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What the Pros Say About Alexander
By Ron Schaap

Golden-Oaks ST Alexander-ET the Ex-94 son of Comestar Stormatic from Patron Allie GMD DOM has been siring those black, silky heifers we have been seeing in the show ring, sales ring and heifer lots. He is a plus milk bull at +426 but excels in fat improvement +.20% is + .00 protein +2.42 type +1.68 UDC and a whopping +2.52 FLC. The following is what our panel of experts have observed on the milking Alexanders.

1. One of the best Feet & Legs bulls out there. Track straight, clean hocks, good feet. Smaller black silky cows with tight, snug udders. Use on powerful cows. They need width.

2. Milky, hard topped and great udders. Love the young cows so far but time will tell how they mature into older cows. Lack width throughout.

3. Nice little refined cows with nice udders and legs. Need to use on something tall.

4. A great foot and leg bull. They have correct set, track straight and are extremely deep in the heel. Udders have been well attached. They can lack strength and fore rib and need to be protected there.

5. One of my favorite new second crop bulls. Needs to be used on stronger cows. When the Alexanders are frail the fore udder is not too good. When the ribs are good the fore udders are good.

6. I was a skeptic on this bull because of his mother’s lack of stature and heel, pastern and spread toe. Alexander daughters are dairy with nice udders. But most do not carry enough strength to suit me. Do not cross with Goldwyn!

7. A lot of opposites to Sanchez. Flat boned and silky looking, generally a pretty good leg sire. Will work best on Shottle or Oman blood. Protect on strength and rear udder height.

8. Definitely makes the fancy kind. I see some that need more rear udder.

9. Silky, dairy with style and grace. Could use a little strength.

10. Ultra dairy, milk themselves down to nothing. Quality cows, lots of veins on their udders.

11. Black, silky dairy cows. Great feet & legs. Can be frail. Use on Shottle, Dundee or Outside blood.

12. Black, silky and stylish with correct feet & legs. Generally nice udders but some could use more height and width to the rear udder.

13. If Sanchez is the Reggie Jackson, Alexander is the Rod Carew {single hitter all day long] A model of consistency. Almost always black, flashy and silky with quality, snug udders. His dam had a beautiful udder but bad feet. But he does NOT carry that trait-very good feet and legs. There is just not enough to them. Lack strength and substance. There is not much width to their muzzle so I worry if the width and strength will ever come.

14. Alexander throws black silky dairy cattle with exceptional style and very correct feet and legs. Medium sized cows with a tremendous amount of dairy character and show a really clean flat bone through his legs. As young cows they looked like they were going to make really nice balanced mature cows. However, I have been disappointed with the 2 year olds that are late lactation. They do not develop nearly as much. Smaller, black silky cows that are very correct throughout.

Reader Comments
Comments posted do not express the viewpoint of Dairy Agenda Today or its staff members.

John
July, 15 2012
The Alexanders at the shows are great. Haven't seen too many out in herds. He appears to make them small, shallow uddered and good legged. This won't work for some herds. I would echo the comments on Pronto. Nice cows but rare to get the hot one. Can't figure out why he is not more popular with his good milk, PL, DPR, etc. We have several VG dtrs and they have been good breeders.
rmw
July, 15 2012
keep this segment going, the info coming from the pros is awesome
Just Sayin
July, 15 2012
This bull has been disapointing for us. Currently milking over 20, and not 1 VG 2yr old in the group. I also looked up my Pronto's, milking 11 with 6 VG 2yr olds. I guess the guy who said that different bulls work differently in various herds was right!
cc
July, 14 2012
Agree that they do not seem to mature very well or get any more frame as they calve in a second time. We are milking a dozen (three in for round two) and he is not an udder improver in my mind. He will put on some reverse tilt and can widen the teats. The reverse tilt doesn't seem to be getting better with another calf. Great feet and legs, but then they don't have to carry much weight(frame).
sanhaven
July, 14 2012
This bull and Planet were about the only two it seemed like everyone painted with the same brush. The mark of a good bull in my opinion. Consistent breeding pattern that you know exactly what your gonna get. Always look forward to reading these comments
John
July, 14 2012
Good to know. I did not use him, going to go back and use a bunch. Like the several comments about feet and legs. Always the hardest thing to breed for. Width, power and rib are easy to find. Really like these articles!
MN dairy
July, 14 2012
We milk a group of Alexander daughters, and I would agree on the balck, silky, really good udders, and slightly on the frail side. Nobody commented that they are high strung, though. That he transmits as consistently as the type traits. Best mating would be on the more even tempered Shottle blood.