Felton Herefords

[postoak1]

I was just curious what everyone's opinion was about the Felton bloodlines of Hereford cattle. Btlrupert, why do you think that they are a disaster for the lower South? Bookcliff, I think that I recall you saying something positive about a Felton bull once.

[hoekland]

I think they were good for their time, but remember it was a very sorry period in Hereford history.

[shumakerherefords]

I used 3 bulls bred by Frank Felton which you can check here www.shumakerherefords.com/smherd_sires.html
My first purchase was Feltons Sounder 957 and he was by far the best. If you compare the pedigrees of 957 and Feltons 517 you will notice the similarity on the female side. Later Frank became convinced that his cattle needed more milk and bought OXH DOMINO 7002 (horned) and used him extensively. IIRC 7002 had a +40 EPD for milk. However my later 2 purchases were out of 7002 daughters and neither of those 2 bulls produced daughters with exceptional milk production. Feltons Juice 146 gave me a lot of 'goat udders' but he did carry some genetics for exceptional marbling. Feltons Jazz 117 gave me some nice calves but his bull calves were very susceptible to bloat after weaning.

Feltons Sounder 957 was the best bull I ever used. His daughters made exceptional cows that bred back quickly. His sons in the feedlot gained over 4 lb/day and most graded choice. Joe Ellis in Illinois used Sounder semen to produce EFBEEF FOREMOST U208 that topped his annual sale and sold to Knoll Crest in Virginia. Foremost sired EFBEEF TFL 208 TESTED X651 ET who topped the 2012 NRSP test at Olsen's with a 112 marbling ratio.

I am using sons of Foremost and Tested and my breeding program has evolved into a line breeding program.

[George]

I know very little about Felton's cattle...other than about the only ones I've ever seen that I much cared for were 517 descendants.

I am always amazed that there isn't more said/noted about HY problems, considering how he linebred FHR GENETIC GIANT - another bull whose parentage looks questionable.

[timbernt]

The local veterinarian had a name for Genetic Giant; "Genetic Junk" because of all the problems from the bull.

[btlrupert]

Sorry I missed this. Can't take the heat with the fungus fescue . Never seem to shed off.

[bookcliff]

you all can cuss Frank all you want, but his cattle are some of the very few muleys I have ever used that could ever come close to giong toe to toe with the horned genetics that I or any of the fellers I run with use under retained ownership of our steer calves.

[elkwc]

I won't consider anything with Felton breeding in them and I'm sure everyone on this site knows why so I won't go there. TK is surprises me some that they have done so well for you. I've seen some structural problems in some of the 242 progeny I've looked at. Maybe it doesn't come from him.

[bookcliff]

Jun 24, 2015 21:38:15 GMT -6 elkwc said:

I won't consider anything with Felton breeding in them and I'm sure everyone on this site knows why so I won't go there. TK is surprises me some that they have done so well for you. I've seen some structural problems in some of the 242 progeny I've looked at. Maybe it doesn't come from him.

Yah think. You gotta pay attention to him as to how you breed him as far as feet. As far as the rest, well just look at the cowherd he was used in as the same structural issues he often times gets critized for siring are already rampent within those very cowherds. To lay all the blame on the sire in that situation is not only niave but is down Right petty and narsistic

[elkwc]

Jun 25, 2015 10:05:19 GMT -6 bookcliff said:

Jun 24, 2015 21:38:15 GMT -6 elkwc said:

I won't consider anything with Felton breeding in them and I'm sure everyone on this site knows why so I won't go there. TK is surprises me some that they have done so well for you. I've seen some structural problems in some of the 242 progeny I've looked at. Maybe it doesn't come from him.

Yah think. You gotta pay attention to him as to how you breed him as far as feet. As far as the rest, well just look at the cowherd he was used in as the same structural issues he often times gets critized for siring are already rampent within those very cowherds. To lay all the blame on the sire in that situation is not only niave but is down Right petty and narsistic

The first reason I won't pruchase any progney of  him is his ancestor that lurks back a ways. In my opinion it shows that a breeder isn't ethical if they knowingly use something impure. Again my opinion.  We've already discussed that. Like I said the structural issues I saw which was mainly feet may of come at least partially from the other contributors. The one herd where I saw the most issues most of the rest of their cattle were sound. The ones I saw were out of a grandson of his. I saw some similar problems in another herd where a grandson had been used and have heard some breeders express the same. Again I never saw the dam in either case. And regardless of where the blame lies the progeny would never hold up in rugged country.  I highly respect your views but this is one issue we disagree on. 

[bookcliff]

Jun 25, 2015 15:15:14 GMT -6 elkwc said:

Jun 25, 2015 10:05:19 GMT -6 bookcliff said:

Yah think. You gotta pay attention to him as to how you breed him as far as feet. As far as the rest, well just look at the cowherd he was used in as the same structural issues he often times gets critized for siring are already rampent within those very cowherds. To lay all the blame on the sire in that situation is not only niave but is down Right petty and narsistic

The first reason I won't pruchase any progney of  him is his ancestor that lurks back a ways. In my opinion it shows that a breeder isn't ethical if they knowingly use something impure. Again my opinion.  We've already discussed that. Like I said the structural issues I saw which was mainly feet may of come at least partially from the other contributors. The one herd where I saw the most issues most of the rest of their cattle were sound. The ones I saw were out of a grandson of his. I saw some similar problems in another herd where a grandson had been used and have heard some breeders express the same. Again I never saw the dam in either case. And regardless of where the blame lies the progeny would never hold up in rugged country.  I highly respect your views but this is one issue we disagree on. 

I said you got to watch the feet when you use him. I was talking about a whole other host of things blamed ocassionally on him. I also know why you won't use him and thats your perogative and I respect that.