Beginer advice

[wndwlkr]

Where in the process of setting up 80 acres in the UP of Mi near Marquette, been looking at Red Brangus,is the breed stable enough for this climate

 

[Sthrncwboy]

What do you mean by stable?

 

[A.J.]

Welcome! They can be adaptable, but I don't think that would be the ideal climate for them. What would be your plans with them? Im not sure if there would be a very strong market for them in your area. Any specific reason you are looking at red Brangus?

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Your about 100 miles east of me.

What's your target market?

 

[Sthrncwboy]

Where in the process of setting up 80 acres in the UP of Mi near Marquette, been looking at Red Brangus,is the breed stable enough for this climate

Do you mean is it a stable composite, like Brangus? No, Red Brangus Association promotes the fact that the percentages of Brahma vs Red Angus can vary a lot, They say that way, people can customize them to meet their needs, Northern breeders like your self would want one with a high RA percentage and not as much Br, where as a Florida breeder may want one with a high percentage Brahma and not as much RA. Where as Braford, Gerts and Brangus are stable composites, 5/8ths Angus, SH or Hereford and 3/8ths Brahma. The Red Brangus books are still wide open. Only thing allowed in the animal's pedigree are registered Brahma and Registered Red Angus, but percentage of each doesn't matter. I have 2 right now, and I am pleased with them. I breed them to a registered Brangus bull, so still get black calves. These are as docile and easy to handle as any Hereford or milk cow. Except those first few days after calving. Red Angus and Red Brangus are just as protective a new mother as the black ones are.

 

[Brute 23]

Most the composites with have some degree of variation. Buying close to your area should help maybe minimize that to you benefit.

We need a lot more Red Angus and Red Brangus people. Hope they work out.

 

[simme]

I suspect a person would need to travel a long distance from the UP to find any red brangus for sale.

 

[SBMF 2015]

Welcome.
I don't think any Bos Indicas influenced cattle would be ideal for your climate. Red angus would do well. If you're looking for larger frames, Fleckvieh or Salers could be good options and maintain red hides.

 

[50/50Farms]

Your about 100 miles east of me.

What's your target market?

What's the average acres to the cow/pair up there? 5 or 6?

 

[Sthrncwboy]

Just a thought. It is a lot easier to keep a bull warm than it is a herd of cows and calves. Red Brangus crosses very well on Hereford.. Another good one is Charolais. I have afrined that is breeding manager and AI tech for a large Charolais breeder. He has his own project, breeding Char x Red Brangus and Charbray x Red Angus. for replacement heifers. I have one of each, and these are excellent cows. Big ole orange cows that raise some scale mashing calves!

 

[greybeard]

Big ole orange cows that raise some scale mashing calves!

That's what chars usually do. The old cow killing char influenced calves is pretty much a thing of the past, even down south.
I did the Char/simm cow/calf thing and heifers that I wanted to keep, I bred with a Beefmaster bull to give them some heat tollerance, and better milking, and better foraging ability. Some chromed calves but mostly yellows.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

What's the average acres to the cow/pair up there? 5 or 6?

I graze from May thru November/December on round 3.5 acres a pair.

The reason I ask about your target market is your markets here are limited. If selling to the sale barn you need to be careful with your breed selection. Buyers up north here don't pay for certain types...

 

[Stickney94]

The reason I ask about your target market is your markets here are limited. If selling to the sale barn you need to be careful with your breed selection. Buyers up north here don't pay for certain types...

Listen to this and note their location.

Cattle can acclimate to their environment -- but Brangus on Lake Superior ? -- I think you would be better off with several other crosses or breeds.

 

[Sthrncwboy]

That's what chars usually do. The old cow killing char influenced calves is pretty much a thing of the past, even down south.
I did the Char/simm cow/calf thing and heifers that I wanted to keep, I bred with a Beefmaster bull to give them some heat tollerance, and better milking, and better foraging ability. Some chromed calves but mostly yellows.

I have always liked Charolais and the original red & white Simm cows. Bulls? Not so much. When I was a boy, several people around had Char x Simm cows, They looked like pale yellow Simms or Herefords. From what I remember they were as docile as any other, and had plenty of milk. No one had any calving problems, but everyone had Angus bulls, and a few used Hereford. I really have no reason to feel that way about Char or Simm bulls, I just grew up hearing the horror stories from the 70's,. when Char and Simm bulls killed off about half the Ng and Herf herds around here. But, the bulls I see at the Char breeders place over here., have a lot smaller heads than the ones I see in the pics in his office of their foundation bulls from the early 70's. And Simms are mostly Angus now, I guess. They sure have Angus heads anyway.

I bet you could almost see those BM calves out of the Simm X Char cows growing each day. Char x Simm cows would be an excellent choice for @wndwlkr way up there, and would cross well with Red Brangus.

 

[Charbrangus]

That's what chars usually do. The old cow killing char influenced calves is pretty much a thing of the past, even down south.
I did the Char/simm cow/calf thing and heifers that I wanted to keep, I bred with a Beefmaster bull to give them some heat tollerance, and better milking, and better foraging ability. Some chromed calves but mostly yellows.

My bull is 1/2 Char 1/2 Brangus. Get great calves breeding to angus and black baldy cows as well as brangus cows. I am in Florida, got Brahma to handle the heat.