Are different breeds still necessary?

[djinwa]

Been pondering a question for awhile so will just throw it out there.

I'm mostly a spectator here, and I see alot of debate over which breed to get. Does it really matter?

Seems the breeds are trying to become the same. The growth breeds are becoming more maternal and maternal breeds going for more growth. All going polled. Biggest factor discussed is the color, meaning the most important trait is blackness, which can now be found in nearly all breeds.

I've heard it said there is more difference within breeds than between breeds.

So are the different breeds still necessary? Can they all merge or is there good reason to have different associations?

 

[sim.-ang.king]

There are only two breeds.
Herefords
Not Herefords

 

[Son of Butch]

is there good reason to have different associations?

Without breed associations many of the minor breeds would have a higher probability of dying out completely.
Does it really matter?
To the vast majority, no.
But to the minority that own or admire any given minor breed, yes.

I can foresee in 40 years the rise of a commercial association which would devalue the services of many different
individual breed associations, but like cat, dog, horse and other breed registry associations mankind will always keep
them going in some manner.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

I hope that day never comes. There are so many small time niche breeders who truly love their animals no matter how commercially viable they are.

 

[Rafter S]

As long as we raise cattle in different environments we'll need different breeds.

 

[Anonymous]

:2cents: Are different breeds necessary ?
What i can tell you is what i heard packers association say years ago .mind you im kinda quotein from over 20 yr ago .
packers made statement they have had poultry where they wanted them for quit sometime hogs took a few years ,sheep we did that one overnight,cattle ,the only thing stopping us there is the independence of the American cattleman.BUT heed our warning our plan is in the next 30 to 50 yrs we will get the cattle industry where we need it!
like me and a neighbor were discussing a few yr ago ,said he went to a show one pen 5 different breeds .if you took all markings tags an such off those cattle mixed them up and sent the owners out to pick out there own cattle , well they would not have been able too .
its kinda like the machinery industry said dealers have choice they can either go after the biggest or the guy who plays on 5 to 500 acres or go the way of the mid sized farm .
how i know i used to work for deallers an such and got my hands on some magazines i wasnt supposed to have an got subscriptions but they check into that sort of thing closely my subscriptions didnt last long !Just long enough, so i dont feel sorry for any of them and you dont want to get me started about on line auctions yea they have that how they want it too. :2cents:

 

[Ebenezer]

More important than breeds, we need nearly separate lines/herds in the breeds. That is what makes breeds work: diversity.

 

[Muddy]

Different breeds AND different bloodlines are a necessary for us. We have different environments, different goals, different markets and different preference. Galloway cross cows work better for us and so are smaller framed red Angus cows. My neighbors is in a niche market and showing industry since they're raising Belgian Blues tho they do sell crossbred calves to the sale barns.

 

[Ky hills]

While I think that most of the heavier used breeds are going to be the prominent breeds in the foreseeable future, I still see some crossbreeding, and niche opportunities for breeds with smaller populations. Every breed has some strengths and weaknesses. and those can be utilized or improved upon in crossbreeding rotations.

 

[tdc_cattle]

Its important in cross breeding to know what you start with.

 

[tdc_cattle]

:you dont want to get me started about on line auctions yea they have that how they want it too. :2cents:

I love online auctions what's wrong with them

 

[Anonymous]

Online auctions well to start with there is a way you can pay a certian group of people to make sure you recieve at least bottom dollar on equip,an livestock basicly you pay them to watch and bid ,you set a bottom price what you are willing to give for something and pay a fee .if goes above your bid you pay the fee and come out with a small or large profit.if you have ever watched some dealers of equip they work together to ensure price is in there controll. its amazing how one puts a item up and it can be found on another lot for sell some where else then go back on auction after short stay there.but i didnt tell you that just my observation,livestock works this way also but not as to the same efect because you are dealling with live animals,

 

[Nesikep]

I think if we reduce the number of breeds and bloodlines, we're setting ourselves up for disaster in the long run... Some genes that may not be favorable now may be essential later.. the more diversity there is the better the chance of survival.

 

[tdc_cattle]

Online auctions well to start with there is a way you can pay a certian group of people to make sure you recieve at least bottom dollar on equip,an livestock basicly you pay them to watch and bid ,you set a bottom price what you are willing to give for something and pay a fee .if goes above your bid you pay the fee and come out with a small or large profit.if you have ever watched some dealers of equip they work together s,

I've bought quite a bit of equipment on online auctions. Auction Time is my preference but I've bought off of Purple Wave and Big Iron also. I like buying from dealerships, most of the stuff that I'm looking at is alittle older and been on the lot awhile, they are very honest about the condition of an item, their concern is moving inventory. I've felt like I've got some great deals. I can't prove that no one bid me up but that happens at auctions also.

I do know I've bid on some things that our local dealer had that never left the lot and showed up on the auction again at a later date. I was never the runner up bidder or I'd have called attention to it.

 

[cow pollinater]

:2cents: Are different breeds necessary ?
What i can tell you is what i heard packers association say years ago .mind you im kinda quotein from over 20 yr ago .
packers made statement they have had poultry where they wanted them for quit sometime hogs took a few years ,sheep we did that one overnight,cattle ,the only thing stopping us there is the independence of the American cattleman.BUT heed our warning our plan is in the next 30 to 50 yrs we will get the cattle industry where we need it!

The poultry and hog industries use big time heterosis. Sheep I know nothing about. In order to keep heterosis alive you have to maintain the parent genetics and that leads to the necessity of different breeds.
The industry standard calf according to most packers is 1/4 continental/3/4 english and somewhere around half angus. That leaves a lot of room for different breeds to keep the packers happy.

 

[Son of Butch]

The industry standard calf according to most packers is 1/4 continental/3/4 english and somewhere around half angus.

Angus x Hereford f1 cows with Angus x Gelbvieh bull or Angus x Limo bull or Angus x Simmental bull will do it
although Hereford x continental f1 cows with Angus bull would maximize heterosis.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Its all been said here already. Nothing to add about cattle breeds.

I've tried Dodge, Ford, and GMC. All have their flaws. I have had my favorites tho.

 

[Anonymous]

the last i talked to dairyman he said they were importing genetics from over seas to bring holstiens back up in genetic !last time i sold hogs yea been a lot of years but they only wanted hogs from a handfull of breeds, and as everyone here will argue that there breed is the best ! well thats what keeps the american cattleman so dang independent
i guess that why you see so many chicken and hog Ranchers!
you do realize who owns most the hogs in the U S A .if im wrong well im wrong there are some things i wished i was .
i sure wouldnt want to raise cattle under contract like they do hogs and think about it . it could be done in confinement with enough money or big enough loan from cow/calf all the way to packers gate ! !as we moved hogs indoors we had a lot more health problems an dealt with it ,same goes with chickens .
:2cents:

 

[Anonymous]

tdc_cattle dealer is not going to let equipment go for wholesale price .that is aginst there code.they would black ball any one who did ! you can still find good deals though i have few i watch closely but i know if i bid cheap and dont get it i know whos lot to look at !they arent big name new equip dealers but they have big name in used iron !

 

[djinwa]

Its all been said here already. Nothing to add about cattle breeds.

I've tried Dodge, Ford, and GMC. All have their flaws. I have had my favorites tho.

Dodge, Ford and GMC make their trucks different. What I'm talking about is what's the difference between a GMC and Chevy? Only the name. Same with all the breeds that are trying to become the same. And that's what seems like a lot of people are focused on is brand loyalty, or breed loyalty. Some need a Chevy name on their truck, and some will only have a GMC.

When someone asks a general question of what breed bull they should put on their cows, everyone throws out their favorite breed. But what did the breeder do with that breed? Which bull are you getting? They could be completely different than others of the breed.

I just read a cattleman elsewhere state the continental breeds were huge when they first came over, but now cows in the British breeds like Angus and Hereford are bigger than Charolais, Gelbvieh and Simmental.