Cattle and altitude

[Ouachita]

The "Alaska" topic about raising cattle in that environment prompted my brain to be curious about elevation, and its effect on cattle. How high is too high? What breeds are best? What considerations are relevant when at a high elevation? What is the highest elevation a person can successfully have a cow/calf operation? How high can a cow get?
I know I could google it, but the replies here are more interesting. Google would send me here anyway.

 

[Deepsouth]

I'm at 285 ft and they seem to be doing fine.

 

[3waycross]

I hauled 15 pair to 10,000 feet last Friday. They will do OK there but to be fair they have been tested and selected to go good at altitude for generations. They were my friends Angus.
Most continentals handle it better. Angus and Red Angus do the worst at altitude..............we call it brisket disease and it's a killer.

 

[Ouachita]

I'm at 285 ft and they seem to be doing fine.

Interesting. I'm at 500% that elevation and mine do fine too

 

[Caustic Burno]

I'm at 285 ft and they seem to be doing fine.

I am one foot higher here and they are ok here as well.

 

[dun]

We ran them from 4000 to 7000 feet in the eastern Sierra. I don;t know how high you have to be for PAP problems but we never had any.

 

[Deepsouth]

I'm at 285 ft and they seem to be doing fine.

I am one foot higher here and they are ok here as well.

I bet the air is thinner up there!

 

[3waycross]

We ran them from 4000 to 7000 feet in the eastern Sierra. I don;t know how high you have to be for PAP problems but we never had any.

5 to 7 thousand is definitely high enough. What kind of cattle were you running Dun?

 

[dun]

We ran them from 4000 to 7000 feet in the eastern Sierra. I don;t know how high you have to be for PAP problems but we never had any.

5 to 7 thousand is definitely high enough. What kind of cattle were you running Dun?

Everything from beef dairy crosses to misc. crossbreds (actually mongrels) and usually Brahman bulls.

 

[3waycross]

We ran them from 4000 to 7000 feet in the eastern Sierra. I don;t know how high you have to be for PAP problems but we never had any.

5 to 7 thousand is definitely high enough. What kind of cattle were you running Dun?

Everything from beef dairy crosses to misc. crossbreds (actually mongrels) and usually Brahman bulls.

All of the above would have probably been easier to run at altitude than a straight angus or red angus. The beefier they get they more they are affected.

 

[dun]

All of the above would have probably been easier to run at altitude than a straight angus or red angus. The beefier they get they more they are affected.

I'll admit that they sure woeren;t the beefiest cows we've ever run. But they worked there. Having to rustle for their groceries, 300 acres per pair is the nirma, even if they had any beef on them they would wear it away in the desert/mountains. The water spots every 5 miles or so but the biggest restrction was the amount of feed.

 

[ANAZAZI]

I would assume crossbred cattle are better suited for high altitudes, fact or fantasy?

 

[3waycross]

I would assume crossbred cattle are better suited for high altitudes, fact or fantasy?

Other than a little hybrid vigor , why would you assume that.

 

[ANAZAZI]

I would assume crossbred cattle are better suited for high altitudes, fact or fantasy?

Other than a little hybrid vigor , why would you assume that.

Do you observe hybrid vigour concerning altitude issues? That is my question.

 

[3waycross]

I would assume crossbred cattle are better suited for high altitudes, fact or fantasy?

Other than a little hybrid vigor , why would you assume that.

Do you observe hybrid vigour concerning altitude issues? That is my question.

Only to the extent that is lowers the Angus percentage.