Angus Seed Stock

[jduke]

Hello Everyone,
I'm hoping to find some more advise about choosing a breed and getting my cow / calf operation underway. I have about 120 acres of bermuda and wheat NW of Fort Worth, TX. This is fine cattle country and I want some really fine cows. When I say fine, I don't care necessarily about there pedigree directly. I care about there ability to flesh, grow, and grade. It this part of the US it seems that Angus cattle set the benchmark and are desired by our stockers / feeders.

Here is what I'm thinking.
Purchase bred / open heifers of know origin. These heifers would be an F1. Angus and X breed?. Maybe Maine Anjoe? Maybe a Angus Hybrid? I can then breed those to various purbred bulls to find what I and my customers like in a feeder calf and what grades well. In this scenario, I woudl need to go back and purchase replacement F1's from a grower. Right? I don't necessarily like the idea of this, but I guess it doesn't matter as long as I'm selling calves.

Ok, shoot holes in this! I probably should be raising goats, right?

 

[bandit80]

You need to match the type of cattle you run to your environment. If you are in Texas, I'm guessing you might want some Brahman in your bloodlines. Look at what everyone else in your area runs. That might give you a clue as to what works best. You could start with some Brangus hefiers, (3/8 Brahman, 5/8 angus) and breed them to a continental bull. Gelbvieh, Simmental, Charlois, Maine Anjou, Limosuin, etc. That should give you some good three way cross calved that are readily marketable. Then you can always purchase some brangus replacement females.

 

[Frankie]

Hello Everyone,
I'm hoping to find some more advise about choosing a breed and getting my cow / calf operation underway. I have about 120 acres of bermuda and wheat NW of Fort Worth, TX. This is fine cattle country and I want some really fine cows. When I say fine, I don't care necessarily about there pedigree directly. I care about there ability to flesh, grow, and grade. It this part of the US it seems that Angus cattle set the benchmark and are desired by our stockers / feeders.

Here is what I'm thinking.
Purchase bred / open heifers of know origin. These heifers would be an F1. Angus and X breed?. Maybe Maine Anjoe? Maybe a Angus Hybrid? I can then breed those to various purbred bulls to find what I and my customers like in a feeder calf and what grades well. In this scenario, I woudl need to go back and purchase replacement F1's from a grower. Right? I don't necessarily like the idea of this, but I guess it doesn't matter as long as I'm selling calves.

Ok, shoot holes in this! I probably should be raising goats, right?

I'd say unless you can find a source that will guarantee open heifers as breeders and/or one that will guarantee they're bred to calving ease bulls, you might be better off to buy young bred or open cows. Learning as you go can be an expensive lesson and starting with heifers can run the cost up even further. You at least know that a young cow with a calf at side is a breeder and has had at least one calf successfully.

 

[bigbull338]

since your here in texas.an you want some easy fleshing cows that can take the heat.id say go with beefmasters.

 

[Santas and Duhram Reds]

if you want uniformity in your herd, I would steer clear of beefmasters. Maybe some Santa Gertrudis or Brangus.

 

[Avalon]

I like your idea. Frankie's suggestion also sounds logical. Nonetheless, my preference would be to breed those Angus heifers to a low birthweight Sim-Angus bull. Preferably Black with a white face.

 

[greenwillowhereford II]

If you choose to use Brahman influence, why not run a Hereford bull on Brangus cows to produce the super baldie, or buy some super baldies for your base to breed to the terminal bull of your choice. Baldies are hard to beat about anywhere you go. As some have said, down south some Brahman influence can help.

 

[Brandonm22]

Since you are Northwest of Fort Worth......rather than South West, you can certainly go with the Angus Sim cross. I think I would rather go with Santa Gertrudis x Hereford cows then come back with the Angus; but yours won't be the only Angus cross herd around there.