Brown Haired calf?

[1treemover]

Recently, I purchased a brangus cross cow with a bull calf by her side. The cow is mostly black 98% w/a very small patch of brown 2% on her back. The bull calf is mostly brown 98%, but seems to be turning more black 2%. Is is normal/possible for a calf to go from black to brown? If so why?

Thanks,
Treemover

 

[Carlos D.]

yep I run black a limo bull-calves born black ,turn kind of brown later on

 

[ctlbaron]

Not uncommon at all.

 

[joe]

Alot of our angus calves from the F1's look a dark brown, then kinda lose their baby hair and end up black.

 

[cowpunk'd]

When bred to black angus my red whiteface cow has a calf born chocolate or even red, turning black by weaning.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Most "brown" calves from one black parent, gradually turn black. The baby hair fuzz appears brown &/or their hair gets sunbleached easily. If they are black around the nose, eyes, & tail switch, they generally turn all black. But, if you have a parent that carries the diluter gene, they could permanently be brown, chocolate, grey, etc.

 

[Rustler9]

We even have this in our Longhorns-I have a couple of brown ones turning black right now. One heifer calf is out of a nice brindle cow and a black bull-when she was born she looked like she was going to be brindle (I was hoping) but now she's turning. It started with her face, she started turning black around the eyes and gradually all over the whole face. Looked very funny.

 

[sidney411]

I have a mocca colored calf with a white face in the pasture right now. His momma is a solid black gelveih cross and the sire is a solid black Limo bull - go figure (I'm still wondering if we didn't have a traveling salesman visitor one night ;-) )

 

[TnWI]

I have a white face that was born bright copper red, and now as an adult is coal black.

 

[1treemover]

My calf seems to be turning darker each day now! Thanks for the info. now I know.

 

[cowspider]

I bred Black Angus to Black Brangus and got 4 out of 6 brown calves.