Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Our Herd and Our Focus

After reading a post of "Chambero's" on www.steerplanet.com the other day, I was inspired to go out and get some candid pictures of our herd and discuss our goals and direction of our herd.
For the most part, our base cow herd is comprised of Maine and Chi influence cattle.  Even though a large portion of our calf sales each year are comprised of show prospects, the decisions we make on a daily basis is focused on traits that are good for the commercial producer and the beef industry as a whole.  We concentrate on muscle, structural soundness, fertility, maternal traits, and moderate birthweights, all in an eye appealing package.

Here are a few pictures of our two cow families, and really, they could be consided one since both JAZX Audrey 352N and CTR Sweet Success 2 are both sired by the Chiangus bull CTR Success, but it's the dam side that is the difference.

Audrey Family - from left to right: JAZX Audrey 352N, ZNT Jenna 707T (Hardcore x Audrey), ZNT Montego Bay (Jenna x Tyson), and ZNT Sandy Bay (Jenna x Tyson)

CTR Sweet Success (Sweetie) Family - from left to right:  CTR Sweet Success, ZNT American Hope 903W (Hardcore x Sweetie)

Montego Bay's New Home

June 17th was a greatly anticipated day since the day we decided that we were going to keep Montego Bay a bull.  Of course we were very excited about the potential he will have on the Maine Anjou breed, and we were thrilled when he was named Jr. Calf Champion Bull at Ft. Worth, but we also knew what was in store as he got older.  These duly expected joys came to a reality as he matured, including pushing over every T-post and electric fence post in his pen and throwing his 10' feed bunk around like it was a rag doll.  I know REI in Stillwater, OK will be much more set up to handle a yearling bull that KNOWS he is a bull.  Here are a couple of pictures of our joyous day, just 2 days before his first birthday.  Updates will be posted as semen becomes available.



Wednesday, June 9, 2010

A.I. Gun Preparation

Through my years of artificially inseminating cattle, I have seen several different techniques for thawing semen and preparing a gun for A.I.ing.  This video demonstrates the process I go through each time I prepare the semen for insemination.


Check out our Youtube Channel for more videos.  www.youtoube.com/zntcattle