Gelbviegh x Angus

[Dana Kopp]

I am just looking for opinions/experiences with this cross (Gelb x Angus). Specifically for cow/calf herds but also with feeding out etc. since that is where the steers and some heifers end up. Thanks!

 

[hillbilly]

Good replacements.
Good temperment,
Good weaning weights,
We have fed a few out for personal use buy not much experiance there.
mostly sold as feeders.

hillbilly

 

[purecountry]

We used Gelbvieh sires(red) on our Black Angus cross cows for 2 years, and if we hadn't switched to a grass-based operation/Galloway beef market, we'd still be using the guppies. It gave the Angus cross cows just what they were lacking - a little muscle, bone and lots of growth. It made for a darn fancy set of steers, and we kept 15 heifers in those 2 years - 2 the first, 13 last year. The 2 from the first year had their first babies this summer - Galloway cross - and are great mommas with loads of milk but calm and co-operative.

 

[kvcanes]

We have several cows that are red angus/red gelbvieh F1's and they are the real deal. They milk great, have a nice disposition, and add some frame to the calf. In addition, that cross provides you with a tremendous amount of flexibility. If you want to retain ownership and feed the cattle to finish, then the gelbvieh bloodlines will allow you to feed the calves to a higher out weight and the angus portion will help with carcus merit (depending on the bloodlines). If you want to raise replacement heifers, then you can cross them with any number of breeds and get a quality heifer. And if you want to sell the calves at weaning or shortly there after, then your going to sell calves that have some frame and will provide you with the pounds to sell and consistency within your calf crop. Of course these are generalizations assuming a good angus and good gelbvieh animal where used to create the cross.

 

[purecountry]

Of course these are generalizations assuming a good angus and good gelbvieh animal where used to create the cross.

Good point kvcanes, darn good.

 

[Dana Kopp]

Of course these are generalizations assuming a good angus and good gelbvieh animal where used to create the cross.

Good point kvcanes, darn good.

Fantastic point - one not everyone is aware of - I have yet to see any of the animals, I have just heard about some heifers that may be for sale.

For my program I don't want any more frame, in fact I'd like to shrink some of my cow's height just a tad - but mainly add a little muscling (mainly butt) and maybe a little more chest width to the calves. We are very happy with our herd - mostly black Angus, a few red Angus, Angus x Herefords and a couple heinz57s all bred to reg. black Angus bulls. I'd like to try a few shorthorn or shorthorn cross cows but there aren't many that either I can afford or would WANT to buy in our area. These Gelb/Angus heifers are supposed to be out of "smaller" Angus cows and a Gelbvieh bull - I would have to see the calves and their dams and sire to make a good frame estimate.

Here are some shots of my calves from this year - I welcome all comments - positive and negative.

This is one of our first calf heifers and her steer taken early this fall the calf was probably 5 1/2 to 6 months old.

This the same first calf heifer and her steer from a different angle. He sure looks a lot smaller in this one than the first!

This cow will be 10 next year...calf almost 6 months old.

 

[hillbilly]

Those are some nice cattle donna.
I think it's time to pull that big steer of that young cow.
Give her some time to recoop before spring.

hillbilly

 

[Dana Kopp]

We wean at roughly 6 months. These calves are long gone - as is the green grass and sunshine in the pictures. The picture was taken in early September - a day before this set of calves were weaned. These girls are livin' large right now and black is NOT slimming on them!

 

[mitchwi]

Dana - sorry to get off topic here...but is there a reason you place your fencing vertical rather than horizontal?

 

[George]

Dana - sorry to get off topic here...but is there a reason you place your fencing vertical rather than horizontal?

All my corrals are built that way,i run 2 by 8's horizontal,then nail slabs on to them vertically.I leave about a inch between each slab.Makes an excellent wind break.

 

[Dana Kopp]

Actually that is how the original owners built it YEARS ago - alot has started to fall apart. We are currently leasing - this fence works well to keep jumpers in and eliminates (when it was in good shape) crawling out. Works fairly well as a windbreak and good for "soft" weaning - but if you need to get out fast (or get run over by a mad cow) you are SOL.