Brahman crosses?

[ksmit454]

How is the market for Brahman crosses? I currently have Hereford and angus cows and I have always bred them to an angus bull. I have the opportunity to purchase a Brahman bull. What are you experiences with Brangus and Brafords? I keep most of the calves and finish them out but some years I do sell them. Thank you!

 

[kenny thomas]

The market for Brahama influenced calves is very much related to location. Sell great in the south, take a beating in the north.

 

[Brute 23]

Yep, like Kenny said, you have to look at your local market. Get some some comps on Braford heifers and steers in your area. Then compare it to what you are getting now for you Angus X Herefords.

I will add one thing if you do go the Brahman bull route. You have to pay to play. Go to a major breeder, tell them what you are doing, and pay for the quality. Craigslist or my neighbors bull calf will bite you in the butt, especially on temperament.

 

[Dave]

How far north are you in northern California? We get cattle at the sales here that come from the CA and NV line. Put a little ear on them they get docked 10-20 cents. An f-1 Brahma cross will bring about the same as a Holstein.

 

[Warren Allison]

A Brahma X Hereford is not a Braford. Nor is a Brahma x Angus a Brangus. However Brahma x Hereford cows are highly sought after for replacements. And if you breed these to an Angus bull, the resulting black baldy with ear will bring top dollar. Bu as Kenny said, this is mostly in the south. Where you are, that Angus x Hereford black baldy you are raising now, ought to sell near the top at sales up there. Hard to beat a black baldy.

 

[ksmit454]

A Brahma X Hereford is not a Braford. Nor is a Brahma x Angus a Brangus. However Brahma x Hereford cows are highly sought after for replacements. And if you breed these to an Angus bull, the resulting black baldy with ear will bring top dollar. Bu as Kenny said, this is mostly in the south. Where you are, that Angus x Hereford black baldy you are raising now, ought to sell near the top at sales up there. Hard to beat a black baldy.

Can you explain why they aren't called Brafords and Brangus? I do get top dollar for the angus and baldies for sure. Guess I'll stick with them!

 

[ksmit454]

How far north are you in northern California? We get cattle at the sales here that come from the CA and NV line. Put a little ear on them they get docked 10-20 cents. An f-1 Brahma cross will bring about the same as a Holstein.

I'm in El Dorado County area

 

[Brute 23]

This should be good. Get out your waders folks.

 

[ksmit454]

This should be good. Get out your waders folks.

Hey there's no harm in learning as long as everyone nice! I'm happy to be educated so that's why I'm asking

 

[Warren Allison]

Can you explain why they aren't called Brafords and Brangus? I do get top dollar for the angus and baldies for sure. Guess I'll stick with them!

Braford is its own breed, developed from crossing Brahma and Hereford cattle. they contain 5'8ths Hereford genetics and 3/8th's Brahma. Same thing with Brangus, only sub Angus for Hereford. A Great Dane was developed from crossing Irish Wolfhounds and Bull Mastiffs, but an Irish Wolfhound crossed with a Mastiff does not make Great Dane puppies. The Thouroughbred was developed by crossing Arabians, with the European draft horses hundreds of years ago, but you can't cross a Clydesdale and an Arabian and get a TB foal. Now people may call a half Brahma and half Hereford or Angus, a Braford or a Brangus, but they are not. If you are raising good black Angus and black baldies up there, I think you are right...stick to it! If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

 

[Brute 23]

Hey there's no harm in learning as long as everyone nice! I'm happy to be educated so that's why I'm asking

Sorry it's not you. He is not a good source. He lives in his own make believe world.

A quick Google search will show the history of Baford cattle. Braford referred to F1s and 1/4 bloods long before the composite breed, was a breed, and it still does.

1/4 bloods, 3/8, F1s, etc... all Brafords or Brangus.

That's a F1 Braford we raised in my avatar.

 

[MACVSOG]

Braford is its own breed, developed from crossing Brahma and Hereford cattle. they contain 5'8ths Hereford genetics and 3/8th's Brahma. Same thing with Brangus, only sub Angus for Hereford. A Great Dane was developed from crossing Irish Wolfhounds and Bull Mastiffs, but an Irish Wolfhound crossed with a Mastiff does not make Great Dane puppies. The Thouroughbred was developed by crossing Arabians, with the European draft horses hundreds of years ago, but you can't cross a Clydesdale and an Arabian and get a TB foal. Now people may call a half Brahma and half Hereford or Angus, a Braford or a Brangus, but they are not. If you are raising good black Angus and black baldies up there, I think you are right...stick to it! If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

i have no disagreement here, just semantics. when i cross angus with hereford, 4/8 to 4/8 i still refer to them as braford. look the same if i did not know which is which. i do believe though that i can differentiate an angus bull from a brangus bull. maybe 1/8 matters there.

 

[MACVSOG]

Braford is its own breed, developed from crossing Brahma and Hereford cattle. they contain 5'8ths Hereford genetics and 3/8th's Brahma. Same thing with Brangus, only sub Angus for Hereford. A Great Dane was developed from crossing Irish Wolfhounds and Bull Mastiffs, but an Irish Wolfhound crossed with a Mastiff does not make Great Dane puppies. The Thouroughbred was developed by crossing Arabians, with the European draft horses hundreds of years ago, but you can't cross a Clydesdale and an Arabian and get a TB foal. Now people may call a half Brahma and half Hereford or Angus, a Braford or a Brangus, but they are not. If you are raising good black Angus and black baldies up there, I think you are right...stick to it! If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

not a contraction, just semantics for me. when i cross brahman with hereford, 4/8 to 4/8 i still refer to the calves as braford. i don't think anyone would notice 1/8..

i still have angus bulls too, but i believe i could distinguish an angus bull from a brangus bull.

 

[Warren Allison]

Sorry it's not you. He is not a good source. He lives in his own make believe world.

A quick Google search will show the history of Baford cattle. Braford referred to F1s and 1/4 bloods long before the composite breed, was a breed, and it still does.

1/4 bloods, 3/8, F1s, etc... all Brafords or Brangus.

That's a F1 Braford we raised in my avatar.

@ksmit454 , just go to the Braford Registry's website, https://brafords.org/about-ubb/, and to the International Brangus Breeders Association's website, https://gobrangus.com/, and you can find the info. Yes, there are people that call any white-faced eared cattle Brafords, and any eared black cattle Brangus. Just like people will call any black cattle Angus and any white cattle Charolais. But none of that really has anything to do with your original question. Yeah, like @Dave said, in your area of the country, ear and leather will hurt you. Were you down in the southeast, a little ear helps. Where you are, like you said, your black baldies are bringing top dollar.

 

[Brute 23]

You put crayons in your oatmeal and call them sprinkles dont you.

That Adam's, and Victorian Brafords and all these other people were making Brafords 50 years plus before those associations and the composite breed even existed.

 

[Dave]

I'm in El Dorado County area

My guess would be you are about the line. South of there and they should sell well. North not as well.

 

[greybeard]

You put crayons in your oatmeal and call them sprinkles dont you.

Hey, don't go diss'n crayon eating till ya tried it..

 

[Brute 23]

 

[Rafter S]

However Brahma x Hereford cows are highly sought after for replacements. And if you breed these to an Angus bull, the resulting black baldy with ear will bring top dollar. Bu as Kenny said, this is mostly in the south. Where you are, that Angus x Hereford black baldy you are raising now, ought to sell near the top at sales up there. Hard to beat a black baldy.

Putting a black Brangus bull on Hereford cows will do the same thing. It will also produce steer calves that sell well, which is not true for Brahman x Hereford cross calves, and the result will be black baldies (or mottle faced) right away without the need to inject a third breed.

Also, the calves from this cross have 3/16 Brahman genetics, as opposed to the 1/2 with the Brahman cross, so the price reduction in areas where Brahman influenced cattle should be less.

 

[OBAX]

I would agree that maybe it's wrong to call something a name like "Braford " or "Brangus", if they are not exactly as specified in the breed description, but are we not splitting hairs when we say they do not qualify because they are 1/4 off on one breed or the other? Especially when we realize the exact same benefits in a breeding program.
Breed the cattle for the traits that work for you and do not listen to the paper pushers that walk around with a breed book and a measuring stick.
My advise.