Beef breeds from Dual Purpose Cattle

[usernametaken]

I find I am attracted to the breeds that were once dual purpose - both meat and milk - and tend to still be heavier milkers than a straight beef breed. Don't know why, just am.

I am wondering do any of you have any experiences or stories to share of why these types of breeds might be a good choice or a not so good choice ?

Thanks,
Melissa

 

[3waycross]

Shorthorns still hard to beat.

 

[Mr. Greenjeans]

Gelbvieh

 

[usernametaken]

I find I am attracted to the breeds that were once dual purpose - both meat and milk - and tend to still be heavier milkers than a straight beef breed. Don't know why, just am.

I am wondering do any of you have any experiences or stories to share of why these types of breeds might be a good choice or a not so good choice ?

Thanks,
Melissa

Maybe I should try again :lol:
Thanks for the breed names but that's not exactly what I am looking for. What I am wondering is if there is a reason I don't know about that one might be better off to stick with strictly beef breeds ( say Angus, Hereford, Charolais ) rather than a beef with a more recent past history of being dual purpose if you are not interested in milking.
OR
To say it another way:
If my purpose in mind were dairy I would not want to buy a former dairy/now beef animal I don't think. If my purpose is beef is there a pitfall I'm not seeing in buying a former dairy/now beef breed .

 

[EAT BEEF]

More milk isn't free, w/inputs what they are I would think you would want to keep milk at a reasonable level for your enviroment.Some may disagree but harder milking cows are often harder doing even when they aren't milking.I fell your best bet would be british based cows or an f1 in some areas.Then breed these cows to a simmy, gelbvieh or something.jmo

 

[KNERSIE]

More milk isn't free, w/inputs what they are I would think you would want to keep milk at a reasonable level for your enviroment.Some may disagree but harder milking cows are often harder doing even when they aren't milking.I fell your best bet would be british based cows or an f1 in some areas.Then breed these cows to a simmy, gelbvieh or something.jmo

I agree with this, another thing to consider is that muscle and milk are two antagonistic traits, although it is possible to have both, in the majority of the cases you give back from one that you gain from the other. You need to find the middle ground and that can be done in all the British beef breeds and most of the continental breeds.

 

[Australian Cattleman]

I breed South Devon cattle which was classed as dual purpose. Its only ever been a beef breed here in Australia. Thankfully breeders here in Australia now have very few dairy types. All the bulls that I retain have good rounded hindquarters full of meat.Some early breeders of the South Devon unfortunately used dairy cattle to grade up to pure. A big mistake because some of these bloodlines still to this day,show an amount of dairyness. The South Devon is a superb milking animal with a wonderful temperament,they add a nice British softness when crossed with other breeds, especially Euro breeds.The Red Poll was classed as a dual purpose breed. In early days they were used as dairy animals here in Australia by some breeders. Thats my two cents worth.
Colin

 

[ANAZAZI]

DUAL PURPOSE RULES! When Swedish red, wich is dual purpose,but still ranks second in the world for milk, were tested on MARC, the cross outgrowed the angus and as mothercows they excelled even more. And when braunwieh were introduced in north america it was superior in most carcass traits including marbling. And piedmontese, another favourite of mine were classed as dairy until the late seventies. Tarentaise and gelbvieh, same story.
One can not help wondering what pure beef breeds were doing while some dairy breeds made equal progress at the same time as they were selecting intensely for milk?

 

[usernametaken]

DUAL PURPOSE RULES! When Swedish red, wich is dual purpose,but still ranks second in the world for milk, were tested on MARC, the cross outgrowed the angus and as mothercows they excelled even more. And when braunwieh were introduced in north america it was superior in most carcass traits including marbling. And piedmontese, another favourite of mine were classed as dairy until the late seventies. Tarentaise and gelbvieh, same story.
One can not help wondering what pure beef breeds were doing while some dairy breeds made equal progress at the same time as they were selecting intensely for milk?

What do you find on the feed efficiency of the cows, Anazazi ? Can they make it on grass or do they have to have some grain. Do they need more grass/hay than a straight beef breed ? And if so, is it significant amounts ? Got to admit this was one aspect ( feed efficiency) I had not thought of. Thanks to you guys for bringing it to my attention.

 

[ANAZAZI]

They are feed efficient per kg red meat produced, but perhaps not measured some other way, as fat is important here and there.
The breeds I have mentioned do not need grain as adults, but show great growth increase with grain as young due to more genetic capacity than hereford or angus when it comes to growth.

 

[glover36]

Weh have milking shorthorns and had a 2 yearold steer dress out a month ago at 370 a side

 

[greenwillowhereford II]

They are feed efficient per kg red meat produced, but perhaps not measured some other way, as fat is important here and there.
The breeds I have mentioned do not need grain as adults, but show great growth increase with grain as young due to more genetic capacity than hereford or angus when it comes to growth.

That's quite a blanket statement considering there is such a vast range of genetics available in Hereford (and Angus) packages. If you choose Canadian bloodlines, which may well have cows in the 1600-2000# range, there is a tremendous genetic potential for growth. Remitall has advertised Herefords with weaning weights as high as 1070#. Personally, I'm not even trying to shoot for that much weaning weight, but I have owned a herd sire with an adjusted 205 day weight of 804# without creep.

Sorry for hijacking the thread.

 

[ANAZAZI]

My hat comes off for greenwillow and remitall.
It is not my interest to kick some other breed either, however, it is better to ask for forgiving than to ask for permission.

 

[gunnar]

They are feed efficient per kg red meat produced, but perhaps not measured some other way, as fat is important here and there.
The breeds I have mentioned do not need grain as adults, but show great growth increase with grain as young due to more genetic capacity than hereford or angus when it comes to growth.

That's quite a blanket statement ....

It's plain silly. :roll:

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

Nothing wrong with a good dual purpose breed. While milk and muscle are often antagonistic, the idea of a true dual purpose animal is to increase milk WHILE maintaining/increasing muscle and maintaining feeding efficiency. I know many dual purpose breeders who have been selecting the "curve benders" and have hellish good cattle that anybody would be proud to own.

Having said all this, you can find many good milking cows in the pure beef breeds as well, so its certainly nothing I'd get myself all hung up on. Pick your breed and find some good stock. They exist in virtually every breed.

Rod

 

[Jovid]

I guess that is one reason we like our Red Polls. Because they used to be a dual purpose breed the cows produce plenty of milk to raise and wean nice beefy calf.

 

[paul swisher]

I cannot believe no one has mentioned Pinzgauer. It is highly regarded both as a milk and beef in its native Austria. Because of its size and frame when it was imported into the US is was classed as beef. The MARC thought so much of it that approx 70% of it research cow heard are MARC III composites (25% angus, 25% herford, 25% red pol and 25% pinzgauer) Their beef has been rated more tender than angus and other beef breeds (Journal of Animal Science) They have been DNA tenderness tested 86% 2 stars or better compared to 76% for angus. The only fault anyone can find is they will retain their white stripe and tail can't make them solid black.

 

[spoon]

The only fault anyone can find is they will retain their white stripe and tail can't make them solid black.

I see no fault with the stripe. I kinda like it.

 

[andybob]

The North Devon is a good ex-dual purpose breed, I believe it is still represented as a dual purpose in the USA. I have used them in crossbreeding programs, as well as pure the last time I stayed in England. http://www.redrubydevon.co.uk/index.htm

 

[Busterz]

Normandes are another dual purpose I've seen that I like.

Maybe they look good because they are just well rounded cattle.

I like a lot of Shorthorns and Braunviehs I've seen lately but I don't know if they are truly dual purpose, Milking Shorthorns and Brown Swiss have been seperate breeds for quite awhile.

Also, I think there are just some good breeds of cattle that were sort of forgotten about that for whatever reason didn't gain acceptance.

Why are Braunviehs just now coming around? Why did the Shorthorns fall out of favor? Whats wrong with a White Park or a Red Poll?