SimAngus vs. Balancer

[sim.-ang.king]

My opinion is based on data from varying Bull test, but the way it looks is Sim-Ang is going to have a little bit better carcass traits. That's if your worried about carcass, and going to feed them out.
You could probably just have a mix of both, and breed back with something else. Either going English or Continental for your terminal.
If you want to use hereford, why not do Herf-Ang, and then back with a sim or balancer?

 

[Caustic Burno]

Neighbor runs a balancer over some crossbreed cows and gets some mighty fine calves.
The only negative I see with him is frame he is huge and suffers more than most in our summers.
He runs a terminal operation I sure wouldn't want any retained heifers out of him.
Hard to go wrong with a good Angus or Brangus over Hereford cows.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

Since you have lots of Balencer and Sim-Ang replacement around, hereford might work out, though you would never catch me with a hereford bull. :lol:
As for why I said simmy have better carcass, is that the simmental breeders have spent a lot of time (ever since they first came to the USA) trying to improve on really three things that simmy's were lacking in. Which made farmers use them less than Brit bulls. Carcass (Rib eye Area, Yield, and Fat), Birth weight, and mature cow weight. Both BW, and mature weight have gone down, thanks to breaking from tradition, and allowing outcross, and breed up registration. Lots of people knock them for that, but in the big picture, the breed has improved in leaps and bounds. Also by breeding in large numbers of good carcass quality Angus bulls, many generation ago, into the breed, they have taken the once lean, low yielding simmy, to producing a steer that can out cut most steers on the rail. Pair that with a Angus on top, and the meat, weight, and feed conversion value go up with Sim-Ang steers.
But like I said, there isn't much of a difference between the two, since Balencer uses Angus too. The simmy have just a bit better yield, and aren't quite as lean, so they grade higher. Most Sim-Ang also do better on feed.

It's best that you do the research, and look at the data out there to make your final decision.
Every state has bull test, with lots of verity to give you an idea of how the breed does.

Good Luck






*not intended as a breed pimp post, or to degrade any other breed,
and I am just stating my opinion on my study of current data.
Use your own brain when selecting cattle.*

 

[WarEagle73]

I don't know how it is in the rest of the country, but in the South the biggest draw back to the Gelbviehs and Balancers is just a lack of breeders. I don't know where I can easily find one in Alabama, but I do know of a dozen or so outstanding Simmental and Simangus guys spread out across the state.

In this whole cattle breeding thing, if I have to choose between two very similar breeds, I want to go with the one that has the larger genetic pool to pull from. It's one of the reasons that Angus is so attractive to me. Just an idea. I like the Gelbvieh's, just not many around.

 

[bball]

Since you have lots of Balencer and Sim-Ang replacement around, hereford might work out, though you would never catch me with a hereford bull. :lol:
As for why I said simmy have better carcass, is that the simmental breeders have spent a lot of time (ever since they first came to the USA) trying to improve on really three things that simmy's were lacking in. Which made farmers use them less than Brit bulls. Carcass (Rib eye Area, Yield, and Fat), Birth weight, and mature cow weight. Both BW, and mature weight have gone down, thanks to breaking from tradition, and allowing outcross, and breed up registration. Lots of people knock them for that, but in the big picture, the breed has improved in leaps and bounds. Also by breeding in large numbers of good carcass quality Angus bulls, many generation ago, into the breed, they have taken the once lean, low yielding simmy, to producing a steer that can out cut most steers on the rail. Pair that with a Angus on top, and the meat, weight, and feed conversion value go up with Sim-Ang steers.
But like I said, there isn't much of a difference between the two, since Balencer uses Angus too. The simmy have just a bit better yield, and aren't quite as lean, so they grade higher. Most Sim-Ang also do better on feed.

It's best that you do the research, and look at the data out there to make your final decision.
Every state has bull test, with lots of verity to give you an idea of how the breed does.

Good Luck


King, why no hereford bull for you? Just preference? Color? I'm curious. I have a few SimAngus cross cows, picked up some gelbxang cross this past year and was seriously considering adding a hereford bull to these girls for increased heterosis. I won't get hurt on color as I sell private party. Was just wondering about your statement about hereford bull. Thanks



*not intended as a breed pimp post, or to degrade any other breed,
and I am just stating my opinion on my study of current data.
Use your own brain when selecting cattle.*

 

[southernultrablack]

I don't know how it is in the rest of the country, but in the South the biggest draw back to the Gelbviehs and Balancers is just a lack of breeders. I don't know where I can easily find one in Alabama, but I do know of a dozen or so outstanding Simmental and Simangus guys spread out across the state.

In this whole cattle breeding thing, if I have to choose between two very similar breeds, I want to go with the one that has the larger genetic pool to pull from. It's one of the reasons that Angus is so attractive to me. Just an idea. I like the Gelbvieh's, just not many around.

WarEagle I am in Jackson county and know of 3 or 4 Gelbvieh/Balancer breeders within 75 or 80 miles of me, if you ever get a hankering to check them out just PM me. I really like what I have been seeing with the balancers! As far as the Simangus cattle go I have had no experience with them.

 

[elkwc]

Simm/Angus are hard to find in the area I'm in. When looking for females recently I found one herd within 90 miles. He didn't want to sell anything at the time so didn't go look. There are several Balancer breeders. I helped select one last Jan for the herd I help with. The jury is still out on him. He was 13 months old when we bought him. Used him on 9 hd last summer. He sure stalled out and seemed to be a hard doer. But after spending the winter on good wheat he has hit a growth spurt and starting to look better. I like easy fleshing cattle and time will tell if he is or not. His bloodlines are from the Judd ranch in KS. His sire lacked the frame I desire so picked him as he was out of a large framed Angus cow. Still feel he will be fairly moderate framed. He is well muscled. His first calves are small yet and have enough muscling but not as heavy muscled as those out of the old Angus bull we recently sold. As for Herefords I would use one. Tried to buy Hereford or black baldie females all winter with no luck. The ones I found sold high. They are in demand now in this area. I bought good registered Angus females for several hundred dollars less than I could buy a Hereford for. I plan on AIing them to a Hereford bull. The black and red baldie is the hot item in this area. There are few Charolais breeders and fewer Simm/Angus. Red Angus is really hot also and many herds showing up using them now. I purchased a few to try.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

King, why no hereford bull for you? Just preference? Color? I'm curious. I have a few SimAngus cross cows, picked up some gelbxang cross this past year and was seriously considering adding a hereford bull to these girls for increased heterosis. I won't get hurt on color as I sell private party. Was just wondering about your statement about hereford bull. Thanks

I like solid colored cattle, and most of the bulls don't meet the F:G target on grain I like, or frame size I want. I have seen some nice bulls I would buy, but probably never will unless they start making them solid color, and steers finish at 1300+ pounds.
I do have 4 hereford cross cows right now, good cows, if I use a simmy bull...