best beefmaster cross?

[Massey135]

THERE IS AN EQUIVALENT IN ALL BREEDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PICK A BREED YOU LIKE AND FIND THE INDIVIDUAL WITHIN THE BREED THAT SPECIALIZES IN THE AREA YOU'RE TRYING TO FOCUS ON!!!!!! Nothing is more elementary than to see people suggest breeds in general with no regard to type. There are 5 frame charolais' and there are 7 frame angus. Don't tell me Charolais cows are too big. Whose Charolais Cows are too big? Mine or yours???

If your considering keeping replacements, I would select a bull thats epds suggest he is geared or specialized towards the maternal characteristics. Calving Ease, low Birthweight, average ww, average or below yw, moderate to high milk (although your beefmasters should have adequate milk), high maternal calving ease numbers, moderate to high docility, and so forth. Avoid any kind of high bw- high growth(above average) genetics as growth and maternal ability are antagonistic by nature and you cannot get one with out giving up some of the other. YOU CANT DO IT. You can afford to give up a little weaning weight in years you plan on retaining heifers. You CANNOT afford to give up any maternal quality.

First comment Yes very true but picking a certain breed can give you easier acess to the type your looking for.(Char growth, Angus carcass qualities, hereford rangy type cattle, shorthorns nice milkers etc etc) Notice i say type because i do agree the above is very true in regards to there is an equivelent within every breed.
Second comment Honestly one of the best ways i have seen this point put across in simple terms anyone can grasp. :clap:

Lon,
I hope you can see how the bolded comment applies to incorporating shorthorn genetics in your cowherd. The added maternal qualities of the shorthorn f1 female more than compensate for the docked cwt on a few roan steers.

 

[Limomike]

Limousin or Simm

 

[Lon]

Lon,
I hope you can see how the bolded comment applies to incorporating shorthorn genetics in your cowherd. The added maternal qualities of the shorthorn f1 female more than compensate for the docked cwt on a few roan steers.

Yes i can see as i have could always see the postive attributes that shorthorn genetics could bring to a cowherd if using ones bred for the pasture. No you will not get me to see that the added maternal qualities of the shorty cross female will more than compensate for the docked cwt on a few roan steers. Mainly just put short and sweet is because we both agree there are equivelents in all breeds if you look for them, so i can find what im looking for in another breed without bringing in the roan color and recieving the dock for it.
:lol2: You have a better chance of breeding the roan color out of them shortys than you do on changing my mind about taking the dock they will bring, even though i think there are some good ones.

 

[Massey135]

Lon,
I hope you can see how the bolded comment applies to incorporating shorthorn genetics in your cowherd. The added maternal qualities of the shorthorn f1 female more than compensate for the docked cwt on a few roan steers.

Yes i can see as i have could always see the postive attributes that shorthorn genetics could bring to a cowherd if using ones bred for the pasture. No you will not get me to see that the added maternal qualities of the shorty cross female will more than compensate for the docked cwt on a few roan steers. Mainly just put short and sweet is because we both agree there are equivelents in all breeds if you look for them, so i can find what im looking for in another breed without bringing in the roan color and recieving the dock for it.
:lol2: You have a better chance of breeding the roan color out of them shortys than you do on changing my mind about taking the dock they will bring, even though i think there are some good ones.

Excellent reply, Lon. With equivalents out there, its hard to argue for the shortys but there's jus somethin bout there personalities that I jus love- its that lingering dairy cow genetics in em. If youve been around dairy stock you know what I mean.

The one thing the shorty has on the rest is that you can have a 100% british, black f1. A solid black, better milking, easier doin Angus. That in itself is golden in todays market.

 

[Julian]

The most attractive sire I've ever seen was a Red Angus x Beefmaster cross. The females of that same cross were wonderful cows. This is from my experiences in Burleson county Texas.

 

[JustSimmental]

If I am not mistaken the BeefMaster is 50% Brahman (BR) 25% Hrf and 25% SH.

I really like this breed as they really work well in hot, wet places. What bothered me about them was the high percent of BR, which is usually a carcass merit killer. King Ranch did a huge study on Gerts back in the late 80's and early 90's where the cattle with 3/8's BR just weren't making the Grade. They moved forward with a new breed at that time. My understanding was that all the breeds with 3/8's + BR were not going to be able to compete on carcass merits with the other popular breeds.

I don't like the idea of going with more Hereford, although they would definately decrease some of the MM in the PB Beefmaster, but would further decrease frame in the wrong direction.

I dont really like the idea of using more SH due to larger frames and high MM, which increases maintenance requirements for your cows (when you keep heifers).

I think that Red Angus would be a good call, because you would get a decrease in MM (which you need) without greatly affecting Frame scores, which will keep those maintenance costs down on any replacements you keep. Other good things about Red Angus is docility (calmer cattle gain better), carcass merits, better dressing percentage and decreased BW's just to name a few.

The best thing about it from a meat standpoint is the decrease in BR blood to 25%.

JS

If you were to cross beefmaster, what breed would add the most? Looking for something that will produce heavy steers and still be able to produce replacements.

 

[heath]

JS, thanks for the reply with your reasonings. That's what I was looking for, so I could weigh my options. My herd has about every type of cow, wanting to get am idea of which crosses will be the best to hold back.

 

[jerry27150]

sorry i did not get back. trailboss is right. red angus have more choice carcsses than black as they are still 100% angus, where the blacks have had other breeds creep into them. they do take the heat better & are a lot calmer.the king ranch claimed that their red angus-gert crosses outgrew anything they've had. some feedlots only want calves with half red angus & will pay more for them