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Anonymous
The meanest bull I have ever seen was a hereford. My son raised brahman cattle ror a while but none as meen as that one herford. Don't know why he got that way, he just got mean all at once.
Bad temper questions...angus vrs herefords ?
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I'm running a mix of mostly red and black Angus. I do bread Herefords in every few years. I do feel that the Herefords are a bit calmer and easier to work around. We mob graze so one of the keys is to be around your heard a lot. I do cull anything that has to bad of an attitude. I do feel that attitude is an important trait but so much is to much for us.
Once my cows have eaten down a field part way the only thing they want with you is a fresh field even if they still have plenty of grazing to do. If there in a fresh field you can walk through and about half of them will raise up there heads and part will want there heads rubbed.
I do feel that a good part of the cattle's temper is the owner. We are always calm around our cattle and never cuss and scream around them. I do know a rancher down the road that complains about his cows a lot and every time I help him with something he cusses and screams so he rubbed right on to his kids (cows).
Once my cows have eaten down a field part way the only thing they want with you is a fresh field even if they still have plenty of grazing to do. If there in a fresh field you can walk through and about half of them will raise up there heads and part will want there heads rubbed.
I do feel that a good part of the cattle's temper is the owner. We are always calm around our cattle and never cuss and scream around them. I do know a rancher down the road that complains about his cows a lot and every time I help him with something he cusses and screams so he rubbed right on to his kids (cows).
greenwillowhereford II
Well-known member
KMacGinley":3a1t7rlk said:I defer to the hereford mafia
Awww...I'm willing to admit that in many parts of the country, blacks outsell herfs, that the average Angus cow milks heavier than the average herf, and even that they are less likely to get pinkeye. Can't we have a few areas that we have an advantage without being begrudged of it?
greenwillowhereford II":15lv6401 said:KMacGinley":15lv6401 said:I defer to the hereford mafia
Awww...I'm willing to admit that in many parts of the country, blacks outsell herfs, that the average Angus cow milks heavier than the average herf, and even that they are less likely to get pinkeye. Can't we have a few areas that we have an advantage without being begrudged of it?
Greenwillow... I guess docility is just about it then... ;-)
spinandslide
Well-known member
Victoria":1jus99dv said:
You took the words out of my mouth dun.
Can't help but think of one of my Red Angus cows last year. She is one of our friendliest. She went through an infection in her leg and after 40 needles and having the bone scraped she still follows her bucket down the chute quietly. I can pat her, she comes when she is called. When I went away for 4 days she came to meet my vehicle when I came back. If that isn't a pet cow I don't know what is. So Mom and I are out weighing her calf last year and afterwards we are just kind of hanging around patting him and patting ourselves on the back. We were pretty happy the little guy made it after the stress of her leg. The cow just stood there proudly chewing her cud, couldn't care less that we had her calf. Then the cat came to join us. He came within ten feet she snorted and thankfully for him she just gave him a toss instead of killing him. Had my nepehew come down (16) and he had to stay on the other side of the fence. Don't tell me a coyote will get her calf.
That is one thing I have noticed about most of the Red Angus, they like their people but not much else.[/quote]
See Victoria, this is what I dont get..and Im kinda new to this whole cattle thing, thought Ive had alot of good guidance from experienced folks, both on this board and in person.
If my horses can tell the difference between me and a predator, why cant my cow? If a mare comes after me if I go to handle her foal, she is outta here, I wont have it. My old mare this year had some issues with her foal, he ended up getting stuck in a puddle and we spent a whole morning milking her and feeding him and rubbing him down til he could stand and nurse on his own. That mare was a champ, as she always is and didnt flinch. But I know she'd protect him from a yote, she even got between him and our dogs.
I guess mabey it comes down to one on one time? Horses are more of a hobby, they have more one on one contact with their caretakers, while many cattle are "range" cattle and see very little human contact, so are more inclined to be wary of them? Opposite those cattle owners who have small herds or loads of time and familarize themselves with their herds?
Granted, strange people should make livestock wary, but the "normal" people they are used to seeing and getting cared for by should be no cause for alarm? :???:
alacattleman
Well-known member
from a unbaised of herf' or angus....i like both.the herfs are more docile and "easy as he%! keeper's"greenwillowhereford II":2surbsiw said:KMacGinley":2surbsiw said:I defer to the hereford mafia
Awww...I'm willing to admit that in many parts of the country, blacks outsell herfs, that the average Angus cow milks heavier than the average herf, and even that they are less likely to get pinkeye. Can't we have a few areas that we have an advantage without being begrudged of it?
I luv herfrds
Well-known member
SpinandSlide animals of all kinds are just plain crazy.
Know just what you are talking about.
Like I told about that old cow, she could have kicked my head off at anytime, but she didn't. Now this isn't one of our "pet" cows.
Had a premie calf that needed help to stand to nurse. Cow was so busy trying to mother her that I had to put her in the head catch, sat on a five gallon bucket, calf was on my lap and I held her while she nursed. This cow could have kicked me out the pen at any time, but didn't.
Now I am not saying all of ours are as nice as this, had one this spring that tried to take my husband several times. Took the .357 to the barn with us to tag the calf because this cow was so nasty. She went down the road this fall. Another nasty one went with her.
Know just what you are talking about.
Like I told about that old cow, she could have kicked my head off at anytime, but she didn't. Now this isn't one of our "pet" cows.
Had a premie calf that needed help to stand to nurse. Cow was so busy trying to mother her that I had to put her in the head catch, sat on a five gallon bucket, calf was on my lap and I held her while she nursed. This cow could have kicked me out the pen at any time, but didn't.
Now I am not saying all of ours are as nice as this, had one this spring that tried to take my husband several times. Took the .357 to the barn with us to tag the calf because this cow was so nasty. She went down the road this fall. Another nasty one went with her.
greenwillowhereford II
Well-known member
Limomike":1xhad2v7 said:greenwillowhereford II":1xhad2v7 said:KMacGinley":1xhad2v7 said:I defer to the hereford mafia
Awww...I'm willing to admit that in many parts of the country, blacks outsell herfs, that the average Angus cow milks heavier than the average herf, and even that they are less likely to get pinkeye. Can't we have a few areas that we have an advantage without being begrudged of it?
Greenwillow... I guess docility is just about it then... ;-)
Don't forget efficiency that is nearly unrivaled, and beef quality as good as any.
Northern Rancher
Well-known member
We run Angus and Hereford cattle-the main reason a baldie is better than her parent breeds is the Hereford mellows out some of the Angus and the Angus perks up some of the Hereford dullness. I work in a stockyards -we handle 2500-3500 calves a week-we presort and weigh all of them. As for temperament-simm and charX are by far the worse-blacks would be next and Herefords are by far the easiest. I think the industry underestimates the cost that hard to handle cattle put on everybody-on average I'd say a semiload of exotic cross calves takes 25% longer to grade and weigh than a load of British cross-not to mention the extra shrink and bruising etc they cause. We run a bunch of rodeo cows as well-they are wild but if you know your stuff you can handle them. The Angus industry has used a couple bulls that threw terrible dispositions-we had about 100 daughters off one of them-they are all gone now-we calve on grass but they were too flighty to make good mothers even out there. My kids deserved the Order of Canada for pen calving them the first year lol.
Alberta farmer
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Northern rancher: I'm about like you...run a mix of mostly cross herford/angus. I don't have a lot of problems with snaky cows. If a heifer calf is a little high strung she never gets a chance to breed in the first place.
Sure can agree with you on the Simms and chars! Might add Salers and Limos?
One thing I have noticed over the years of backgrounding cattle is the darned Angus calves usually like to try to kick you when you walk by? They seem to kick worse than any other calves! Have you noticed this trait in Angus cattle at the auction barn?
In regards to cows I don't want to be messing with any cow with a new baby, if possible. Give her some room and time and most of them calm down in a couple of days? If I have to help a cow feed her calf or just about anything...she becomes a prime candidate for a trip to town!
Sure can agree with you on the Simms and chars! Might add Salers and Limos?
One thing I have noticed over the years of backgrounding cattle is the darned Angus calves usually like to try to kick you when you walk by? They seem to kick worse than any other calves! Have you noticed this trait in Angus cattle at the auction barn?
In regards to cows I don't want to be messing with any cow with a new baby, if possible. Give her some room and time and most of them calm down in a couple of days? If I have to help a cow feed her calf or just about anything...she becomes a prime candidate for a trip to town!
greenwillowhereford II
Well-known member
If you're going to be in the purebred industry and record birthweights, it's going to be a lot easier to be able to weigh the calf without getting mauled.
KMacGinley
Well-known member
Alberta farmer":1vdq8mis said:
They do Kick... I will grant you that.
greenwillowhereford II":s9v87xfd said:
We don't have any problem weighing our Angus calves at birth. Apparently we're not alone because there are lots of BWs reported to the Angus Assn every year.
Temple Grandin uses "angus" as the standard for feedlot disposition. I'm not sure if that's true Angus or just black animals. But she says "angus" are average in disposition and everything else is better or worse. She talked about how quickly Hereford steers brought into the feedlot calmed down and started eating and about a Limi show heifer that smashed her head, trying to get out. I think you'll find good and bad dispositions in most breeds. Our cattle are calm. We walk among them most days. Some of them will let me touch or scratch them, most won't. For the most part, calves pick up their dam's disposition.
greenwillowhereford II
Well-known member
Frankie":1v9d4aeq said:
We don't have any problem weighing our Angus calves at birth. Apparently we're not alone because there are lots of BWs reported to the Angus Assn every year.
Temple Grandin uses "angus" as the standard for feedlot disposition. I'm not sure if that's true Angus or just black animals. But she says "angus" are average in disposition and everything else is better or worse. She talked about how quickly Hereford steers brought into the feedlot calmed down and started eating and about a Limi show heifer that smashed her head, trying to get out. I think you'll find good and bad dispositions in most breeds. Our cattle are calm. We walk among them most days. Some of them will let me touch or scratch them, most won't. For the most part, calves pick up their dam's disposition.[/quot
I'd not disagree with you, and wasn't pointing out any breed in particular, just that if you are going to be handling them, regardless of breed, it will be much easier with calmer animals.
I will say that we have two steers preparing for a two fold purpose right now. The boys plan to show them, and then we intend to butcher them. One is a purebred Hereford steer of Star Lake breeding which we purchased from Flying G. The other is a Herf/Char cross sired by a bull I sold. The straight herf has been much easier to break to the halter, and just to handle in general. The Char cross is not that bad, and he's a nice calf, and I really like this cross, but there is a difference in this case.
We've always had Angus and there have been some mean ones...but there have also been the sweetest cows I have ever encountered among the herd...I've always heard that Hereford were more even tempered but we only have one, my sister's and she hates me but loves my sister! She'll bunt me a good one any chance she gets.
spinandslide
Well-known member
I luv herfrds":19n5z3bv said:
Like I said, they have to know..cows are not the brightest animals, but not that stupid? Now, like you stated, some animals are downright nasty, even IF they know you.
But Id expect after Id fed said animal and they knew the good stuff came from me, they''d mind their P's and Q's..or they'd be down the road
TexasBred
Well-known member
I think some of it has to do with environment as well. This doesn't involve herfords or angus, but I raised a hundred holstein/brahman cross heifers on bottles on time, calved them all out and milked them. They had been raised as holsteins, handled like holsteins and pretty much acted like holsteins. Very docile. Just didn't give as much milk at peak but didn't fall off as much in production in the heat either. After 2 lactations and the udder begin to break down a little I'd calve them out one more time, haul them to the sell and they'd bring $1,000 instead of $400 like the holsteins.
