I've farmed for a long time but just recently got more cattle. I'm trying to decide which cows would be best. I think I'd rather have black baldies but they are hard to find. We've always ran Angus bulls but I know that wont give me the most hybrid vigor but should do pretty good with todays Angus bulls. I almost bought some Red Sim-Angus cows but just didnt like the way they looked. They were kinda long hair and just looked rough, but would probably be real good cows. Of course there are black cows everywhere I could put a Hereford bull on but I just like the idea of a crossbread cow. I've got a few where I live and my black baldies always seem to breed back better. I'm in Kentucky and have to stay away from Brangus cause my buyers don't like any ear. I've also got some real nice Red Angus heiffers I can buy. All comments are welcome. I'm not worried about keeping heiffers
Help deciding which cows
- Thread starter farmer41
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skyhightree1
Well-known member
:welcome: I try to sell what sells the best in my area.
fitz
Well-known member
The Baldies are hard to beat. The black Sim/Angus are also hot right now. I'm pleased with mine. Make good momma cows.
fitz
fitz
FlyingLSimmentals
Well-known member
I would stay away from any white breeds like the Char's, any ear cattle like the Brangus, Beefmaster's, etc.., as well as the Herefords, unless I did want a Hereford bull on black cattle. If I was starting a new commercial cowherd again the females I would be looking for would be Angus, Simmental, and Gelbvieh influenced females. The Red Angus Heifers may click real well with a good calving ease Black Simmental or Black Gelbvieh or a SimAngus, or Balancer. If you want a bit of white on them you could try a blaze Simmi or SimAngus if you could find one. Good Luck.
I'd snatch up the RA heifers myself.
Farmer, I sure hope you check back in with us.
Rosielou
Well-known member
Woops, wrong thread to post in :lol: Sorry.
The Red Angus heiffers are very nice. What color calves would I get breeding them back to Black Angus Bulls? I'm still kinda stuck on everything I've read about a crossbread cow being more fertile and better mothers than straight breeds.
Red Bull Breeder
Well-known member
Where are you located?
farmer41":2d41iq7r said:
He's in KY. I wish he'd check his PM.
Well this is the thread that rekindled my desire to add some RA cows to the mix but farmer hasn't yet answered me as to his interest in the heifers he found nor has he responded to my PMs.
Heck, I'd settle for a simple "bug off" at this point.
Heck, I'd settle for a simple "bug off" at this point.
Thanks for all the input. I sent you a PM Tennessee. If I bought the Red Angus, put a good Hereford bull on them I guess I should get Red Baldies? Black sells better here like most places, We are going to need some replacement heiffers in a couple years so if put a Gelbvieh, Black Simmental, or possibly Black Angus on the Red Baldie heiffers what % calves would I expect to be black? Also what bull would you put on a Black Baldie cow? Gelbvieh or something else?
It seems every area has cattle that are preferred and those that are docked. Currently the in favor breed is a black baldie. An Angus/Hereford cross. This year they don't dock them any if there are up to 20% Herefords on them. As long are they are good quality Herefords of horned breeding. Those that are still being docked are the Chars, Limo's, Simmi's and any Simi cross and Gelbveigh. I will say that the Gelbveigh's are docked less than the others. So I would stay with an Angus base and use a Hereford bull to produce the black baldie females which I think is the best cross there is. They do well from the time they hit the ground until they hit the rail or raising a calf. One of the top sale barn operators in this area recently stated he could get up to a 30% premium for a black baldie heifer with a calf sucking her. Again we each base our opinions and views from our past experiences. In the area where I'm helping manage a cowherd there are about 60% Angus, 30% Herefords and 10% others. Among the others are Chars and Red Angus. Personally I would try to build a cowherd with Angus(either black or red) and Hereford influence. Maybe in your area it isn't a cake and grass type of operation like it is here. They are the breeds who perform the best under the conditions we have here.
I agree that the black baldie is one of the best crosses possible. My problem is that if my cows are black baldie and I breed them back to an Angus bull I'm not getting the most hybrid vigor that I could... but maybe enough I don't know. On the other hand if my cows are mailnly Angus and I put a Hereford bull them then I don't think I'm getting the most hybrid vigor either with a straighbred cow. Therein lies my delimma. Maybe I'm thinking too much about this...I just want the best cows and calves I can get (within reason)
farmer41":2blsdxm9 said:
Got your PM. THANKS!
Oh, and :welcome: to CT. Hope you stick with us.
