American Reds ?

[Lee VanRoss]

I am curios if any one (Texas?) has had any experience with the "American Red" cattle that King Ranch has introduced? As I understand it is a
Santa Gertrudis / Red Angus cross. I did have an Santa Gertrudis bull which I ran on a few Red Angus/Saler cows along with a Red Simmental
on the remainder. Of course there was a definite size difference in the calves and I was at the time a member of the bigger is better crowd.
Once I came to my senses (my opinion) I divested myself of any Saler, Simmental and Santa G influence. Looklng back, of the three I think the Santa's
might have been OK allbeit I may be too far north to take advantage or their ability to perform in hot weather. Has anyone on here had any practical experience
or personal knowledge of how the American Reds have performed at the ranch or production level? I am not afraid of opinions but I will consider them
as nothing more. Thankyou in advance LVR

 

[Caustic Burno]

I am curios if any one (Texas?) has had any experience with the "American Red" cattle that King Ranch has introduced? As I understand it is a
Santa Gertrudis / Red Angus cross. I did have an Santa Gertrudis bull which I ran on a few Red Angus/Saler cows along with a Red Simmental
on the remainder. Of course there was a definite size difference in the calves and I was at the time a member of the bigger is better crowd.
Once I came to my senses (my opinion) I divested myself of any Saler, Simmental and Santa G influence. Looklng back, of the three I think the Santa's
might have been OK allbeit I may be too far north to take advantage or their ability to perform in hot weather. Has anyone on here had any practical experience
or personal knowledge of how the American Reds have performed at the ranch or production level? I am not afraid of opinions but I will consider them
as nothing more. Thankyou in advance LVR

Why not just buy you some Gert girls and make you some.
Hard to go wrong with Gert cows. The SH in them makes them hair over good.
My uncle used to run 250 Gert girls, never cared for the bulls.
Too many pecker problems back in the day.

J&J Cattle Co

www.jjcattleco.com

 

[Ky hills]

Not a lot of experience with Santa Gertrudis, but have had a few cows. My first one was a bull calf I bought to graft onto a cow that lost a calf. That calf grew like a weed, and started my curiosity and admiration with the breed. In more recent years, I bought a cow and a couple heifers. Around here they are mainly bred for showing and not always as good at milking as the ones raised for pasture performance. I currently have a first calf heifer with a Hereford sired calf, that is doing real good.
I've seen some Gert x Red Angus sell and they looked good,

 

[Lee VanRoss]

I will probably get shot out of the saddle for this but milk is way down on my list of priorities. I don't calve until the 2nd week of April so in
.my eyes milk is only necessary for 90 days or so. If the genetics are present there will be very little difference in calf weight at a year. To the
contrary a high milking mother will require much more maintenance to be assured of breeding back in a 12 month cycle. Calves that take to
grass earlier tend to be better foragers and go through weaning with less stress when I wean in October. The 90 days was just a reference point.
Other than the Cherokee south of Denver I don't remember seeing a Santa G since I sold those calves. Time is running against me now so the
inquiry may be more academic than practical although it would be good to swing at a fast ball again. I have to say I liked the looks of the
calves in CB's reply better than the Charlois/ Red Angus cross I have seen in the past year or so. Thanks until you are better paid. .LVR

 

[Lbass]

My neighbor bought a pot load of their Santa Cruz cattle. He must like them, I think they do a fine job. My only problem with them would be he can't get a bull to propagate them so every generation gets closer to red angus. He raises a few replacements but mostly runs them with nice charolais terminal sires and has been talking about buying another pot load some day. A few have a little leather, but they have less frame, ear, leather than a Gert.

I mention these because i still dont see an "American Red" on their website. Just the Santa Gertrudis and Santa Cruz. Im in SW MO

 

[Caustic Burno]

LVR to me you are describing Beefmaster as your goal cattle to raise the terminal calve and keep the milk as well.
They were developed in Texas and the foundation herd moved to Colorado 60 year's ago.
Just for your viewing pleasure.

J&J Cattle Co

www.jjcattleco.com

 

[Son of Butch]

Why not just buy you some Gert girls and make you some.
Hard to go wrong with Gert cows. The SH in them makes them hair over good.
My uncle used to run 250 Gert girls, never cared for the bulls.
Too many pecker problems back in the day.

J&J Cattle Co

www.jjcattleco.com

That small group seems kind of high-headed.
Especially the dark red one with the yellow eartag in the back.

Or maybe it's just her, 1 Nervous Nellie can rile up a whole group.
IF I were picking, she would be the 1st one I'd sort off to leave behind.
or offer feeder heifer price - because I think that might be her best future.
Is disposition a common problem in Gert's?

 

[Caustic Burno]

Gerts can get high headed if not handled properly.
My uncles were dog gentle in the pasture. They didn't like being penned . That's were I learned how not to work cows.
Different times they were penned on horseback and drove through swim vats.
My sons Gerts standing behind the Jersey girls.

 

[Ky hills]

When I commented that some I had didn't milk, I didn't mean it in terms of just not heavy milkers, those didn't literally have enough milk to keep a small calf alive and were culled. I don't really want heavy milking cows, their udders tend not to hold up. The one that we have now is milking about like I think LVR and myself both would consider about right.
I have seen some flighty Gerts, but few that I have had have all been dog gentle as in you have to push them out of your way. They also can be stubborn about going in a chute too.

 

[Lee VanRoss]

Balmy 16 below this morning. Geothermal water valve frozen. My fault as water level was too high and 650# calves could not break the
ball loose from the top. (Not enough calves anymore to keep it from freezing) Emptied chamber refilled from nearby standpipe and all is
allus. Weather considered I doubt if any more than 1/4 Santa Gertrudis would be practical for me. If I had an operation south of the
Canadian River I believe I would give Santa Gertrudis / Red Angus a go.
On cow attitude: I am the only person mine see for a month at a time. If someone else is in the pickup cab they will spot them right away
and go heads up. I do rotational graze and the corral is the hub they go through to get from one area to the other for the most part.
Makes them easy to pen but it needs to get done before I bring the trailer in! They settle down pretty quick when I move any to the house
area as they know me. Around me they are pets, a stranger not so much........ Now you know,,,,,,

 

[Ky hills]

This is a 1st calf heifer, that I bought at the stockyards as a 500 lb calf. Her calf is a December born calf.

 

[Lee VanRoss]

KY-H Other than calving date she would match up color and conformation wise to what I have. If that is Santa G what is the percentage?
As it stands now I doubt if they will ever achieve the popularity of Brangus. I would think the red may be of some advantage when it comes
to grazing in the heat but the Bhrama influence might be a levelor. Anyway it is good to take the road less travelled sometimes,, Thanks

 

[Ky hills]

KY-H Other than calving date she would match up color and conformation wise to what I have. If that is Santa G what is the percentage?
As it stands now I doubt if they will ever achieve the popularity of Brangus. I would think the red may be of some advantage when it comes
to grazing in the heat but the Bhrama influence might be a levelor. Anyway it is good to take the road less travelled sometimes,, Thanks

I don't know if she is pure Gert or not but to me she looks consistent with the registered ones that I have seen. Years ago there used to be a few Santa Gertrudis herds in the area, now not many. There were more of them and Beefmasters than Brangus around here. I would honestly think that with the same percentage of Brahman influence that Brangus would thrive in the same areas. If there were some around I would probably be running some Brangus.

 

[Warren Allison]

Balmy 16 below this morning. Geothermal water valve frozen. My fault as water level was too high and 650# calves could not break the
ball loose from the top. (Not enough calves anymore to keep it from freezing) Emptied chamber refilled from nearby standpipe and all is
allus. Weather considered I doubt if any more than 1/4 Santa Gertrudis would be practical for me. If I had an operation south of the
Canadian River I believe I would give Santa Gertrudis / Red Angus a go.
On cow attitude: I am the only person mine see for a month at a time. If someone else is in the pickup cab they will spot them right away
and go heads up. I do rotational graze and the corral is the hub they go through to get from one area to the other for the most part.
Makes them easy to pen but it needs to get done before I bring the trailer in! They settle down pretty quick when I move any to the house
area as they know me. Around me they are pets, a stranger not so much........ Now you know,,,,,,

Where are you located, Lee? There are people that, due to the demand for and success of the Ultra Blacks, have started breeding "Ultra Reds".. Red Brangus x Red Angus.

 

[Lee VanRoss]

KY-H I have black on 4 sides of me. That's enough Thanks

 

[Lee VanRoss]

WA I am too far north to consider anything with Brahma influence. I was leaning toward Santa Gertrudis but my research led me to rule them
out due to Brahma influence. I have no problem with Brahma (or any influence) if it fits my purpose. At this point I must concede that other
lines have drawn for me but would hope my situation would not discourage others from moving in a new direction.. LVR

 

[Caustic Burno]

WA I am too far north to consider anything with Brahma influence. I was leaning toward Santa Gertrudis but my research led me to rule them
out due to Brahma influence. I have no problem with Brahma (or any influence) if it fits my purpose. At this point I must concede that other
lines have drawn for me but would hope my situation would not discourage others from moving in a new direction.. LVR

This will stagger most that 42% of the US cow herd is Brahman influenced cattle.
World wide it's even higher.

David Riley Fitting Cattle to the Environment

 

[alacowman1]

The gerts I like belong too someone else..all Brahman influnced cattle have strong maternal instincts..but a gert will kill you and hand your soul to the devil.

 

[Brute 23]

The gerts I like belong too someone else..all Brahman influnced cattle have strong maternal instincts..but a gert will kill you and hand your soul to the devil.

I've heard stories about buying them straight off the KR, turning them out, and never seeing them again.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I've heard stories about buying them straight off the KR, turning them out, and never seeing them again.

I killed a bull that came off the King Ranch that cost over 5K in the 60's that belonged to my uncle. The only thing that saved my cousin and I hide was Ma.
Flies were bad and my uncle told us to go spray the bull.
I can't remember the chemical, there was spray dip for Brahman and Non Brahman.
The latter would kill Brimmer cattle Black Flag dead.
I still have unresolved anger issues over Gerts.