I am thinking about using a Braunvieh bull with angus cattle. Has anyone done this and what has your outcomes been? I am new to this breed and have been doing some reading, but would like to hear from someone who has personel experience. Thanks
Braunvieh
- Thread starter cowrus
- Start date
Help Support CattleToday:
Lngvew
Well-known member
We bought 10 red angus heifers, 5 were bred to a black gelbvieh bull. Had to pull all 5, the little one weighed 92 lbs. Maybe the this braunvieh is better on birth weight than the purebred? Based on what little I know once you get above 85 lbs in the angus/red angus/herford breeds you may be asking for trouble. My opinon.
I Love Beefies
Well-known member
Ollie...
It's a good thing the ole gal didn't need assistance, it's harder than you can imagime pulling pups... the chains never fit properly around the ankles and it you are not careful when you step back and apply pressure to the harness you can find yourself on your butt with a puppy flying through the air.....
It's a good thing the ole gal didn't need assistance, it's harder than you can imagime pulling pups... the chains never fit properly around the ankles and it you are not careful when you step back and apply pressure to the harness you can find yourself on your butt with a puppy flying through the air.....
You think pulling pups is hard...you ever trying A.I.ing a shepherd/collie mix?
I wonder if Lngvew is confusing Braunviehs and Balancers. Balancers are a composite of Gelbvieh and Angus (red or black). Braunvieh are a purebred breed, and according to the Braunvieh association quite possibly the oldest breed in the world. The Brown Swiss dairy breed originated from Braunviehs in Switzerland and have the same color patterns.
First of all, regarding cowrus question about Braunvieh. They are a good breed and cross well with Angus. If your cows are purebred black Angus you should get all black calves, though they may have a slight brownish tint to the haircoat. They may also have a ring of white around the muzzle, like a Brown Swiss. Braunvieh/Angus cross cattle are not only attractive looking but very functional. In general Angus should contribute more calving ease, a more moderate frame, marbling, and mothering ability. Braunvieh should contribute additional growth, more muscle, less fat, and plenty of milk for the calf.
In response to Lngvew's comment about pulling calves sired by a Gelbvieh bull, that truly could happen no matter what breed. In most of the mainstream beef breeds there are calving ease bulls and bulls that tend to sire bigger, harder calving calves. Apparently the bull that bred his heifers wasn't a calving ease bull. I just wanted to point this out so that folks not familiar with the Gelbvieh breed would realize that not all Gelbvieh bulls are hard calvers.
I wonder if Lngvew is confusing Braunviehs and Balancers. Balancers are a composite of Gelbvieh and Angus (red or black). Braunvieh are a purebred breed, and according to the Braunvieh association quite possibly the oldest breed in the world. The Brown Swiss dairy breed originated from Braunviehs in Switzerland and have the same color patterns.
First of all, regarding cowrus question about Braunvieh. They are a good breed and cross well with Angus. If your cows are purebred black Angus you should get all black calves, though they may have a slight brownish tint to the haircoat. They may also have a ring of white around the muzzle, like a Brown Swiss. Braunvieh/Angus cross cattle are not only attractive looking but very functional. In general Angus should contribute more calving ease, a more moderate frame, marbling, and mothering ability. Braunvieh should contribute additional growth, more muscle, less fat, and plenty of milk for the calf.
In response to Lngvew's comment about pulling calves sired by a Gelbvieh bull, that truly could happen no matter what breed. In most of the mainstream beef breeds there are calving ease bulls and bulls that tend to sire bigger, harder calving calves. Apparently the bull that bred his heifers wasn't a calving ease bull. I just wanted to point this out so that folks not familiar with the Gelbvieh breed would realize that not all Gelbvieh bulls are hard calvers.
TheBullLady
Well-known member
I would be very very careful with a Braunvieh bull. A good friend get into the Braunvieh business years back and spent many a day / night pulling those calves.
I'm sure there are easy calving bulls, just make sure you find one of those!
I'm sure there are easy calving bulls, just make sure you find one of those!
Lngvew
Well-known member
Yep, UG I do get confused quite often. The gelbvieh bull that was used on these heifers is registered as a purebred animal with the gelbvieh association. He is also advertised as a calving ease bull. I wont call names or point fingers. I do understand that the mamma cow plays a large roll in the calves birth weight also, but each time a calf comes big the bull get the blame. The bulllady picked up on the point I was trying to make, Choose Carefully! No matter what breed you have.
ga. prime
Well-known member
I"ve got a problem with Gelveigh(however the hell you spell it) sired calves. And it's not going away, no matter what anybody says on here. I won't go into the long sordid story of why. Braunviegh, I don't know.
ga. prime
Well-known member
Now, let me get this straight. I don't have a problem with Gelb. sired calves. I've got a problem with the calving.
greenwillowherefords
Well-known member
Lngvew":25sy31sq said:
The breed average BW is, if I am not mistaken, about 85 pounds for Herefords. Call me blessed, but calving problems have been non-existent for me, even with one heifer having a 95 pound bull her first time. Wife just came home and found them doing fine. I would say that 85 is considered a moderate BW for a bull. Nevertheless, the last two bulls I bought were 70 pound BW bulls.
Sorry for hijacking the original topic.
greenwillowherefords
Well-known member
la4angus":my3ywqui said:
Perhaps I should qualify that statement. My cows have had no difficulty calving unassisted. I did have the one preemie that lived two days. If I had it to do over again, I'd have brought him in the house and put him in the utility room until his lungs developed enough to handle the cool night air.
Good to hear from you, LA.
I bought a braunvieh bull 3 years ago to put on black commercial cows,best decision I've made.First of all the bull is gentle as a dead dog, no calving problems at all. The calves out of this bull were 100lbs heavier than my angus sired calves. I'm sold on braunvieh
I know this is an old thread, but I have used a bruanvieh bull the last 2 years. To date close to 60 calves born and not a single assist. He was used on bruanvieh, charolais, and brahman cross cows. I'm very pleased,and have retained about 80% of my heifers. The heaviest calf came from the braunvieh cows. I'm sure there are hard calvers out there, but mine was not, even though his birth weight was 92lbs. I do not regret the use of the bruanvieh bull. Although a braunvieh would not be my choice for heifers. We'll be expecting calves this fall from a calving ease hereford bull, but an angus has been purchased for future terminal use.
Bigfoot, bet those are some nice calves. I've really been impressed with bruanvieh x charolais cross. Looking forward to see what kind of mothers they will be.
What color was the offspring of the Breefmaster cross? Did most stay the same color as the cow?
What color was the offspring of the Breefmaster cross? Did most stay the same color as the cow?
More variation in color, than I would have thought. Many with that signature light hair around nose. He retains ownership, and doesn't run many through the yard. This just a local thing, but the odd coloring would hurt the sale here. It wouldn't have any affect on him though.
Added later
I'm going on a little outing with him this weekend. I'm going to pick his brain a little on how they graded when slaughtered.
Added later
I'm going on a little outing with him this weekend. I'm going to pick his brain a little on how they graded when slaughtered.
DOC HARRIS
Well-known member
chance":n6fwiu02 said:
chance-
Just so I can get all of the real facts in proper alignment with this thread, the original posts on this thread were posted eight years ago. Not that that has any bearing on my question here of your statement - but are you certain that - "The calves out of this bull were 100lbs heavier than my angus sired calves."? - 100 lbs heavier than your Angus sired calves?? If that statement is correct, you must have some very large and hefty cows, or you were using some Angus bull(s) that were pretty wimpy, or had extremely low BW EPD's! - - - - - or both!
100 lbs heavier??
DOC HARRIS
R V
Well-known member
Brimmer X,
Do you have any pictures of the Charolais x Braumvieh cross calves? I would like to see what they look like... It is an interesting cross that I had not thought of.
Thanks!
Ron
Do you have any pictures of the Charolais x Braumvieh cross calves? I would like to see what they look like... It is an interesting cross that I had not thought of.
Thanks!
Ron
Lucky_P
Well-known member
Doc H,
I think he meant his Braunvieh-sired calves were 100 lbs heavier at weaning/sale than their Angus-sired contemporaries.
Agreed, if they were 100 lbs heavier at birth, they'd have to be some big ol' roomy cows to birth those puppies.
I think he meant his Braunvieh-sired calves were 100 lbs heavier at weaning/sale than their Angus-sired contemporaries.
Agreed, if they were 100 lbs heavier at birth, they'd have to be some big ol' roomy cows to birth those puppies.
