breed choice

[Anonymous]

Considering several different breeds for a small-scale beef operation. Looking toward niche market- organic, hormone-free, healthy product. Need to consider ease of calving, nutritional needs, and docility very important. We are in No. Va. (ag zone 7)Piedmontese, Galloway, Murray Grey currently under consideration. Other breeds? More info re: these? Any input, fact or opinion greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[Anonymous]

[No message]

 

[Anonymous]

> I run Murrays but what ever. Look at the type of operation the cows come from. If you kick a bunch of cows from a show string into a pasture and ignore them the profits will suffer. on the other hand thrifty cows just won't have the genetics to use a really intensive feed program

 

[Anonymous]

Why not Angus? I like the Blacks,but prehaps the Reds will suit you.They are quite numerous in your area thus readily availiable. Easy to buy cows and bulls.

[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

You will need animals that mature quickly and finish on a minimum of supplements. Any of the British beef breeds except maybe South Devon should work out ok. Now comes the catch, the breed must have reliable EPDs for the traits you are concerned with including carcass traits. There has to be a large enough genetic pool to select from and the animals have to be widely available. That pretty well eliminates any of the breeds you mentioned. Good baldys, Red or black can fit your needs to a tee

dun

> Considering several different
> breeds for a small-scale beef
> operation. Looking toward niche
> market- organic, hormone-free,
> healthy product. Need to consider
> ease of calving, nutritional
> needs, and docility very
> important. We are in No. Va. (ag
> zone 7)Piedmontese, Galloway,
> Murray Grey currently under
> consideration. Other breeds? More
> info re: these? Any input, fact or
> opinion greatly appreciated.
> Thanks

 

[Anonymous]

if its growth and calving ease you are concerned with most, go for the piedmontese, or maybe some French Limousin with enough double muscing. they'll do very well on a small scale feedlot. if you don't care so much about calving ease (if you're will to pay for caesarian) then go with Belgian blue, but i don't think that will be an option just yet in th US.

[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

You are right in your assumption that breeding for a caesarean section isn't an option yet in North America. That's what happens when you are as heavily subsidised as the Europeans are. The cost of a c-section is no big deal. Breeding for calving problems won't happen at this place.

> if its growth and calving ease you
> are concerned with most, go for
> the piedmontese, or maybe some
> French Limousin with enough double
> muscing. they'll do very well on a
> small scale feedlot. if you don't
> care so much about calving ease
> (if you're will to pay for
> caesarian) then go with Belgian
> blue, but i don't think that will
> be an option just yet in th US.

 

[Anonymous]

> Considering several different
> breeds for a small-scale beef
> operation. Looking toward niche
> market- organic, hormone-free,
> healthy product. Need to consider
> ease of calving, nutritional
> needs, and docility very
> important. We are in No. Va. (ag
> zone 7)Piedmontese, Galloway,
> Murray Grey currently under
> consideration. Other breeds? More
> info re: these? Any input, fact or
> opinion greatly appreciated.
> Thanks

My advice would be to go with the Murray Grey.You can look up the breed on the cattle today web page (breeds).You can also check with the Breed association for more info: Murray Grey International (mgi-inc.org).

[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

Many thanks for all the input. Grew up with Herefords and Angus and was looking for "something different". Read the nutritional stats on Piedmontese and thought...hmmm, wave of the future. Basically looking for a niche, in hopes of being more viable. Comments, info, always appreciated.

> Considering several different
> breeds for a small-scale beef
> operation. Looking toward niche
> market- organic, hormone-free,
> healthy product. Need to consider
> ease of calving, nutritional
> needs, and docility very
> important. We are in No. Va. (ag
> zone 7)Piedmontese, Galloway,
> Murray Grey currently under
> consideration. Other breeds? More
> info re: these? Any input, fact or
> opinion greatly appreciated.
> Thanks

 

[Anonymous]

Might I suggest Gelbviehs. We run Gelbs on a farm here in NY with about the same ideas as you are looking for. We are organic but not certified as such. Most Gelbvieh bulls will sire superb calves with easy calving. Docility is a definite part of these cattle. We have many real young 4-H members in our club showing Gelbviehs and the calves are great for them. But also they can be crossed to Angus you have one of the best beef animals around. The cross is what is called a Balancer. Personally we ourselves use a Red Angus rather than a black but that is just our personal preference. If you would like more info on theses great animals e-mail me at the address above, or you can contact the Gelbvieh Association at <A HREF="http://www.gelbvieh.org" TARGET="_blank">http://www.gelbvieh.org</A>

[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

I talked to pied breeder at one of our local ag shows and the said they do have a lot of calving problems with them. not so easy calving.

[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

breed and that is including Italian breed you will have more lean meat

> Considering several different
> breeds for a small-scale beef
> operation. Looking toward niche
> market- organic, hormone-free,
> healthy product. Need to consider
> ease of calving, nutritional
> needs, and docility very
> important. We are in No. Va. (ag
> zone 7)Piedmontese, Galloway,
> Murray Grey currently under
> consideration. Other breeds? More
> info re: these? Any input, fact or
> opinion greatly appreciated.
> Thanks

[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

> Considering several different
> breeds for a small-scale beef
> operation. Looking toward niche
> market- organic, hormone-free,
> healthy product. Need to consider
> ease of calving, nutritional
> needs, and docility very
> important. We are in No. Va. (ag
> zone 7)Piedmontese, Galloway,
> Murray Grey currently under
> consideration. Other breeds? More
> info re: these? Any input, fact or
> opinion greatly appreciated.
> Thanks For a niche market you might consider Wagyu. Just read about a new york restaurant that is selling $41 hamburgers from kobe beef.

[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

> if its growth and calving ease you
> are concerned with most, go for
> the piedmontese, or maybe some
> French Limousin with enough double
> muscing. they'll do very well on a
> small scale feedlot. if you don't
> care so much about calving ease
> (if you're will to pay for
> caesarian) then go with Belgian
> blue, but i don't think that will
> be an option just yet in th US. I do not care for the remark about the c-sections on bb's we have had bb calves will out any problem. wehave also bred the original bull to heifers

[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

i breed pedigree and slaughter BB in belgium, and i can give it to you in black and white, that if you wantt o breed top line BB fullbloods, you will have to perform at least 50% c-section. but if you are willing to go with some of the lesser muscled bulls and some of the larger framed cows, then you can easily do without c-sections. in crossbreeding, -csections are very uncommon.

[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

If I may suggest?

Take a peek at our site <A HREF="http://www.blueoxfarms.com" TARGET="_blank">www.blueoxfarms.com</A>, you may find interesting beef design and new concepts for small marketing concepts.

Breeds to investigate; Belgian Blue Scottich Highland Diarmid Bazadaise.

[email protected]