Angus, RED or Black

Help Support CattleToday:

A

Anonymous

Everyone is hung up on Angus and Black hides, Has every one forgotten that there is a Red Angus , so whats it with the color deal. Seems to me like that truly the hide color in angus cattle is like the French,IRRELEVENT.If you buy certified Angus beef, is it Red or Black. if its red, I bet you money that the buyers paid less for the RED calves than the black. Is all Angus the chosen breed or just the Black Angus and if so why not the Red Angus???Just my opinion , and the way I see it.

[email protected]
 
The initial criterion for CAB is a 51% black hide. It was started at the time when the only blacks to speak of were Angus. After the initial sort, they are graded and must meet a minimum level for marbling, yield, youthfulness, etc.

Some other ************* beef programs allow both red and black Angus, but not all others. Many also use the black hide as the initial selection for Angus genetics.

A check on the USDA info for branded programs in the U.S. shows (last I checked) some 50 branded beef programs, and only 2/3 breeds specifically mentioned 2 if you lump red and black Angus togther, 3 if you seperate them. The other breed is Hereford. Some of the programs are not breed specific, but the vast majority of them are black Angus based.

Jason Trowbridge Southern Angus Farms Alberta Canada

[email protected]
 
When the meat is under "shrink-wrap" at the supermarket meat counter, does anyone know what color the critter was on the hoof or what breed it was? Probably not! I've never seen any meat at the meat counter that specified what breed or color the animal was. Just "food" for thought!
 
If you've seen Certified Angus Beef (CAB) in the meat counter, you've seen meat that specified the animal must be 51% black. If you've seen Premium Gold Angus (PGA), you've seen beef that requires either color Angus genetics. Nolan Ryan's branded beef is Beefmaster based. It may not say that on the label, but to receive the label, it has to meet the specifications.

When the meat is under
> "shrink-wrap" at the
> supermarket meat counter, does
> anyone know what color the critter
> was on the hoof or what breed it
> was? Probably not! I've never seen
> any meat at the meat counter that
> specified what breed or color the
> animal was. Just "food"
> for thought!
 
Also there is Certified Hereford beef. I wonder why there is no certified Longhorn beef? But then if they labeled it that way you'd never get rid of it.

[email protected]
 
> Also there is Certified Hereford
> beef. I wonder why there is no
> certified Longhorn beef? But then
> if they labeled it that way you'd
> never get rid of it.

Although there is no 'Certified Longhorn Beef' there are many places that successfully sell Texas Longhorn Beef: J&R Farms, <A HREF="http://www.texaslonghornleanmeat.com" TARGET="_blank">www.texaslonghornleanmeat.com</A> Sierra Steaks Co., <A HREF="http://www.sierrasteaks.tv" TARGET="_blank">www.sierrasteaks.tv</A> YO Ranch Steakhouse in Dallas Longhorns Head 2 Tail Lean Beef, <A HREF="http://www.head2tail.com" TARGET="_blank">www.head2tail.com</A>

Just to name a few



[email protected]
 
> Although there is no 'Certified
> Longhorn Beef' there are many
> places that successfully sell
> Texas Longhorn Beef: J&R Farms,
> <A HREF="http://www.texaslonghornleanmeat.com" TARGET="_blank">www.texaslonghornleanmeat.com</A>
> Sierra Steaks Co.,
> <A HREF="http://www.sierrasteaks.tv" TARGET="_blank">www.sierrasteaks.tv</A> YO Ranch
> Steakhouse in Dallas Longhorns
> Head 2 Tail Lean Beef,
> <A HREF="http://www.head2tail.com" TARGET="_blank">www.head2tail.com</A> Just to name a
> few

Frankly, I'm a bit surprised that the Longhorn raisers haven't pooled their resources and tried to develope a killing and marketing co-op to market their young "cull" animals, for example trying to sell "super lean" beef to Whole Foods Market or some of the other stores that supposedly sell to the severely health conscious folks (or maybe they have ??) There is probably a decent sized niche market to be captured.
 
The Nolan Ryan Certified Tender Aged Beef is a Beefmaster BREED based program. The program does not select on color, it selects for breed characteristics, EX. conformation, muscle, some ear influence, etc. This program does not accept on color for the very reason that it does not want to limit itself in the industry. CAB is based on color, but you tell me if they care about breed character when a black exotic x american influenced, black steer comes through and meets the specs. I don't think so. So the answer to your question is yes, a black Beefmaster bull can be used to produce Nolan Ryan certified beef. And a bonus is that if the calves are black, they will qualify for CAB too. Not too shabby if you ask me.
 
The requirements for CAB and Nolan Ryan are quite different. CAB is looking for Average Choice or better. Nolan Ryan wants the Select grade. An animal can't qualify as both. And CAB limits Brahman influence by the size of the hump on the animal. So some Beefmasters would work, but some won't. I heard a rep from Nolan Ryan speak last year and he says they will use any animal of any breed if it meets their specs. They are working on building a supply chain to eventually use only Beefmasters, but they aren't there yet (or they weren't last year).

> The Nolan Ryan Certified Tender
> Aged Beef is a Beefmaster BREED
> based program. The program does
> not select on color, it selects
> for breed characteristics, EX.
> conformation, muscle, some ear
> influence, etc. This program does
> not accept on color for the very
> reason that it does not want to
> limit itself in the industry. CAB
> is based on color, but you tell me
> if they care about breed character
> when a black exotic x american
> influenced, black steer comes
> through and meets the specs. I
> don't think so. So the answer to
> your question is yes, a black
> Beefmaster bull can be used to
> produce Nolan Ryan certified beef.
> And a bonus is that if the calves
> are black, they will qualify for
> CAB too. Not too shabby if you ask
> me.
 
At least Nolan Ryan is trending toward using a certain breed in thier beef program........funny, isn't it, given that Nolan Ryan doesn't use the name of a breed in thier brand name.
 
Actually any eared cattle are disqualifyed from CAB, not just the hump Frankie mentioned. Also the specs say the animal has to appear to be typical Angus in its apperance. If any exotics are being examined for CAB that is a failure on the plant operator's part for mis identifying the cattle as to breed type.

CAB is the world's most successful branded beef program and is designed to give consumers a consistant product. It is more likely to be an enjoyable eating experience each and every time than if you just went out and bought generic choice graded beef. Of course for those that want a leaner piece of beef, the Nolan Ryan line might be what they look for each time so they get the same eating experience each time as well.

The jealousy over the success of CAB and the efforts by some to malign it are proof of it's effectiveness. Being number 1 makes you a target for everyone else to try to knock off.

Jason Trowbridge Southern Angus Farms Alberta Canada

[email protected]
 
You have a good handle on this type of thing, so tell us the percentage of non Angus that go through the CAB program?

It is very convienent to blame the packers. With such a powerful breed and association, why don't you just verify the cattle you sell are angus, instead of all the other breeds that go through the program. If I raised angus, I would not enjoy people buying simmental, limousin, gelbvieh, and a host of others as angus. Doesn't that bother you?

Oh well, no big deal if you are selling bulls instead of beef.
 
Okay, let's get something straight. I have a very good friend who was a USDA meat inspector/grader at a plant for many years. He said the whole criteria for enrolling in the CAB program is that a hoof, horn, or muzzle had to be black and it was accepted as 51%. As long as they met the specs they were CAB. This included Americans and Exotics. I tend to take an actual person on the kill floor a little more seriously than the Angus retoric. I'm not saying that it is a big conspiracy or anything, but look at it from the plant managers standpoint. He can make more money by making the CAB program with the carcasses. And no one, I mean no one can tell me they can tell one breed from another once the hide is off. One thing all cattle have in common is that they are all red underneath.
 
The beauty of the CAB program is that no one has to verify the percentage of non-Angus that go through the CAB program. The Angus Association spent a lot of money (and times were lean for them back then) getting the packers to implement CAB. If they had to actually identify Angus influenced cattle, the packers might never have bought the program. The program was started when USDA lowered the grading standards 30-odd years ago. Continental cattle just didn't produce the same quality beef as Angus cattle. So the Angus Assn. started CAB as an alternative for consumers to continue to buy high quality beef. As more consumers were willing to pay a premium for the higher quality beef, cattle producers started buying Angus bulls to make calves that would grade CAB. The CAB program adds dollars to the value of an Angus bull. Does it bother me that other breeds have cashed in on CAB? It used to, but producers are starting to see that Angus does it better. Anyone serious about producing high quality beef knows using an Angus bull with good EPDs is the quickest way to do it.

> You have a good handle on this
> type of thing, so tell us the
> percentage of non Angus that go
> through the CAB program?

> It is very convienent to blame the
> packers. With such a powerful
> breed and association, why don't
> you just verify the cattle you
> sell are angus, instead of all the
> other breeds that go through the
> program. If I raised angus, I
> would not enjoy people buying
> simmental, limousin, gelbvieh, and
> a host of others as angus. Doesn't
> that bother you?

> Oh well, no big deal if you are
> selling bulls instead of beef.
 
I think that Italians breeds will make well in the Nolan Ryan's program

> The requirements for CAB and Nolan
> Ryan are quite different. CAB is
> looking for Average Choice or
> better. Nolan Ryan wants the
> Select grade. An animal can't
> qualify as both. And CAB limits
> Brahman influence by the size of
> the hump on the animal. So some
> Beefmasters would work, but some
> won't. I heard a rep from Nolan
> Ryan speak last year and he says
> they will use any animal of any
> breed if it meets their specs.
> They are working on building a
> supply chain to eventually use
> only Beefmasters, but they aren't
> there yet (or they weren't last
> year).



[email protected]
 
The secret to CAB success is the consistant quality of the meat. Since CAB was sponsered and Paid for by Black Angus Breeders it requires a predominantly black hide. This was done to promote the use of black angus seedstock and black cattle were mostly angus heritage. If your animals do not meet the requirements of CAB find the grid that rewards you for your animals traits. How many of you know what your animals grade at the slaughter house?

pat

> Okay, let's get something
> straight. I have a very good
> friend who was a USDA meat
> inspector/grader at a plant for
> many years. He said the whole
> criteria for enrolling in the CAB
> program is that a hoof, horn, or
> muzzle had to be black and it was
> accepted as 51%. As long as they
> met the specs they were CAB. This
> included Americans and Exotics. I
> tend to take an actual person on
> the kill floor a little more
> seriously than the Angus retoric.
> I'm not saying that it is a big
> conspiracy or anything, but look
> at it from the plant managers
> standpoint. He can make more money
> by making the CAB program with the
> carcasses. And no one, I mean no
> one can tell me they can tell one
> breed from another once the hide
> is off. One thing all cattle have
> in common is that they are all red
> underneath.
 
> The beauty of the CAB program is
> that no one has to verify the
> percentage of non-Angus that go
> through the CAB program.

Sure gotta hand it to you guys. It is great marketing to make people think that there is something better about beef from an Angus and then not even have to use Angus. Use any breed you want. Too cool! The guys that thought up this deal must have been geniuses. Bet they are working for the packers now. Won't be long before we have beef labeled as being produced in the USA but in actual practice it will be able to be produced anywhere. Way Too Cool!
 

Latest posts

Top