Cow of the Day

[Backbone Ranch]

That Murray Grey cow is beautiful. I am not familiar with that breed. How are they different from Charolais?

Thanks Williamsv. I do not want to hijack this thread, but we have never had Charolais, so I do not have any first hand experience with them. The Murray Grey breed originated in Australia during the early 1900's by the Sutherland family. The breed started when one roan shorthorn cow was bred to various Aberdeen Angus bulls. She had 12 calves, and they were the foundation of the breed. To add different genetics to the gene pool, specific Angus cows were approved by the association to be bred to a Murray grey bull. Since the breed was established the have dominated carcass competitions in Australia. They are smaller in frame, so they are ideal for grass-finishing. Murray Greys will consistently finish choice or better on grass alone. They are extremely easy keeping. Our cattle are often called too fat by our neighbors, but they do not need excess feed. The cow below has adopted an orphan bull calf and is raising it along with her own. Both calves are 5 months old now. We have not treated this cow differently or given her extra food, she has gotten nothing but grass.

Murray Grey cows are great mothers. I have seen half of our herd chase after a coyote, but we have no issues tagging and weighing the calves at birth. As a breed, they are extremely docile. Murray Greys are known for their calving ease. The calves are born healthy and lively. They also have longevity. There have been several accounts of cows producing into their teens and twenties. Their dark pigment around their eyes and teats reduce the chance of sunburned udders and cancer eye. And yet, their light color allows them to do better in our 110 degree summers.

 

[glacierridge]

Mine is not yet a cow... but one of my favorites.
Has been since her first days.
Now has a full and 3/4 sister to join the herd.
Miracle,
month and a half

three months

nine months

thirteen months

 

[Williamsv]

Backbone Ranch, thank you for your interesting information on Murray Grey Cattle. I like everything you said about them. They are indeed very beautiful. We do not have any of them in our area of Middle GA. I am going to check around the state and see if I can locate some.

Thanks again for taking time to inform me about Murray Greys and send the great picture. Now I know all about them and am very impressed.

 

[TexasBred]

Young Texas girls. Posted a pic of them last year. Sold them a few months ago with calves to a breeder.

 

[Backbone Ranch]

Those are very pretty Brangus heifers.

 

[Williamsv]

Pretty heifers!

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

I love looking at all the cow pictures, and how people like different things in their cattle! Those Murray Grays are super nice!

Here are a few of my favorites:
This is a half blood, sired by Upgrade out of an angus cow, named Mulan. Stocky (on CT here) owns her first son, a 3/4 blood bull and is using him on his girls. She has a really nice heifer on her right now that my daughter hopes will turn into a show heifer for her next year. She is bred back to our Steel Force bull for next year:

This is a 3/4 blood 2 year old (she was a yearling when this photo was taken), sired by Upgrade, and raising a heck of an Analyze This bull calf, her name is Gem. Her bull calf is a Feb, and will be weaned in a few months but I already sold him to a nice gentlemen in OK to run on his commercial angus cows.

She is not a cow yet, but will be, we call her Taylor. She is a half blood, sired by Beef Maker (ABS) out of a first calf heifer (Dee), registered Angus, who is sired by Pioneer. This heifer sports a 155 API and 81 TI. She was the best numbered percentage heifer at Regionals, Nationals, and State Fair this year. Most judges call her a "meat and potatoes" kind of girl! Ron saw her in person, he can vouch for her.

This is one of our recips, a 10 year old Westfall Crossfire cow, purebred, we call her Hazel because her eyes are actually hazel in color. I think I might AI her after she calves this next time (December) and hope for a heifer. She raises a heck of a calf each year, always takes the embryo and never misses a beat! The white faced steer we won the carcass contest with this year (pictured on another thread) is her natural son.

Found one of the Pioneer angus, Dee. Here she is raising that calf. She is due next month to Chopper, a Simmental bull. She will be three next month about the time she is due with her second calf.

This is another half blood heifer, bred to our Steel Force bull, sired by WAGR Target. Her name is Margo. She will soon become a resident of KY :nod:

This is bug, a 3 year old bred to calve in November to our Steel Force bull. She is sired by Amigo out of one of our good cows, Jazz. I sold her to my pastor for 100 5x5 round bales of hay this year. We are both pretty happy!

This is a wet two year old, Grace, sired by Grandmaster. She is making a fantastic dam, and is bred to our Steel Force bull for next year. Her dam and grand dam are our top cows in the herd.

And as if that was not enough, here is my favorite, Melody. She is a half blood, sired by 3cMacho, out of an AngusxMaine dam. She won the 2009 South Central Regional Classic in Durant, OK, as a yearling and has gone on to produce my top bulls every year. Our bull that won the Open and Junior show at State Fair last year is out of her (and Make it Rain). She is due in January to Built Right, and really hoping for a HEIFER!

This is just a few of our girls, but pretty happy with them. When we are asked each year to find a few to consign to our State association sale, it is never an easy task since I like them all!

 

[TexasBred]

Beautiful cattle Firesweep. ;-)

 

[Williamsv]

Very pretty cattle. I enjoyed the pictures. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Chuckie]

glacierride,
Miracle is a beautiful heifer. They really do change in a few years. Can't wait to see the babies you get out of her. She looks like she is going to be a big girl when she finishes growing. The young man holding her appears to be pretty tall.

 

[Chuckie]

TexasBred, those are some mighty nice heifers you have. I am sure the man that bought them was tickled to get them.

 

[cowgirl8]

Another old girl, from last century. I call her Worrywart. She's always worried about her calf. She'll likely be sold this fall. I really hate to see her go, but age is showing on her. Her last calf is a keeper.

 

[inyati13]

Another old girl, from last century. I call her Worrywart. She's always worried about her calf. She'll likely be sold this fall. I really hate to see her go, but age is showing on her. Her last calf is a keeper.

Pretty calf.

 

[inyati13]

I love looking at all the cow pictures, and how people like different things in their cattle! Those Murray Grays are super nice!

Here are a few of my favorites:
This is a half blood, sired by Upgrade out of an angus cow, named Mulan. Stocky (on CT here) owns her first son, a 3/4 blood bull and is using him on his girls. She has a really nice heifer on her right now that my daughter hopes will turn into a show heifer for her next year. She is bred back to our Steel Force bull for next year:

This is a 3/4 blood 2 year old (she was a yearling when this photo was taken), sired by Upgrade, and raising a heck of an Analyze This bull calf, her name is Gem. Her bull calf is a Feb, and will be weaned in a few months but I already sold him to a nice gentlemen in OK to run on his commercial angus cows.

She is not a cow yet, but will be, we call her Taylor. She is a half blood, sired by Beef Maker (ABS) out of a first calf heifer (Dee), registered Angus, who is sired by Pioneer. This heifer sports a 155 API and 81 TI. She was the best numbered percentage heifer at Regionals, Nationals, and State Fair this year. Most judges call her a "meat and potatoes" kind of girl! Ron saw her in person, he can vouch for her.

This is one of our recips, a 10 year old Westfall Crossfire cow, purebred, we call her Hazel because her eyes are actually hazel in color. I think I might AI her after she calves this next time (December) and hope for a heifer. She raises a heck of a calf each year, always takes the embryo and never misses a beat! The white faced steer we won the carcass contest with this year (pictured on another thread) is her natural son.

Found one of the Pioneer angus, Dee. Here she is raising that calf. She is due next month to Chopper, a Simmental bull. She will be three next month about the time she is due with her second calf.

This is another half blood heifer, bred to our Steel Force bull, sired by WAGR Target. Her name is Margo. She will soon become a resident of KY :nod:

This is bug, a 3 year old bred to calve in November to our Steel Force bull. She is sired by Amigo out of one of our good cows, Jazz. I sold her to my pastor for 100 5x5 round bales of hay this year. We are both pretty happy!

This is a wet two year old, Grace, sired by Grandmaster. She is making a fantastic dam, and is bred to our Steel Force bull for next year. Her dam and grand dam are our top cows in the herd.

And as if that was not enough, here is my favorite, Melody. She is a half blood, sired by 3cMacho, out of an AngusxMaine dam. She won the 2009 South Central Regional Classic in Durant, OK, as a yearling and has gone on to produce my top bulls every year. Our bull that won the Open and Junior show at State Fair last year is out of her (and Make it Rain). She is due in January to Built Right, and really hoping for a HEIFER!

This is just a few of our girls, but pretty happy with them. When we are asked each year to find a few to consign to our State association sale, it is never an easy task since I like them all!

Wonder where Margo is going?
Nice!
You left Seth out!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[TexasBred]

TexasBred, those are some mighty nice heifers you have. I am sure the man that bought them was tickled to get them.

You bet he was. They matured quite a bit from that pic.

 

[TexasBred]

Love that brand more everytime I see it. :nod:

 

[Backbone Ranch]

This cow was a first calf heifer at the time the photo was taken. Her bull calf was 3 months old at the time. She was born in 2010.

 

[cowgirl8]