the registered purebred animals in the
breed trace back to five daughters of
the first purebred bull used in setting
up the closed herd program. During the
past 35 years we have done very little
advertising; therefore, the general
public has little knowledge of the
genetic dominance that our blood
consistently transmits. Over the past 25
years 75% of the people using our blood
have never paid us a visit to see our
herd. The bulk of our new customers
during this time frame have been
neighbors, relatives, or friends of
those that are using our blood. Our
cattle are doing exceptionally well in
21 states. The demand for our
genetically dominant blood normally
exceeds our supply. All bulls and a
large number of our females are DNA gene
tested for the following essential gene
traits: actual marbling (not body fat),
tenderness, back fat, yield grade, rib
eye area and carcass weight. We have
performance tested and cut out hundreds
of 1/2 and 3/4 blood calves sired by our
purebred bulls, out of every breed, or
breeds, of females. The DNA scores match
up to the actual carcass cut out scores.
Being able to determine the degree of
transmitting these important gene traits
in advance to those buyers who are
seeking premiums for their cut out
values.
400
Head Tested Summer 2003
These Irish Black sired calves were born
in April and May 2002 and the actual
birth date was available. They
were slaughtered at 12 1/2 to 14 months
of age. The average hot carcass
weight was 781 pounds. Their
average marbling score was 4.347 (4.0
score required to make choice grade.)
77% made the choice grade with an
average marbling score of 4.82.
The balance of the calves grade #1 and
#2 select with an average marbling score
of 3.43. Back fat .2, with the
average on all of the rib eyes was 13.1.
The average dressing yield was 64.98%.
Some of these calves average 4 pounds
per day from birth to slaughter which
was considered outstanding due to the
heat. They were on a finishing
ration for 90 days during the hot summer
with temperatures of 90 to 100 degrees
which the packers said would reduce the
marbling score and also the daily gain.
We have had yearling heifers make 91%
choice grade. During July and
August of 2003 the spread in the choice
carcass to the select was unusually high
and hit $26 to $30 per 100 on the hot
carcass. This added up to plus
$200 per head. Using highly
concentrated genetics with proven
consistency increases net return.
Salvage Value
The Key to
Profitability in Today's Troubled Cattle
Market Centers on Using Highly
Concentrated Genetics in Both Your Bull
and Cow Herd Programs
The cow
calf producer should also consider
salvage value of females in
his breeding program. Last spring
we sold some females that
we jokingly
referred to as heiferettes
(they were 3, 4, 6, and 2 eight years
olds) on their
carcass cut out value. These females
were on a
short feeding
program. 10% graded prime and we
received
$48.17 more per 100 on the hot
carcass weight than the the
average of the
standard
grades were
bringing on that date. 30% graded
CAB with a
mark up of $44.17.
50%
graded #2
select and advanced $26.82 per
100 hot weight. Their average
dressing percentage was 64.89.
This is added proof that a small gene
pool
that is highly concentrated for
performance and consistency will return
higher profits. |
