Horn Showcase Winner: WT Kid Rock

Closing in on the longest.

 For over a decade Cowboy Tuff Chex has been the longest horned bull in the industry. That may be about to change. The bull formerly known as WT Mr. Big Kill has moved within striking distance to take the pole position. Now known as WT Kid Rock, measured in at the Horn Showcase at 104 5/8" tip to tip, just a couple inches shy of the leader. WT Kid Rock blasted on the scene just two years ago. He made a surprise entrance into the Gallery of Horns that left many wondering is this bull for real? 

 Shortly after being discovered in a small herd in the Northeast, WT Kid Rock would make his owner William (Bill) Timcheck proud by entering into Club 90 Bulls in the Gallery of Horns. Not even 5 months later WT Kid Rock would enter Club 100 Bulls as the second of three bulls to do so in 2023. In a time when things should be at their happiest, disaster would strike. Bill would pass away. 

 With a fair amount of negotiating and for the benefit of the bull, he would be purchased by the Stellar Partners to help take him to the next level. While he had a full calf crop behind him, none of them would be registered. While the purchase price is a closely guarded secret it can be estimated that he sold for six figures or more. 

Bill's relationship with Darol Dickinson allowed Dickinson Cattle Company make a swift move to grab the first straws collected on him. They immediately began doing artificial insemination and embryo transfer on some of their best cattle. The picture to the right is a heifer out of WT Kid Rock and 50 Tulips. With around twenty calves born at DCC, the lions share of offspring that will make up his first year of registered calves will no doubt be the ones to watch to see what WT Kid Rock can produce. 

WT Kid Rock x 50 Tulips heifer

Buy one or breed one?

 With any new bull that comes on the market, a breeder has to ask themselves one question. Should they buy offspring or breed their own? The answer may seem pretty obvious, but in reality the answer has criteria that should help any breeder make this decision easier. If a breeder has their brand on virtually every Longhorn in their pasture, they should aim to create their own to make them the breeder on the registration with their brand proudly displayed on both the certificate and the animals themselves. This also happens to be a more affordable option to bring genetics into your herd. Regardless of the price of semen, it will always be cheaper to make your own with semen opposed to buying offspring. 

When does it become viable to buy offspring instead of using semen? Once a bull has bred cows it is a great time to inquire if any of the cows are available for purchase. This is a bit of a gamble, mostly because you don't know if you will get a heifer or bull. For that reason, it might be a strategic decision to purchase 2-3 cows that are bred to the bull to increase your odds of getting the desired offspring you will need for production in your herd. In the case of WT Kid Rock this could have been the perfect time to invest in his genetics. Once calves are on the ground, it is much easier to select what you want to fit your program. Of course, this comes with a dramatic price increase over buying the cows bred to him. Often, the calves produced are worth considerably more than the cows they came out of. Buying a live calf ensures you get the sex, conformation, and color that best fits your breeding program. In the case of WT Kid Rock, between his new owners and Dickinson Cattle Company, the available calves are likely to be very expensive given the cows that have been used to produce these calves. 

 

WT Kid Rock x Iron Cladded

Making a decision of which is the better option for both your budget and your herd, a bred cow, semen, or live calf will all still give you an edge in the industry. Even if the calves don't develop to the standards of your program, it is likely you can get a great return on your investment as they will likely fit another breeders program. (picture on the left: bull calf WT Kid Rock x Iron Cladded). 

 If you are looking for semen to advance your program, show some support by shopping at the Semen Hub

A special thank you to Dickinson Cattle Company for use of photos.

By the numbers.

Below are two spreadsheets, the first is basic information on WT Kid Rock. Currently, his progeny count is the only data available to show. As more progeny are registered, they will be added to this spreadsheet. In the future, his contribution to the Gallery of Horns will be added as well as statistics on the sale of his progeny at consignment sales. 

 The second spreadsheet will be his current measurements provided by the Gallery of Horns.

Stats on WT Kid Rock

This is a live spreadsheet that will update as new data is collected.

WT Kid Rock measurements

Live measurements from the Gallery of Horns.

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