Anyone seen a Brahman up north?

[Dave]

They just don't work well here on the north coast unless they are under a roof. With 36 degree days and wet all the time a cow needs some hair on its back. On the other hand when they do come through the sale they are way cheap. I have often thought I should find a barn to stick them into, buy them, and put a load together to ship south. It would just take a while to get a load, like 4 or 5 months.

 

[Taurus]

I seen LOTS of miniature zebus and zebu crosses at a local sale barn when they have exotic auction, probably 30ish head. They are very furry. Oh I forget about these Watusi cattle...sure they are not Brahman or Brahman cross but I was surprised to see two Watusi cows at that exotic auction.

 

[houstoncutter]

Trust me - NY weather is NOT the place for Brahman/influenced cattle.

Well said, and its a shame that people dont remember that the same could be said of straight bred English and Continental breeds have with the heat in the south!

 

[Stocker Steve]

Brahman can take cold but lack efficiency in the cold. The hair coat will even change. The Brahman is designed to give off heat. In the cold it must consume to many calories to be efficient. New born calves will often not even stand at anything below freezing.
I beleive Northern Rancher had some Brahman bulls in Canada for rodeo stock.

They even need a good loafing shed wind break here in the winter.

We run English cows w/o any kind of shed. Wooly herfs do the best.
Neighbor runs rodeo bulls, and they do like a loafing shed.

 

[Taurus]

Althrough I saw highlanders and yaks in Texas when I was visiting my father's cousins.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

Althrough I saw highlanders and yaks in Texas when I was visiting my father's cousins.

hobbist... most give no regard to the animal....

 

[Anonymous]

I know obummer lives up north and has some ear on him. Maybe he's part brimmer

 

[andybob]

Trust me - NY weather is NOT the place for Brahman/influenced cattle.

Well said, and its a shame that people dont remember that the same could be said of straight bred English and Continental breeds have with the heat in the south!

Trying to convince ranchers to match the genetics to the environment, then use a terminal bull to achieve the requiered market specifications, is like hitting your head against a brick wall! British cattle perform best intemperate climates, Celtic and some British in northern climates, and Indicus and Sanga in southern climates, some composites will cross climatic zones to some extent. These Bonsmara are coping with the Alberta conditions, but it is not the best environment for them the bull could however add to a crossbreeding program over Celtic breeds; http://sangacattle.webs.com/apps/photos ... id=8986914

 

[Taurus]

Althrough I saw highlanders and yaks in Texas when I was visiting my father's cousins.

hobbist... most give no regard to the animal....

The yaks I saw in Texas weren't on a hobby farm but a huge game farm. They weren't tame yaks.

 

[IluvABbeef]

Seen an ad in the cattle magazine some folks selling some Brahmans down in Irricana, AB (up for you). The ad was for "private treaty herd reduction sale."

 

[cathill]

I'm in SW Mo and they're fairly rare here. Most that do well are from generations raised here. I have 2, both are grade cows. I'm just a hobby breeder so I don't have the same focus as most of you. I have these cows because I just like the type so I understand the desire to find out if they would survive in more northern areas. I'm sort of in the middle with the weather. We don't get "as" cold as the northern states but it's still cold. Mine have some loafing sheds at the barn to get out of the wind and they can bed down where it's not wet. They also have the horses and they all tend to stock close together then. We get pretty hot weather too, with humidity. Not for as long or as bad as the deep south but hot.

One of my cows, a heifer with her first calf born a week ago, looks American Brahman. She's grey and her coat is near white in summer and thickens up a lot in the winter and it's darker grey. The other cow is a 5 yr old. She was born and raised in the area and I recently bought her. She's got a lot more ear and thinner skin. She looks more exotic, like the Indo-Brazilian type.

I'm pretty sure that when there are several generations of cattle bred and raised in an area, they eventually acclimate. Those first years would be tough but so would the survivors.

 

[Boss Cowman]

I have seen em when it's -20 and it's not pretty. Seen em lay down and die.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

I have seen em when it's -20 and it's not pretty. Seen em lay down and die.

maybe ....but their not completely t weak,,, when i had em.. i had one walk out on a low place in feb. that was iced over... she slipped and broke through, got soaked and she just layed there till i got her out... with all the excitement she wouldnt allow me to fool with her anymore or cooperate.. it was suppose to be 10 degrees that night with the windchill below zero i put feed and hay in front of her but she sttod there all night long outside,, figured she be a cowsickle the next morning but she was there shaking like a dog shtting peach seeds

 

[TexasBred]

Althrough I saw highlanders and yaks in Texas when I was visiting my father's cousins.

hobbist... most give no regard to the animal....

The yaks I saw in Texas weren't on a hobby farm but a huge game farm. They weren't tame yaks.

That would be a rich city dwellers tax write off. ;-)

 

[Taurus]

The yaks I saw in Texas weren't on a hobby farm but a huge game farm. They weren't tame yaks.

That would be a rich city dwellers tax write off. ;-)

I never understand why it is fun to shoot at an exotic animal.

 

[TexasBred]

The yaks I saw in Texas weren't on a hobby farm but a huge game farm. They weren't tame yaks.

That would be a rich city dwellers tax write off. ;-)

I never understand why it is fun to shoot at an exotic animal.

What's exotic about a yak?? Many of these places never shoot anything. The sell a few deer to other operators to make it "legitimate looking" and enjoy the write off. Hundreds of them in this area and have driven land prices thru the roof.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

one tale tale sign of a hobbist... they aint got a dam clue what stocking rate means :lol:

 

[Texas Gal]

one tale tale sign of a hobbist... they aint got a dam clue what stocking rate means :lol:

Damn skippy. My new neighbor has a 4 acres spread. We noticed last weekend that he just bought 5 weaning age Longhorn heifers and a bull calf, too. Bless his heart, he must have drank the koolaid and became a "breeder". Granted they are knee deep in ryegrass right now, but the pickings will be slim soon on just 4 acres that includes a house w/ a yard, carport and barn.

 

[angie1]

one tale tale sign of a hobbist... they aint got a dam clue what stocking rate means :lol:

be nice skippy. My new neighbor has a 4 acres spread. We noticed last weekend that he just bought 5 weaning age Longhorn heifers and a bull calf, too.

From what I have read on here longhorns will thrive on nothing, and a BCS of 2-3 is not only acceptable ~ its the norm.

A hobbiest is someone who buys something simply because it is unusual. No thought is given to environmental factors. In my opinion, its not just stupid, its also mean.

To answer the original question, I see very few brahman or brahman influenced cattle in Mn.

 

[Taurus]

I'm in SW Mo and they're fairly rare here. Most that do well are from generations raised here. I have 2, both are grade cows. I'm just a hobby breeder so I don't have the same focus as most of you. I have these cows because I just like the type so I understand the desire to find out if they would survive in more northern areas. I'm sort of in the middle with the weather. We don't get "as" cold as the northern states but it's still cold. Mine have some loafing sheds at the barn to get out of the wind and they can bed down where it's not wet. They also have the horses and they all tend to stock close together then. We get pretty hot weather too, with humidity. Not for as long or as bad as the deep south but hot.

One of my cows, a heifer with her first calf born a week ago, looks American Brahman. She's grey and her coat is near white in summer and thickens up a lot in the winter and it's darker grey. The other cow is a 5 yr old. She was born and raised in the area and I recently bought her. She's got a lot more ear and thinner skin. She looks more exotic, like the Indo-Brazilian type.

I'm pretty sure that when there are several generations of cattle bred and raised in an area, they eventually acclimate. Those first years would be tough but so would the survivors.

That explained why most local-bred zebus I seen have shorter ears and thicker fur than their southern relatives.