skcatlman,
I agree that the traditional Braunvieh color penalizes these cattle at the sale barn. However, several Braunvieh breeders have been breeding up from Angus and there are now several good black, polled Braunvieh bulls being offered. Other than color and the fact that a high majority of Braunvieh cattle are horned, the other area that I feel the Braunvieh breed needs to improve is reducing their birth weights.
In the short term I think the Braunvieh breed is going to have to produce more quality polled, black bulls to gain market share. Long term I envision that hide color will have less effect on feeder and finished cattle prices...am I dreaming??? ;-)
Dun, you are right about ten years ago; but then again most breeds were saying it in the past 10 to 20 years. However, Braunvieh is one of only a couple so-called minor breed that I really envision making major strides in market share in the next decade.