Angus Murray Grey Cross

Help Support CattleToday:

shloh1981

Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2009
Messages
21
Reaction score
0
Just wondering if anybody has experience with this cross. We have a small herd of red and black angus cows that we keep to raise beef for ourselves and family and friends. With an increase in pasture available I am hoping to increase our numbers to be able to sell quarters and halves of beef locally. Our current bull is black angus and I am wondering about getting a Murray grey bull to cross with the cows but no little or nothing about this cross. We finish our cattle on mostly on grass and alfalfa with a little bit of grain. We also keep most of our heifer calves to breed. I hear that Murray Grey cattle are supposed to do well in forage based environments. Any knowledge about this cross would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

S
 
You will get a few comments for and against. Depends on how good your country is will determine whether you use Greys over the Angus. I personally don't feel they are that good a breed from what I've seen. Yes the cows are ok to cross something over but I see little use to use a Grey bull. I use South Devon over black Angus and have been rewarded with extra growth and weight and colour stability and good temperament. I also use Brahman and Hereford and are pleased with this cross. Have a look about before you decide. I'd say Bazadaise or Braunvieh would be good too. Whatever you can market in your area.
 
Our neighbor has a mixed herd of angus and murray grey cows. They use an angus bull over all of them. Their Murray grey cross calves look good but to me no better than their straight angus calves. I don't know if you'll achieve a lot of hybrid vigor with that cross as Murray grey cattle are closely related to angus.

Andrew
 
Good comments Andrew and the Australian girls. With regard to using a Euro. I used Gelbvieh over my South Devon and got no added weight or milk or really anything. I think because both these breeds are very maternal in type so had little to gain with the cross. But when a Brahman was put over the Gelbvieh that was a lot different they were magnificent.
 
the way I understand it, sth devons are a british breed that tends toward euro characteristics, and gelb are a euro breed that tend towards the british characteristics. so it doesnt greatly surprise me that you didnt see anything special by crossing those two breeds. it would be very similar to the mg x angus cross, very similar breeds so very little opportunity for heterosis. for maximum heterosis we need to cross breeds that are very different to each other - hence why a euro over a brit works well, or as you say, a bos indicus over a bos taurus.
 
There you go k...You get nothing with a Black angus crossed to a Hereford ....Except the best all around cows in the world.....Black baldies....

Anyone , anyone care to comment?????
 
you know, before your smart arse comment, I was actually thinking to myself, funny how black baldies seem to buck the trend.

I would hazard a guess thats because angus are very much a refined maternal breed, and hereford tend more towards a heavier set type of breed, I hesitate to say carcase. But the two breeds are not exactly similar.

Besides which, it is still common knowledge that you will get more heterosis from a euro x brit, and the most from a euro x bri x indicus.

not saying that black baldies arent great cattle, they are. but if you split your hereford herd, and put an angus bull over half and a lim bull over the other half, the lim calves are still gonna gain faster/weigh heavier than the angus calves.
 
The two best crosses for cows are black baldies (Angus/Hereford) and Brahman/Hereford. This debate could go on forever. Black baldies aren't as good in the tropics, thats where the Brahman cross comes in. Keren is quite right with whats she written. I can't explain why the debate falls apart with the black baldy cross. It doesn't really matter. I love the cross of black baldy with a Brahman over it.
 
We have a few purebred MGs and some commercial angus and black baldy cows. We run MG bulls as your planning. The crossbred calves here certainly outperform straightbred MGs and the MGxBlack baldies are better yet. As far as performing in a forage based or grass finished operation, I think, like most breeds, you can find a type or line that will work well.
 
Was not meaning to be smart a$$ , U were wrong and I thought I would Point it out............I might also say weight is nice, but quality is better.. I will gladly give up a Lbs for higher quality...

I AM A NOVICE, QUALITY IS WERE IT IS AT.... NOT POUNDS OF HAMBUGER.......
 
alftn":87xdork6 said:
Was not meaning to be smart a$$ , U were wrong and I thought I would Point it out............I might also say weight is nice, but quality is better.. I will gladly give up a Lbs for higher quality...

I AM A NOVICE, QUALITY IS WERE IT IS AT.... NOT POUNDS OF HAMBUGER.......

This has been my learning curve over the last 16 years and I still consider myself a TOTAL amateur especially where cattle are concerned.

Purebred herefords, to hereford cows covered by angus bull, both options selling at weaned, and/or to finish then went to stockers selling at various marketable options, to angus and angus/gv cross cows covered by MG bull, selling at weaned then to finishing and selling retail.

The angus x cows covered by MG bull has produced our most consistent quality meat finishing in acceptable time frames, least amount of problems within the herd. Which in turn has provided us with a very loyal customer base who are fierce in demanding their # on our annual list. Once gaining a customer, i have not have one not return. We are a small operation and I feel we obtain a fair, but premium price.

I LOVE the MG breed!

Michele
 
We have a few murray grey angus crosses in our herd. They consistently throw high quality calves. Pictured below is a murray grey angus cow with her second calf.
IMG_1734_zpsd86469c0.jpg

Below is a 5 month old 75% murray grey and 25% angus bull calf.
3a0b3e7e.jpg
 
Here is a 7 month old 1/2 angus & 1/2 murray grey heifer:



The brown mother cow is half angus and half murray grey; her silver calf is 75% murray grey:


This half angus half MG steer is about 20 months old:



Here are some yearling steers --- the one on the left is half angus and half MG:




I think you would be happy with this cross; we certainly have been. There is a purebred, silver Murray Grey herdsire from our herd currently working in Missouri that is just now for sale. Send me a private message or email if you would like contact information! :)
 
greggy said:
Anyone still doing this cross ?

Any recent photos ?

I will some updated pictures. Backbone is still having a lot of success with these.

We have leased our bulls out to a 4H steer producer locally (for the last 2 years) so that he could get replacement females with better milk, mothering and temperament.
 
TwoByrdsMG said:
greggy said:
Anyone still doing this cross ?

Any recent photos ?

I will some updated pictures. Backbone is still having a lot of success with these.

We have leased our bulls out to a 4H steer producer locally (for the last 2 years) so that he could get replacement females with better milk, mothering and temperament.

Here are the calf pictures. I can get some updated ones. They kept all the females and are very pleased. The bull was silver.

[image]400[/image] [image]401[/image] [image]402[/image] [image]403[/image]
 

Latest posts

Top