Best cross for showing?

[farmer rich]

Whats the most popular breed or cross for showing fatstock steers or heifers in the US/CA/AU?
Also, which is the most sucesseful?

In the UK 3/4 lims 1/4 belgian blues seem to win most of the time, although fullblood lims or blonde d aquitaine crosses often do well.

 

[cattlgrl08]

Well, here in California black steers are the most competitive. My sisters and I always get Maine Anjou cross steers for jackpotting and for our county fair and we do very well! A lot of people that I show with are showing steers that are either Maine Anjou, black Angus, or Semmental cross steers. Lots of breeders who raise good quality show steers are breeding to composite bulls that are going to throw calves with lots of bone, rib, depth, muscle...ect...and hair (which you can get a lot of from Maine cattle). Some composite bulls that are pretty popular right now are ones like..."Who Made Who", "Heat Seeker", "Witch Doctor". There are tons of nice bulls that are used for club calves. Also, Short Horn corss steers are doing pretty good.

We jackpot and raise black Angus heifers. We don't have any cross bred heifers, but from watching at the shows the Semmental Angus Maine cross heifers are doing good! I dunno...there are lots of things that I can tell you...I guess it just depends on how competitive you want your calves to be. But, I can tell you from experience that black is the most competitive in the show ring. Good luck! I hope that some of this helps.

 

[Australian Cattleman]

Here in Australia the main steer winners are, Limousin,Murray Grey,Galloway,Charolais and Angus (seldom pure though). Usually they are amix of any of the mentioned breeds. I might add that over the past three years South Devon Limousin have figured well at the Royal Queensland Show in Brisbane.

Colin

 

[txshowmom]

Maine X Angus X Chianina seem to do well. You can throw a little Charolais in too.

 

[showme]

Hereford X Angus

 

[AAOK]

I'll stake my claim with the Maine-Anjou/Simmental/Angus. A few years ago I bred seven of my Black Maine-Anjou purebred cows to a 7/8 Simmental Meyer 734 son that we raised. The heifer calves were absolutely incredible, and on their first calf crop, bred to Maine-Anjou bulls, produced some of our best calves ever. :cboy: [/img]

 

[SF]

Black steers win the majority of the larger shows. I personally like Angus crossed with any of the following, Lim, Sim, Maine, Chi. Some 3 and 4 way crosses work well too. JMO

 

[showme]

Is it true that Charolais have the best ribeye area?

 

[farmer rich]

Is it true that Charolais have the best ribeye area?

No it isnt.

 

[MikeC]

Is it true that Charolais have the best ribeye area?

No it isnt.

Yes it is. ;-)

 

[Bez]

YES!

NO!

YES!

Let's just toss a grenade in the room and see who comes out.

I do not believe there has ever been "a best cross".

I saw a Sim/LH/HH/Blonde take the northern Alberta 4-H championship - talk about a mutt for breeding.

It belonged to my oldest daughter and took the best of all four ancestors into the ring.

Go figure.

Bez

 

[Quad L Cattle]

YES!

NO!

YES!

Let's just toss a grenade in the room and see who comes out.

I do not believe there has ever been "a best cross".

I saw a Sim/LH/HH/Blonde take the northern Alberta 4-H championship - talk about a mutt for breeding.

It belonged to my oldest daughter and took the best of all four ancestors into the ring.

Go figure.

Bez

I definitely agree!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Quad L Cattle]

I do have to say that due to a university study-it is actually Limousin that has the most ribeye area then next would be simmental then Gelbvieh,those are the top 3 of the continental breeds,

 

[SF]

I do have to say that due to a university study-it is actually Limousin that has the most ribeye area then next would be simmental then Gelbvieh,those are the top 3 of the continental breeds,

Where is the study? Can you please post a link to this study or provide info as to where we can go to see it. I'd like to see this study. Thanks.

 

[farmer rich]

I thought piedmontese or Belgian Blue had the largest rib eye area.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Here's one:
http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/rese ... rccomp.htm

Since research is trying to provide info to the majority, they often do not include breeds with insignificant numbers. Not trying to be nasty, just that this research was on the most popular british & continental breeds.

 

[farmer rich]

Thanks for the link Jeanne, some very interesting info.
Looks like we should all be raising Piedmontese/Jersey crosses.
I would think the Belgian Blue would come out with similar results as the Piedmontese, although definately worse on calving ease.

 

[Wewild]

I do have to say that due to a university study-it is actually Limousin that has the most ribeye area then next would be simmental then Gelbvieh,those are the top 3 of the continental breeds,

Where is the study? Can you please post a link to this study or provide info as to where we can go to see it. I'd like to see this study. Thanks.

I thought they were up there. That marc report said 4th in a tight group. What was your choice.

 

[Quad L Cattle]

I had seen it in a Simtalk magazine and in a NALF magazine. The Simtalk magazine was comparing simmental with other continental breeds and there advantages and disadvantages. The NALF magazine show that it was done by a university and had charts on display.

Thats what i read.

 

[Quad L Cattle]

It was a study done in 2000.