Best Breed For Me

[RbarJ]

I am a teenager that is just starting my own herd. I live down in this scorching Florida heat.
I'm looking at possibly buying Brangus heifers due to their heat tolerance. At the same time though, I think that it might be a good idea to play it safe with Angus. I was curious to see what y'all thought.
Any other suggestions for breed are more than welcome.
Also, what would be the best breed of bull the breed to your suggested breed of heifer? I will be using AI.
And, should I be so partial to breed, or should I not worry about it so much?
I am looking to breed cattle that will do well in the show ring as well as at market.
Thanks you much!

 

[Chuckie]

If you are going to raise commercial cattle, I would go to the sale barn and watch to see what the buyers are paying top prices for in your area. That is what determines what I raise. I like the Angus breed, but would raise Piedmontese after being around the cattle and eating the meat. Hands down! So many of the cows you can walk up to and touch. Very calm cattle with less feed and more meat.
Angus bring the most money in my area. The buyer rules.
Even though it is hot and humid in your area,(it stays in the mid to upper 90's and can go over 100*,with the humidity in the mid 80's to low 90's in summer here) Angus can stay cooler if you provide plenty of shade, and often a pond is nice. We have one at the farm, and the bull there can be seen laying in it with his head only showing in the lower end. The cows just stand in the deeper parts letting it cover parts of their bodies. The cattle around in the pasture here, have trees all around the pasture, and they lay in the shade in the hottest part of the day. They also have a mud hole they created in a shaded area that they make use of. The mud covers their stomachs and helps with the flies. The fly rubber gets the top.
A great buy is always a bred cow with a calf at her side. A cow with a couple of years on her in good shape can be bought at a better price that is already bred. Cows that are fed and taken care of live much longer than those that are not taken care of through the winter with poor protein hay. We have had cows 16 years old still having calves. I personally would buy a 6 or 7 year old cow in good shape. But many people frown upon it. If the hay is poor quality and low protein, you will have to supplement with feed. So, it just depends on the cow. One with a heifer calf on her side would be really great. Be sure to look at the bull that their calves are out of if you want to keep a heifer calf. You can always sell it if you do not like it, and replace it with a new one. It would be good to find someone you trust that is wanting to cut their herd down. This is just my opinion.
Many people in your area will know more about what is going on, but a trip to the sale barn is always a great to see what is going on.
Chuckie

 

[animalsci2011]

I am going to agree with Chuckie here. The part of the state where I am Angus rule the roost so thats what I went with, now grant it I raise registered stock but they will get me the best price.

Hey Chuck what part of the state are you in?

 

[Taurus]

Nothing wrong with Brangus.

 

[TN Cattle Man]

If you are going to raise commercial cattle, I would go to the sale barn and watch to see what the buyers are paying top prices for in your area. That is what determines what I raise. I like the Angus breed, but would raise Piedmontese after being around the cattle and eating the meat. Hands down! So many of the cows you can walk up to and touch. Very calm cattle with less feed and more meat.
Angus bring the most money in my area. The buyer rules.
Even though it is hot and humid in your area,(it stays in the mid to upper 90's and can go over 100*,with the humidity in the mid 80's to low 90's in summer here) Angus can stay cooler if you provide plenty of shade, and often a pond is nice. We have one at the farm, and the bull there can be seen laying in it with his head only showing in the lower end. The cows just stand in the deeper parts letting it cover parts of their bodies. The cattle around in the pasture here, have trees all around the pasture, and they lay in the shade in the hottest part of the day. They also have a mud hole they created in a shaded area that they make use of. The mud covers their stomachs and helps with the flies. The fly rubber gets the top.
A great buy is always a bred cow with a calf at her side. A cow with a couple of years on her in good shape can be bought at a better price that is already bred. Cows that are fed and taken care of live much longer than those that are not taken care of through the winter with poor protein hay. We have had cows 16 years old still having calves. I personally would buy a 6 or 7 year old cow in good shape. But many people frown upon it. If the hay is poor quality and low protein, you will have to supplement with feed. So, it just depends on the cow. One with a heifer calf on her side would be really great. Be sure to look at the bull that their calves are out of if you want to keep a heifer calf. You can always sell it if you do not like it, and replace it with a new one. It would be good to find someone you trust that is wanting to cut their herd down. This is just my opinion.
Many people in your area will know more about what is going on, but a trip to the sale barn is always a great to see what is going on.
Chuckie

Good advise!

 

[TexasBred]

I am going to agree with Chuckie here. The part of the state where I am Angus rule the roost so thats what I went with, now grant it I raise registered stock but they will get me the best price.

Hey Chuck what part of the state are you in?

Without any question then, that is the breed you need to be raising. Over here I've always felt like the brangus were in higher demand and brought the most money. But I'm a whole nuther world away from you.

 

[B&M Farms]

I am a teenager that is just starting my own herd. I live down in this scorching Florida heat.
I'm looking at possibly buying Brangus heifers due to their heat tolerance. At the same time though, I think that it might be a good idea to play it safe with Angus. I was curious to see what y'all thought.
Any other suggestions for breed are more than welcome.
Also, what would be the best breed of bull the breed to your suggested breed of heifer? I will be using AI.
And, should I be so partial to breed, or should I not worry about it so much?
I am looking to breed cattle that will do well in the show ring as well as at market.
Thanks you much!

The cows I have had the most success with here are Brangus and Brafords. Hereford bull on the Brangus. Angus bull on the Brafords right now. Commercially the Brahman influence is too important to me in my environment not to use it.

 

[Chuckie]

animalsci2011,
I am in West TN. North of I-40.
I too raise registered cattle, and people want bulls and cows. Then what I don't like goes to the sale barn. Gotta go with the flow!

 

[AussieLim]

The best breed or cross is one that suits your pastures, environment & management & fits the desired market you aim to meet.
For me this is Limousin (Continental) over Angus (British) cows. So many benefits in this direct hybrid vigor with the Limo benefit of muscle.

 

[TexasBred]

The best breed or cross is one that suits your pastures, environment & management & fits the desired market you aim to meet.
For me this is Limousin (Continental) over Angus (British) cows. So many benefits in this direct hybrid vigor with the Limo benefit of muscle.

And hopefully that is what the market wants as well.

 

[glacierridge]

I am a teenager that is just starting my own herd. I live down in this scorching Florida heat.
I'm looking at possibly buying Brangus heifers due to their heat tolerance. At the same time though, I think that it might be a good idea to play it safe with Angus. I was curious to see what y'all thought.
Any other suggestions for breed are more than welcome.
Also, what would be the best breed of bull the breed to your suggested breed of heifer? I will be using AI.
And, should I be so partial to breed, or should I not worry about it so much?
I am looking to breed cattle that will do well in the show ring as well as at market.
Thanks you much!

The cows I have had the most success with here are Brangus and Brafords. Hereford bull on the Brangus. Angus bull on the Brafords right now. Commercially the Brahman influence is too important to me in my environment not to use it.

Sounds like advice I would give.
Eared somethings should do well in heat I would think for you.

 

[AussieLim]

The best breed or cross is one that suits your pastures, environment & management & fits the desired market you aim to meet.
For me this is Limousin (Continental) over Angus (British) cows. So many benefits in this direct hybrid vigor with the Limo benefit of muscle.

And hopefully that is what the market wants as well.

It is what my target market wants.
We produce grass finished (alfalfa) Limo X Angus milk vealers turning them off finished for slaughter at 10 months @ 350-400kgs (770-880lbs)
Steers & heifers not finished are weaned & sold to a feedlot (short-fed 60-90days)
I appreciate this wouldn't be for everyone.

 

[inyati13]

animalsci2011,
I am in West TN. North of I-40.
I too raise registered cattle, and people want bulls and cows. Then what I don't like goes to the sale barn. Gotta go with the flow!

You got a very experienced angus cattleman over there if you ever need help. bse. He has to be real close with those directions. He is one of the few that does not need a day job to survive. He makes a living running BA.

When I travel I-25 going from Bowling Green KY to Nashville, I probably pass within 50 miles of you. That is big beef cattle country. Like most of KY and TN, you see Black. Angus are popular and the markets here in KY and TN favor Black. bse is one of the silent cattlemasters on CT in my opinion.

 

[inyati13]

The best breed or cross is one that suits your pastures, environment & management & fits the desired market you aim to meet.
For me this is Limousin (Continental) over Angus (British) cows. So many benefits in this direct hybrid vigor with the Limo benefit of muscle.

I have wondered about that cross and others like it in terms of calving ease. Do those angus cows have trouble with calving when you breed them to a breed that produces big calves? I have simangus and I have thought about selling my angus bull and using a PB simmental on them (I can also do that since I AI now) but I worry that I will start having calving problems. So far in 4 years I have given one heifer a little help (my neighbor assisted one of my simangus heifers). I don't want calving difficulties so I have stayed with an angus bull but some of his calvess are not real well muscled.

 

[inyati13]

I am a teenager that is just starting my own herd. I live down in this scorching Florida heat.
I'm looking at possibly buying Brangus heifers due to their heat tolerance. At the same time though, I think that it might be a good idea to play it safe with Angus. I was curious to see what y'all thought.
Any other suggestions for breed are more than welcome.
Also, what would be the best breed of bull the breed to your suggested breed of heifer? I will be using AI.
And, should I be so partial to breed, or should I not worry about it so much?
I am looking to breed cattle that will do well in the show ring as well as at market.
Thanks you much!

The cows I have had the most success with here are Brangus and Brafords. Hereford bull on the Brangus. Angus bull on the Brafords right now. Commercially the Brahman influence is too important to me in my environment not to use it.

Sounds like advice I would give.
Eared somethings should do well in heat I would think for you.

Anne, good advice for Florida.

 

[HOSS]

animalsci2011,
I am in West TN. North of I-40.
I too raise registered cattle, and people want bulls and cows. Then what I don't like goes to the sale barn. Gotta go with the flow!

You got a very experienced angus cattleman over there if you ever need help. bse. He has to be real close with those directions. He is one of the few that does not need a day job to survive. He makes a living running BA.

When I travel I-25 going from Bowling Green KY to Nashville, I probably pass within 50 miles of you. That is big beef cattle country. Like most of KY and TN, you see Black. Angus are popular and the markets here in KY and TN favor Black. bse is one of the silent cattlemasters on CT in my opinion.

I am in the process of converting bse into a Gelbvieh man. He has passed the first step by meeting me at a Gelbvieh sale. I surmise that the Gelbvieh seed has been planted and as it grows bse will start using a Gelbvieh bull on those angus cows.....and once he has had a taste of those Balancers he will go full throttle into the pure breds :mrgreen: :cowboy: :nod:

 

[inyati13]

animalsci2011,
I am in West TN. North of I-40.
I too raise registered cattle, and people want bulls and cows. Then what I don't like goes to the sale barn. Gotta go with the flow!

You got a very experienced angus cattleman over there if you ever need help. bse. He has to be real close with those directions. He is one of the few that does not need a day job to survive. He makes a living running BA.

When I travel I-25 going from Bowling Green KY to Nashville, I probably pass within 50 miles of you. That is big beef cattle country. Like most of KY and TN, you see Black. Angus are popular and the markets here in KY and TN favor Black. bse is one of the silent cattlemasters on CT in my opinion.

I am in the process of converting bse into a Gelbvieh man. He has passed the first step by meeting me at a Gelbvieh sale. I surmise that the Gelbvieh seed has been planted and as it grows bse will start using a Gelbvieh bull on those angus cows.....and once he has had a taste of those Balancers he will go full throttle into the pure breds :mrgreen: :cowboy: :nod:

Hoss, our University of KY extension agent is a very pretty young lady who has helped me with my forage and cattle management. She is a UK animal science graduate. Her family has a well known beef operation near Cynthiana, KY. They have Angus, Simmental and Gelbviehs. She thinks the Gelbviehs have a lot to offer. The way she said it to me was that the Gelbviehs have the best traits of both the simmental and angus. My reply was so they are about like my simangus.

 

[glacierridge]

Hoss, our University of KY extension agent is a very pretty young lady who has helped me with my forage and cattle management. She is a UK animal science graduate. Her family has a well known beef operation near Cynthiana, KY. They have Angus, Simmental and Gelbviehs. She thinks the Gelbviehs have a lot to offer. The way she said it to me was that the Gelbviehs have the best traits of both the simmental and angus. My reply was so they are about like my simangus.

Clever reply!!

 

[Chuckie]

inyati,
There are several BA cattlemen around here, good ones too. It's just in the water. Tell me if it is one of these initials.
LP, MZ, FP, or TW. Then there is Cottage Farm Genetics.

 

[HOSS]

This Tennessee farm has been cranking out some pretty impressive angus cattle.
http://www.deervalleyfarm.net/index.html

Also McBee Angus in Cowan has been producing some really good angus cattle as well.