Had a Good group of calves..and learned something..

[spinandslide]

I'll get down to the pasture and get a pick of my flecked up heifer and let you take a look. Like I said, this is my second time around.

if ya get a chance, would love to see her.

 

[spinandslide]

I did not raise the mother..bought her as a two year old..guy told me she was brangus..hes a knowledable guy, but the reason he was selling her was because he hadnt raised her..so couldnt backround her for his organic operation he was converting too.
the bull is a purebred Brangus..brinks bred (heck, 3/4 of the brangus in this part of the country are). all my cows are commerical.

So, its possible mama isnt a full brangus..dont know...just always went that she was..could be beefmaster I guess..or gert..who knows. shes got alot of brahma blood in her though..I really liked her crossed on an angus bull..this was the result..the mother of calf#2

Beefy-his heavy brahma influence in his looks is what kept me on the fence..our operation is unique in that we normally feed out our steers and then sell them in halves or quarters..surprisingly, I've found a good market and this year will have more demand then product. this calf doesn't fit my "ideal" steer type to feed out (as calf #2 does)..if that makes sense? I know beef is beef is beef..but has anyone fed out a steer like him, which such a heavy brahma influence in his body? He is taller then the heifer calf, who was born a full month before him..and who isnt a tiny girl. so my concern is more with his body type versus his coloring..
and while I normally keep the calves start to finish..I've found I like to keep up on what sells well at the sale barns too..and I think he may get docked there for how he looks..thoughts?

 

[backhoeboogie]

Probably a "B minus"

Lots of folks would call her brangus but she doesn't look pure to me. Head shape, short on ear, looks to be too much fuzz on ear, not slick, coloring has some reddish tint which can happen. Afterall there are red brangus.

Go to this link and look at brangus. Not a good shot of the head "look" but you'll get the idea. My pure brangus as still mostly slick hided with sheen.

http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/cattle/

 

[spinandslide]

well..lets say shes a brangus/angus cross then....her sire was a pure, registered angus..dam is..for all intensive purposes a brahma influenced cow.. :lol:

I like her, but shes still on her probationary period..waiting to see how her calf turns out for final judgement.

 

[backhoeboogie]

If she makes you some nickels, there's nothing wrong with keeping her.

I've got some brindles and other commercial gals calving on 10 1/2 month intervals. This drought we had resulted in me cutting in half. Looks did not play in to the decision on who went and who stayed. It was all about the bottom line on who earned their keep most efficiently.

 

[spinandslide]

thats the truth BHB...

 

[TexasBred]

Go to this link and look at brangus. Not a good shot of the head "look" but you'll get the idea. My pure brangus as still mostly slick hided with sheen.
http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/cattle/

Really? Even now? Mine have always grown longer hair in the winter but shed off quickly in the spring.

 

[Anonymous]

The one in question appears to have some gert shape to her head.

 

[Beefy]

reason i ask is ive had many a beefmasterx calf born to black bulls that had that smokeyness under their neck. i attributed it to the shorthorn influence (which beefmasters and gerts both have) but of course you never can tell about those crazy brahman genetics either. brangus on brangus in theory shouldnt produce that. and you have some red genes floating around too, obviously.

 

[spinandslide]

The Red calf, which I assume is what you mean, I beleive came from the bull. his owner told me every once in awhile he sires a red calf. Now granted, the cow the heifer calf was out of I have no history on..so she may have had a contributing factor too.

None of this really comes down to $$$..but interesting to see genetics at work.

 

[Beefy]

i think the bull and cow would both have to have the red gene, if i'm not mistaken. but brangus and angus can, so no big deal. just an observation.

 

[spinandslide]

Shes a mystery for sure..she looked very brahma-y as a calf..and then ended up very angus-y looking when she matured. she also has horn buds..which I honestly dont remember her having as a calf..so I sure didnt do anything to de-horn her..such is the surprise of a sale barn calf..

 

[backhoeboogie]

Go to this link and look at brangus. Not a good shot of the head "look" but you'll get the idea. My pure brangus as still mostly slick hided with sheen.
http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/cattle/

Really? Even now? Mine have always grown longer hair in the winter but shed off quickly in the spring.

Come look. You aint that far. None have those fuzzy ears, head's different, slicker....

 

[randiliana]

Good Job! Nice calves, I think I remember that bottle calf!

 

[TexasBred]

Come look. You aint that far. None have those fuzzy ears, head's different, slicker....

Not saying they aren't slick. Just saying mine have put on longer hair and yes fuzz on their ears. I'll see if I can get a pic of some of the heifers.

 

[spinandslide]

yep, I got alot of help from folks on this board when she got ill! My husband questioned my logic in fighting to keep her alive til she popped out that red heifer calf..everyone likes her. Momma did good.