cold weather breed

Help Support CattleToday:

I would thnk that most any breed would work as long as the have protection from the wind. The important things would be a little more external fat for insulation and being acclimated to the environment along with a high level of forage quality.

dun

> what breed of cattle is generally
> best suited for a climate with
> cold winters, ie. northeast
> vermont. is there one hardy enough
> to stay out year round?



[email protected]
 
> what breed of cattle is generally
> best suited for a climate with
> cold winters, ie. northeast
> vermont. is there one hardy enough
> to stay out year round?

Duns right protection from the wind is most important. The wind chill factor is the thing. Most cattle in the environment similar to yours here in Australia would be Angus,Galloway,Highland or Murray Grey. We live in a cool area (3,000 ft above sea level) We use Hereford South Devon and believe it or not Brahman who survive very well. We have our Brahmans calve just a little later than the others to help them out. Brahman calves do seem to feel the cold a bit more than other calves. We have an undulating property that provides good protection as we live in a fairly windy area. We keep our cattle out of the more exposed areas over winter. Our Brahman cows look just as good in winter as our British cattle Good Luck Colin

[email protected]
 
> what breed of cattle is generally
> best suited for a climate with
> cold winters, ie. northeast
> vermont. is there one hardy enough
> to stay out year round?

John- A few years ago, Montana State University did some studies on cattle and cold weather. From what I remember, they were pretty impressed with the Galloways and their ability to stand the cold. Because of their hair they used less energy to stay warm.

But I've had good luck with angus, herefords, and black baldies up here in Montana. And we seldom get by a winter when we don't have 40 below (already been 30 below) weather and 60-70 below chill factors. If they have a little windbreak and enough to eat, they get by fine.
 
> what breed of cattle is generally
> best suited for a climate with
> cold winters, ie. northeast
> vermont. is there one hardy enough
> to stay out year round? Pinzgauer's were developed in Austrian Alps. Large herds in Canada. Good breeder in Maine see <A HREF="http://www.pinzgauer.org" TARGET="_blank">www.pinzgauer.org</A> for breeder near you. Plus you can't get better beef.

[email protected]
 
> what breed of cattle is generally
> best suited for a climate with
> cold winters, ie. northeast
> vermont. is there one hardy enough
> to stay out year round? Pinzgauer's were developed in Austrian Alps. Large herds in Canada. Good breeder in Maine see <A HREF="http://www.pinzgauer.org" TARGET="_blank">www.pinzgauer.org</A> for breeder near you. Plus you can't get better beef. Paul



[email protected]
 
What is the drawback to Pinzgauers? Why has the breed not caught on? Everything I have been able to read about the cattle and the carcass quality is very positive. Is the problem all in the color? Do they throw the white markings when crossbred?

One fault I see in the color and dairy cow markings is that it would make them more difficult to sell unless you had a lined up market. I don't think I have ever seen any of the breed in Montana.
 
> What is the drawback to
> Pinzgauers? Why has the breed not
> caught on? Everything I have been
> able to read about the cattle and
> the carcass quality is very
> positive. Is the problem all in
> the color? Do they throw the white
> markings when crossbred?

> One fault I see in the color and
> dairy cow markings is that it
> would make them more difficult to
> sell unless you had a lined up
> market. I don't think I have ever
> seen any of the breed in Montana. The only fault I have found with our Pinzgauers is their color and I am fighting that every day. The president of the American Feedlot Association said in a few years color will make no difference. Now buyers just use it as justification to pay less not because they deserve less. Only a real dummy cannot tell a Pinzgauer from a dairy cow or long horn. They are totally different framed. The reason they have not gained popularity is those breeders that have have become discourage and are not willing to fight for fair treatment at the sale barn. We have a good relation with our sale barn here so I keep plugging. Someday we will get our due. To answer your question regarding white. YES you will always get the white top and tail. As one reader here said they turn an angus into a skunk, but they still smell like cow ....



[email protected]
 
When they were originally imported there were horrible calving ease problems. How has that problem been corrected? When we were looking into a continental breed to put into our breed rotation we looked long and hard at Pinzgaur. I had liked them since they oriinally came into the country. The things that discouraged us was the calving ease problems, and the shallowness of the gene pool causing a low degree of proven bulls. The color, while a minor concern wasn't really a major part of the decision. We don't use anything that isn't red so a stripe sure isn't much of a concern.

dun

[email protected]
 
> When they were originally imported
> there were horrible calving ease
> problems. How has that problem
> been corrected? When we were
> looking into a continental breed
> to put into our breed rotation we
> looked long and hard at Pinzgaur.
> I had liked them since they
> oriinally came into the country.
> The things that discouraged us was
> the calving ease problems, and the
> shallowness of the gene pool
> causing a low degree of proven
> bulls. The color, while a minor
> concern wasn't really a major part
> of the decision. We don't use
> anything that isn't red so a
> stripe sure isn't much of a
> concern.

> dun

We have no problems with calving last 2 years have only pulled 4 out of 141 calves and 2 of those were because I was chicken not that they need help. One early problem was typical american big is better. I think all of our pulls could have been avoided had we payed a little more attention other than just turning the heifers out. The bull gene pool is shallow for full blood breed stock but being an open book breed there are great purebreds (93%+) bulls. The reserve national champion 2003 is a purebred. One of my bulls in the Florida bull test is a 98% purebred and would fit any herd.



[email protected]
 
> Duns right protection from the
> wind is most important. The wind
> chill factor is the thing. Most
> cattle in the environment similar
> to yours here in Australia would
> be Angus,Galloway,Highland or
> Murray Grey. We live in a cool
> area (3,000 ft above sea level) We
> use Hereford South Devon and
> believe it or not Brahman who
> survive very well. We have our
> Brahmans calve just a little later
> than the others to help them out.
> Brahman calves do seem to feel the
> cold a bit more than other calves.
> We have an undulating property
> that provides good protection as
> we live in a fairly windy area. We
> keep our cattle out of the more
> exposed areas over winter. Our
> Brahman cows look just as good in
> winter as our British cattle Good
> Luck Colin

Colin, are your Brahman cattle pure Brahman? Most of our Brahman based cattle only have 1/2 to 3/8 of Brahman blood.



[email protected]
 
> Colin, are your Brahman cattle
> pure Brahman? Most of our Brahman
> based cattle only have 1/2 to 3/8
> of Brahman blood.

Our Brahmans are mostly pure but we are developing a herd of South Brahvons which are 1/2 Brahman 1/2 South Devon, we have some that are 3/4 Brahman 1/4 South Devon and the opposite way around with more South Devon content. we have some 3/8 to 5/8 Brahman content. We vary the content according to the demand from our clients and where they come from. More Brahman for the hotter areas. Depends on what they want to use the bulls for. I have had a Brahman stud herd for over 30 years, half that time they have beeen in colder areas and have done well. Colin



[email protected]
 

Latest posts

Top