Angus/Dairy mix

[SammieBrewer2010]

Anyone have experience with this cross and how did it go? Are the calves worth buying and raising?

Thx

 

[Ky hills]

There are a lot of factors that can enter into whether or not it is worth it. Ideally they will sell a little better than straight dairy bred calves. Angus X Holstien would have more value and growth than Angus X Jersey, if you are dealing with steers. The source of the calves is probably the biggest X factor. If you can get calves straight from a reputable dairy that makes sure calves get adequate colostrum and has a relatively clean environment for them then that is the best case scenario. I would warn against buying from calf traders or dealers. Those calves have likely been stressed from long hauls and many are purchased through stockyards and many of those likely haven't had colostrum. The beef cross steers will sell somewhere between straight Holsteins and beef calves, probably closer to dairy calves
If you are wanting to raise a few dairy cross heifers for cows they make good cows but sometimes udders don't hold up as long due to heavy milk production. I used to raise around 80 to 100 calves a year, had a couple dairies that I got calves from. Most were straight bred dairy but did get a few Angus and Hereford crosses from time to time. At first we learned some pretty hard lessons while getting started. Then after we got in with some good dairies it made s lot of difference. At that time heifers had pretty good value and we sold many of them back to the dairy at about breeding age. Now I understand there isn't near as much demand for the heifers as used to be.

 

[BFE]

Not a lot of experience here, but I have a couple AngusXHolstien cows that came with a group. They raise calves (Simm bull) that fit in with the rest, only bigger. I think the real value would be getting the dairy influence down to 1/4 or less, hopefully retaining enough of the milking ability without being too hard doing, and keeping the growth up there.

 

[lithuanian farmer]

We used to have a couple Angusxdairy cows. Weaned the biggest calves and left us some very nice daughters, which raise heavy calves too. Last year have culled one at 10 years age, because that she was very hard to handle at the calving time and she had trouble calving the last calf. Another has been culled because that her last calf wouldn't nurse the back quarters and mom's udder was ruined after weaning that calf. It wasn't the nicest shape udder, but have seen much worse (Herefordxdairy). In general, nice suckler cows with lots of milk and calves have very good growth. Almost all beefxdairy cows usually have more milk than a calf can handle for a while.

 

[holm25]

I saw a Jersey/Angus cow last summer and she was actually quite impressive. Looked like a big beef cow with a big ol udder. Wouldn't have guessed there was jersey in her.

 

[CattleMan1920]

Check with your local ABS rep, they have a program that has a lot of research on this subject.

I'm under the impression they are trying to exploit all those ready, willing, and able holstein heifers with top Angus A.I. sires.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

The f1's usually look a little bit more dairy, than beef, but their calves turn out real nice. Getting down to 1/4 dairy works well for cows.
Dairy/beef steers grade well, but don't yield as well as full beef steers, but also don't need as much energy as full dairy steers. Some even slip through as CAB. :lol:
Use to sell 2 or 3 black bulls a year to dairies in Clinton County Illinois. They didn't seem to care what breed, as long as they were solid black.
(All holstein cows)

 

[lithuanian farmer]

That's one our Angusxdairy cow after weaning her calf. Pictured at 9 years age.

Her calf by Limousine bull.

Another one:

Her calf by AngusxLimx bull.

Her daughter by AngusxCharx bull. Made a very nice cow.

Bull calves usually had around 60% kill-out.

 

[andybob]

Hereford x Holstein/Fresian are popular for breeding back to Angus or Limousine in the UK, one neighbour in Hanpshire has several which he also grafts on two extra calves to utilise the high milk yield.

 

[greggy]

lithuanian farmer is that first Angus cross cow a cross with Holstien ?

 

[lithuanian farmer]

lithuanian farmer is that first Angus cross cow a cross with Holstien ?

The first is from Holstein x swedish red and white cow. Culled at almost 11 years age, there were just a couple days left until her birthday. Never missed a calving and raised a nice calf every year.
The second one was from a black and white cow. Most likely a native breed. Both cows actually had the same sire.

 

[Hardnosecattleco]

Anyone have experience with this cross and how did it go? Are the calves worth buying and raising?

Thx

I have allot of experience with that combo. Most of my herd is red Angus crossed with Holstein. Best mother's never grow to be real beefy but they grow calves fast due to the dairy in them I'd assume. Definitely has been in my breeding program

 

[snoopdog]

Had some years ago , daughters were even better crossed with a gert bull, some of the best calves we've ever produced

 

[True Grit Farms]

All the successful dairies that I know of "the ones still in business" are excellent in feed and forage management. I can see where an Angus beef mix could help sell dairy calves. But I see no reason why a beef operation would want any dairy cross cattle in their herd.

 

[lithuanian farmer]

All the successful dairies that I know of "the ones still in business" are excellent in feed and forage management. I can see where an Angus beef mix could help sell dairy calves. But I see no reason why a beef operation would want any dairy cross cattle in their herd.

It was a good start in beef farming for us. Very few had purebred beef cattle at the time we started buying some cattle. Also it wasn't cheep... It was hard to find a decent looking beefxdairy heifer/cow for a normal price too. It's been 15 years since then. Still have three dairyxbeef cows. The whole herd has been developed from such cows and is still being improved. They can produce some very nice calves, not worse than from full beef cows with proper bull selection.
It's unreasonable for a full beef operation to put such cows into the herd for no reason. However, have seen many using them as recipients for ET or as cows to raise a couple calves a year. Beefxbeef are very uncommon here, so there are either purebred beef or xbeef with dairy background.

 

[True Grit Farms]

All the successful dairies that I know of "the ones still in business" are excellent in feed and forage management. I can see where an Angus beef mix could help sell dairy calves. But I see no reason why a beef operation would want any dairy cross cattle in their herd.

It was a good start in beef farming for us. Very few had purebred beef cattle at the time we started buying some cattle. Also it wasn't cheep... It was hard to find a decent looking beefxdairy heifer/cow for a normal price too. It's been 15 years since then. Still have three dairyxbeef cows. The whole herd has been developed from such cows and is still being improved. They can produce some very nice calves, not worse than from full beef cows with proper bull selection.
It's unreasonable for a full beef operation to put such cows into the herd for no reason. However, have seen many using them as recipients for ET or as cows to raise a couple calves a year. Beefxbeef are very uncommon here, so there are either purebred beef or xbeef with dairy background.

A dairy or dairy X cow makes an excellent recip cow. You just have to feed it a lot more.

 

[snoopdog]

All the successful dairies that I know of "the ones still in business" are excellent in feed and forage management. I can see where an Angus beef mix could help sell dairy calves. But I see no reason why a beef operation would want any dairy cross cattle in their herd.

Dang Grit, I think some of the dairy crosses, braunviegh and Santa gertrudis are some of the best beef cows, and that's just a couple.

 

[greggy]

I was asking as I can get Angus x Holstien calves, they actually look just like my pure Angus calf, so was wondering if I should take 6 or so on board, raise them, wean them, then sell off some as beef and maybe retail some heifers for use with a beef bull, such as Angus....

The young pure Angus calves are nowhere really to be found, and expensive usually if you do find them. here at least.

I will have to check to see if they are accepted as beef if sold through yards locally, but they look good it seems, so, what is the down side ? Not efficient at converting grass too meat ?

 

[Muddy]

I was asking as I can get Angus x Holstien calves, they actually look just like my pure Angus calf, so was wondering if I should take 6 or so on board, raise them, wean them, then sell off some as beef and maybe retail some heifers for use with a beef bull, such as Angus....

The young pure Angus calves are nowhere really to be found, and expensive usually if you do find them. here at least.

I will have to check to see if they are accepted as beef if sold through yards locally, but they look good it seems, so, what is the down side ? Not efficient at converting grass too meat ?

The dairy looks will appears when the calves get older. Especially the long face and big frame...but of course not all Holstein x Angus will look like that.

 

[greggy]

The dairy looks will appears when the calves get older. Especially the long face and big frame...but of course not all Holstein x Angus will look like that.

Would this be a problem in the US, and as in older, you mean after 12 months, 2 years.....I guess people used to pure bred Angus would see it straight away.

Seems Angus cross is common in sales down here, but I am not sure about x with Holstein, but it should basically make a bigger meat animal, maybe a normal Angus size animal if bottle reared...