Commercial Brangus

[dun]

We've got one cow that's a mudder, but she's like that winter or summer. Cows that are not adapted to endophyte have problems, that's a given. But if you select calves that perform well on endophyte they'll continue to do well winter or summer. Our cows generally get fat over the winter on nothing but stockpiled fescue. They tend to carry almost too much condition during the summer, but they wean large calves and breed back. We had a heifer last year that I really wanted to keep. When we pulled them off pasture and gave them a little grain for weaning she slicked right out. She went down the road. We don;t keep anything that needs supplements to carry condition and breed back.
I know of many herds that brought in cattle from different areas that had never been on fescue and the majority of those cattle had problems. A while back a woman moved to Cape G from CO and lost her entire herd to endophyte toxicity.
We keep a good level of legumes to help dilute the endophyte, but thses cows are adapated and selected to work on the forage base available. When we buy breeding stock we insure they were raised on the nasty stuff.
It's worked for us.

dun

 

[Copenhagen & Shiner B]

On the same day, I can go about 5 miles down the road to Double E Farms, a big Santa Gert. Breeder, (brahman influence) and cows and calves are directly in the sun eating as hard as they can go on tough dry grass.

You must be right up the road from me up around Union County ,NC somewhere.

 

[BC]

Another question and then I promise to quit asking. Ya'll use terms like 3/4 ear and 1/4 ear. I don't understand this. Would a brangus be 1/2 ear and brangusXangus be 1/4 ear?.

1/2 ear would be a half blood Brahman influence, 1/4 ear would be 1/4 blood Brahman influence. A true Brangus is 3/8 blodd Brahman. When crossed back to an Angus or Hereford (or any other non Bos taurus breeding) the resulting calf has 3/16 Brahman influence (just under a 1/4) and fits the industry quite well.

 

[jerry27150]

most brahman cross breeders are getting away from the ear & big sheath, just bought a santa-gertrudis bull that shows neither. if he wasn't better built he could pass for a red angus

 

[jcissell]

I bought 20 bred brangus heifers this past summer and I can't say I will get any more. They are 3/8 brahma and are just too hot. Get wild eyed when you come into the pasture and get hard to handle sometimes. They calmed down alot but since they have calved and I have to handle the calves they are getting even more crazy than when I first got them. We will see what kind of difference I have in my calves and prices at the sale before I make a final decision on them. I live in Northeast Arkansas and we have super hot/humid summers. Our angus/english bred cattle seem to do fine. I'm sure they get hot, but what doesn't here. I do have a few brangus that look exactly like an angus just bigger carcus. If I get anymore they will be like those if I have to hand pick 1 or 2 from several different herds.

Josh

 

[jerry27150]

josh where you at in northeast ark. you know ricky pickett. depends on how they are raised & fed. some of those cattle down there rarely see anybody. the old man's were wildest things you ever saw & they were english & charolais, they never seen anybody on foot. he just fed from tractor & rounded up calves twice a year

 

[MrBilly]

We have three herds, a moderated sized reg. Angus, a small reg. Brangus, and a large cross bred herd of AngusxBrangusxSimmental.

I agree with one poster, they do have a very different personality. We work our cattle often, they see us twice per day, but when they get in the chute you better have it tied to something very strong or it will wind up in the next county. Out in the pasture they are fine and gentle. We too love their looks, and one that is our favorite cow has ears down to her jaws.

We now breed all of our reg. Brangus with Angus bulls, and they still come up with some ear, but our order buyer feels that here in GA it doesn't make much difference.

The cross breds are great and with good Angus bull genetics they produce monster calves.

A very excellent large Brangus breeder in mid- GA, from whom we have bought several, is Char No Farm, 770-227-9241; if he doesn't have any he will point you in the correct direction. Owners are Chuck and Norma Sword.

 

[Arnold Ziffle]

Josh -- FWIW, like Jerry indicated, the way those Brangus heifers were previously handled makes a big difference. If they came from a big spread with little human contact and where they were only herded and worked from horseback then I imagine you'll have a little (or a lot)tougher job getting them to settle down. That was my experience with one group of purchased eared heifers (albeit not Brangus) that were raised on a big ranch and only worked with horses. Take it slow, steady and easy.

 

[Arnold Ziffle]

baseballfan --- I'm happy to hear that you've had nothing but good luck with your Brangus cattle; I'm pleased with my Brangus bull.

If you have a little spare time would you please post some pictures of some of your Brangus cattle? I'd like to see how they look when raised under west coast conditions.

 

[tapeworm]

baseballfan --- I'm happy to hear that you've had nothing but good luck with your Brangus cattle; I'm pleased with my Brangus bull.

If you have a little spare time would you please post some pictures of some of your Brangus cattle? I'd like to see how they look when raised under west coast conditions.

I think I'd like to see those pictures to Arnoldziffle. Just no pictures of your bull pasture ballfan...probaly more than the normal amount of riding goes on out there

 

[tripleS]

You must be right up the road from me up around Union County ,NC somewhere.

I am in Union County, copenhagen.

 

[R ^ 5]

triple S,
I run Brangus cows with Gardner bred Angus bulls.You will not take a hit at the sale barn.Brangus can be as gentle as a kitten, or be like a lion.Genetics, and how they are handled is what makes the differance.Good luck in what ever breed you choose.