Heat Resisitence Color or Breed?

[aplusmnt]

Noticing all the black cows laying in shade all day today, Highs are barely in the mid 80's.

I know in extreme heat you need some Brahma in the blood but I wonder how much hide color places a part vs breed?

In milder climates with few days in the 100's would cow color be sufficient? Does Red, yellow and white all handle the heat about the same?

And curious how much breed type makes a difference. Example generally speaking would a red Simmental handle the heat as well as a red Angus?

 

[Caustic Burno]

Noticing all the black cows laying in shade all day today, Highs are barely in the mid 80's.

I know in extreme heat you need some Brahma in the blood but I wonder how much hide color places a part vs breed?

In milder climates with few days in the 100's would cow color be sufficient? Does Red, yellow and white all handle the heat about the same?

And curious how much breed type makes a difference. Example generally speaking would a red Simmental handle the heat as well as a red Angus?

Blacks hurt in the south except Brangus, Herefords and Shorthorns do better than most other that don't have brimmer influence IMO.

 

[KNERSIE]

I have no experience with black cattle other than holsteins, but according to research done here by Bonsma, a slick shiny haircoat without felting quality reflects the heat, where a more curly mossy coat with felting quality means that the animal suffers more from heat stress. The shiny red coat of afrikaner cattle make for very good heat resistance.

Whether white would be any better than red, I don't know.

 

[certherfbeef]

My red simmys graze mid day like the herefords. The black simmys and the black baldies hang out under the willows and sycamores till near evening.

It also seems to me that the high headed, high strung cattle don't like the sun as much as the more docile cattle.

Just an observation within my herd of bos tarus cattle.

 

[andybob]

My Reds Whites and Yellows all graze together throughout the day, there seems to be no difference, the Herefords on the company farm certainly graze longer into the heat of the day than do the Angus and Black baldies. I believe that research indicates that skin pigment also has a bearing on heat tolerance,the Dragensberger seems to cope well for a black breed, there may be some information available from their breed society on the subject.

 

[TheBullLady]

Generally speaking my reds and grays and Brahman influenced can withstand the heat a lot better than the blacks..and I do have a couple that insist on standing in the stock tank in the summer.. but I've had a couple of red Simmi's that didn't tolerate the heat well, for whatever the reason. And I have some good black Simmis that never get their feet wet. So go figure.

I think it's probably different animal to animal.. but black hides will definately be hotter than lighter colors.

 

[Limomike]

Caustic is right on with this...
Also, the red beefmasters are very tolerable of the sun and heat.

 

[aplusmnt]

Noticing all the black cows laying in shade all day today, Highs are barely in the mid 80's.

I know in extreme heat you need some Brahma in the blood but I wonder how much hide color places a part vs breed?

In milder climates with few days in the 100's would cow color be sufficient? Does Red, yellow and white all handle the heat about the same?

And curious how much breed type makes a difference. Example generally speaking would a red Simmental handle the heat as well as a red Angus?

Blacks hurt in the south except Brangus, Herefords and Shorthorns do better than most other that don't have brimmer influence IMO.

Any knowledge or experiance on Red Angus?

 

[certherfbeef]

Noticing all the black cows laying in shade all day today, Highs are barely in the mid 80's.

I know in extreme heat you need some Brahma in the blood but I wonder how much hide color places a part vs breed?

In milder climates with few days in the 100's would cow color be sufficient? Does Red, yellow and white all handle the heat about the same?

And curious how much breed type makes a difference. Example generally speaking would a red Simmental handle the heat as well as a red Angus?

Blacks hurt in the south except Brangus, Herefords and Shorthorns do better than most other that don't have brimmer influence IMO.

Any knowledge or experiance on Red Angus?

Ask ollie or Tod.

 

[Tod Dague]

Our Red Angus aren't as heat tolerant as the Brimmer crosses, red or black, but tend to be better than the black hided animals we've owned. Just like any other breed some do better than others, the slicker the coat the better.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

aside from color. brahman have the ability to sweat which helps them cool

 

[andybob]

As far as breeds that are heat tolerant go, if you want to avoid the Brahman influence, the introduction of the Tuli, and the Afrikana based composite, the Bonsmara, give some further options. While I have no first hand experience with them, the Senepol,as a Sanga based composite will also be heat tolerant. The most common cross with the Tuli in the U.S.A. is the Angus,with some breeding companies developing composites of Red Angus and Tuli.

 

[Brute 23]

We had some Red Limousine a couple of years ago and they would be in the shade during they day when our Brahma crosses and Brangus were out and about. Is that typicaly for that breed?

 

[aplusmnt]

Where do Charolais fit into the mix as heat tolerant breeds?

 

[CowpokeJ]

Where do Charolais fit into the mix as heat tolerant breeds?

I have 3 charolais bulls here, no heat problems. Red Angus x beefmaster are some nice crosses.