More than one Breed !

[talldog]

Seems we are all ,or most,locked into one breed and close minded to others. I was raised with Jerseys and Hereford cattle. Today, I'm partial to Longhorns for a lot of reasons, which have all been stated, but still appreciate several different breeds. Tell your breed ,and also, other beeds you like---Have a Great Day !!! :tiphat:

 

[Frankie]

A big part of my appreciation of cattle is what they can do for me. I find that I like the cows in our pasture that produce the best calf most. Guess I'm just a crass money grubber.

My dad ran commercial cows, genetically a real mix, but always used an Angus bull on them. I freely admit to being locked in to Angus. That doesn't mean I don't enjoy looking at other cattle. A red Limi bull my neighbor ran was a sight to behold. A newborn Hereford calf is one of nature's wonders, IMO. Back when people around here used Longhorns on heifers, those multi-spotted calves were so cute.

 

[2barmcattle]

Longhorns because:
They don't get sick
They live longer than most
Their meat is more healthy than most
Don't EVER have to pull calves
Every calf is different
It's fun to me to add color and horn to the list of traits I try to breed for.
Most are very docile

I have also had polled shorthorns, simmental and polled hereford in the past and really enjoyed tham a well.

 

[knowknews]

Well, my dad raised brown swiss. I knew a little about them, and as you say, leaned toward them whenever the conversation came up. My Aunt and Uncle had herfords. Now we have our first, a char (mostly). The man up the road has piedmont (sp?) which I have never heard of nor has my dad. I just want my own family cow that will give milk and bless us with some offspring for beef once in awhile. I don't know if she is the right breed for the job, but from what Hubby read up on, she can be dual purpose.

 

[blackgloves]

What I like using my heart:
Red Limousine
Charolais
Blonde D' Aqutaine

What I like using my brain:
black Angus
black Limousine
Brangus

I said heart and brain because the market is black. Using my head we have went black on our bull and have started buying more black heifers etc

I grew up on Red Limousine and will always have a spot in my heart for that breed. Even if the market wasn't black Id still like Brangus

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I am tried & true Simmental. We have solid blacks & reds with white on some faces and bellies. I still LOVE the traditional spotted Simmies - but they don't pay the bill. We make most of our money selling show heifers & breeding stock, so we've been the gammit of "fads" as far as height. I love the modern Simmental now. We cut off the legs & kept the depth & thickness.
If I was commercial, I'd run Simmental X Angus cows with a Fleckvieh type Bull on them.
I am very impressed with Murray Grey cattle.
As far as dairy breeds - I like Brown Swiss.

 

[aussie_cowgirl]

I got asked this during an interview for a youth cattle thing. I told them I can appreciate most breeds for their benefits and don't really have a favourite. I've pretty much decided on charolais for where I'm going to go, not because of they're my favourite breed, but because in my town there is a market for them. We used to have a big producers of Charolais for stud and commercial use here but he sold up a few years ago and no one has filled that hole. But I truely like the chars, I love the bone and the softness you can get in them, the sheer power they can put into other breeds. Chargreys are one of the most beautiful crosses I've seen because they have almost everything.

I like:
Charolais
Welsh Blacks
Limousin
Simmental
South Devon
Highlands
Brahmans
Red Polls

I don't like:
Angus (red or black)
Hereford
Gelbvieh

 

[Loch Valley Fold]

Scottish Highland Cattle
They are an easy no mess no fuss ancient breed, hardy, conversation starter, gentle as lambs, easily adapts to their new enviorment. They are a lot like TLH except they don't come in the wild colours. Most improtantly they don't jump fences & try to cause me endless headaches
As for dairy cattle that was, is & always will be Jersey

 

[grannysoo]

Most of mine are black angus, with a few baldies in the mix. Looking to bring in a new bull this year with a lot more ear.

 

[mnmtranching]

Any good cow is a GOOD COW. But only if she will make me money.
For you doing it "just for fun" Raise whatever you like. :nod:

 

[alacattleman]

i like herfs, simmentals, brahmans, gelbvieh,, brangus,.. the majority of my herd is bred up to brangus/ angus bull.. because i can make the most money on em.

 

[Willow Springs]

I can honestly say that I don't dislike any breed of cattle. The good ones in any breed are good, and I can always find one I like.

We currently raise Angus (mostly Red) and I have a lot of good opinions on them. Specifically their convinience. I strive for moderate, deep bodied, easy fleshing females that are intervention free. Having said that we have still bought our fair share of garbage in that breed, especially as they got more popular and culling became optional. There is nothing like rasing your own females, especially in the PB business, because the depreciation can really undermine profits.

My grandfather rasied Blonde d'Aquitaine in the 70's & 80's. That was my first introduction to the business and I fell in love with it. We did a lot of showing and I spent a lot of time on the farm working with the cattle, memorizing pedigrees and going to shows and sales. Most of my fondest memories revolve around my grandfathers farm and the cattle were part of that. For that reason i will always have a soft spot for the Blonde cattle. I still have a few around.

I tried Shorthorns for a while too. Very poor luck; too much Chi and Maine influence in the appendix cattle. We did have a few good ones that could raise a decent calf and breed back at the same time. I was young though and got caught up in the show thing; should've listened to the old time Shorthorn breeders more. Their cattle weren't as pretty, but they worked. I bought a package of cows this spring and got a good old shorthorn with them. If my others had been as good as this commercial cow I probably would've stuck with them.

 

[3waycross]

Gelbvieh/Red Angus

after that Hereford, Angus, Shorthorn

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

Limousin red fullbloods just kinda like them. When everbody else talks about muscle my fullbloods got it. All breeds have there place,it up to the owners to figure out what it is.

 

[MO_cows]

IF we could do our own AI, I would like to cross some different breeds onto our Tarentaise cows and see how the calves turned out. Angus/Red Angus, Brangus/Red Brangus, Shorthorn, Hereford, Durham Reds.

 

[showing71]

IF we could do our own AI, I would like to cross some different breeds onto our Tarentaise cows and see how the calves turned out. Angus/Red Angus, Brangus/Red Brangus, Shorthorn, Hereford, Durham Reds.

Crossing red angus with the tars has some neat looking calves, they're red nosed and hooved. Dad's had a lot of interest in them, even more than the black angus/tar cross.

I'm partial to anything red, basically because they're something different. Red Angus are my favorite, great moms who wean good calves. I've always liked shorthorns also, but around here all the shorthorns are clubby or strictly bred for show calves.

 

[bigbull338]

well id say my stick with it breed is beefmasters.went with a friend to get 2 reg beefmaster bulls 4yrs ago.an ive been hooked on them since.had reg horned an polled herefords.an ill always have a soft spot for them.

 

[hillsdown]

Well , my main breed of choice is Holsteins but dairy is out of the question from now on and I am left with only a few flush cows and will not add any new ones. They are so very intelligent and if handled from day one are very gentle. I love the color patterns on them as well.

For beef as most know it is Red Gelbvieh and after doing research on the breed when I first saw them on a trip to Germany I was so taken with them that I had to find out as much as I could about them. Turns out they were just starting to get going in North America and in the the last 5 years the movement has sky rocketed. There are Gelbvieh influenced herds everywhere around here so I guess others see what I see in them and the feed lots love them.

I love all good cattle and I love looking at them in the pastures and when people post pics of them. If I could I would have a herd of each.
But, because I know that you can be mediocre at many things and great at one it is best to concentrate on one only and make it the very best possible. So I will stick with my Gelbvieh's and continue AI'ing as many as possible each year and hopefully in the future breeders will be using my genetics to AI in their herds.

 

[talldog]

Well , my main breed of choice is Holsteins but dairy is out of the question from now on and I am left with only a few flush cows and will not add any new ones. They are so very intelligent and if handled from day one are very gentle. I love the color patterns on them as well.

For beef as most know it is Red Gelbvieh and after doing research on the breed when I first saw them on a trip to Germany I was so taken with them that I had to find out as much as I could about them. Turns out they were just starting to get going in North America and in the the last 5 years the movement has sky rocketed. There are Gelbvieh influenced herds everywhere around here so I guess others see what I see in them and the feed lots love them.

I love all good cattle and I love looking at them in the pastures and when people post pics of them. If I could I would have a herd of each.
But, because I know that you can be mediocre at many things and great at one it is best to concentrate on one only and make it the very best possible. So I will stick with my Gelbvieh's and continue AI'ing as many as possible each year and hopefully in the future breeders will be using my genetics to AI in their herds.

Very well said ! :tiphat:

 

[dun]

Turns out they were just starting to get going in North America and in the the last 5 years the movement has sky rocketed.

They've been in the US since the early 70s. Carnation Genetics (formerly in Carnation, WA) started importing semen back then. The Gelbvieh Association has had classifications for udder and teat quality from the beginning. I think that's a big share of the reason you see fewer Gelbvieh wih poor udders then some of the other continental breeds.