Some thoughts on Certified Angus Beef

[Katpau]

I often see rants against CAB posted on this site. People seem to blame CAB for ruining the market for their cattle, just because they aren't black. The problem is, their cattle are discounted because buyers have found them less likely to grade well than the black cattle. If you are able get a reputation for raising cattle that consistently have a high percentage grade prime, you will still find buyers willing to pay the same prices as they give to the black cattle. Most small producers will find it difficult to establish such a reputation, and are unlikely to even know how their cattle grade. You can't blame the feedlots and packers for paying more for what statistically has resulted in better profits. Black Angus breeders have spent over 40 years working on increasing a reputation for quality beef, and that is why black calves are more likely to receive top dollar. CAB was designed to increase the value of Angus cattle, but it would not have worked if the product was not superior to the competition.

CAB is a wholly owned subsidiary of the American Angus Association. It was formed in 1978 in response to lower quality grades being labeled as choice by the USDA. The American Angus Association responded Introducing CAB and requiring higher standards for beef to be labeled as Certified Angus Beef. The goal was to increase beef quality in Angus cattle and to sell Angus bulls. The black color was used as one way to identify Angus influenced cattle, since selling Angus bulls was one of the goals. At that time a black calf was almost surely sired by an Angus bull, since most other breeds were not black. CAB requirements include "Angus type" which excludes animals that appear to have too much dairy (light muscling) or Bos Indicus (neck hump exceeding 2 inches) influence. "Cattle must have a predominantly black hide, with no other color behind the shoulder, above the flanks, or breaking the midline, excluding the tail." The rumor that an animal only needs to be 51% black is false. Being black does not ensure qualifying for CAB, nor does being 100% Angus. When originally conceived, CAB was designed to improve carcass qualities in Angus cattle which was already better than those qualities in many other breeds. It can certainly be argued that the obsession with marbling has resulted in some breeders losing sight of other important qualities. I personally don't value a high marbling EPD near as much as many other traits, but I can certainly see the value when using a terminal sire.

The more important CAB requirements include;

Modest or higher marbling.
Medium to fine marbling texture.
"A" maturity (both lean & skeletal)
10- to 16-square-inch ribeye area.
1,050 pounds hot carcass weight or less.
1-inch or less fat thickness.
Superior muscling (limits light-muscled cattle)

The immense success of CAB, resulted in many other breeds increasing carcass quality and going black by adding Angus blood.

 

[Travlr]

Nope... but those ideas are what CAB sells.

 

[SBMF 2015]

The problem is, their cattle are discounted because buyers have found them less likely to grade well than the black cattle.

That sounds good in theory but it's not necessarily true.
I used to manage a feed lot that fed a lot of F1 Char x angus. Roughly 50% of our inventory was smokey. They would grade as well or higher than the angus. And yet we had more than one packer tell us that if we wouldn't make a semi load 80% or more blk hided they wouldn't bid on them.

75% blk hided, choice 3 or better used to be kind of the standard. I've had USDA graders tell me that if they are not getting enough CAB cattle on a certain day the standards get more lax so they can still get their quota. Remember CAB carcasses are worth more than non CAB, but it's pretty darn hard to prove what color they were when they're hanging in the cooler.
A choice 3 is a choice 3, CAB or not.

 

[Ky hills]

I've been a proponent of CAB, before we started finishing out our own beef, we were buying CAB.
Our take in it was that the ground beef, was better texture than the regular store bought. The roasts were usually pretty good but not really different than store brand. Steaks were very hit and miss, quality varies just like store brands of equal quality.
Again CAB is a good product but certainly not superior.
We finish our own, sometimes Angus, sometimes Hereford and sometimes crosses of the two.
We have found no discernible difference between breeds, it's all been good and thus far better than the CAB we used to purchase.
I think there are some nuances at play in some situations. Herefords are said to put on a lot of exterior fat and not marbling. No doubt the feeders are more in the know on watching inputs, time on feed etc. They may have a model animal type that fits their desired mold.
For us feeding them out we see no difference in taste or tenderness between breeds or crosses, and our Herefords have had a comparable amount of marbling.
We don't have a fat cattle market around here, but a friend used to finish out his Holstein steers from his dairy and take them up into Ohio to a fat cattle sale. He said there was very little difference maybe a cent or two on comparably finished cattle of various breeds like Angus, Herefords or Charolais.
I think as far as CAB helping the industry to the point that sone Angus folks say, I believe that is debatable.
I think it helped the Angus breed for a while, but now I believe Simmental are beating them at their own game by exploiting their he loose definition of CAB.
Certainly, I have found that raising straight bred Angus and selling them as 5-600 weight calves is not the most money. Lots of times those calves won't have the frame and will sell for less than larger framed Simmental or other crosses, at least here in our markets.
Those straight Angus calves won't grow fast like the other breeds but by the time they are mature they will be as big or bigger but it doesn't translate to the earlier growth to weaning and a ways beyond.

 

[Katpau]

KY Hills said
"I think it helped the Angus breed for a while, but now I believe Simmental are beating them at their own game by exploiting their he loose definition of CAB."

Actually the Simmental cattle and any other breed that have gone black in order to sell CAB, is only helping to enrich the brand.
"CAB is entirely funded by licensed packers and processors, who pay commissions of about 2 cents per pound of branded product sold. When an animal is certified, a packer can then choose to market it as Certified Angus Beef ®–and most of the time, they do.

If your Simmental receives CAB certification, then CAB (an American Angus Association subsidiary) will receive 2 cents for every pound of product sold with the CAB brand label.

The Simmental breed turned black by introducing Angus genetics. The best grading Simmental cattle would likely DNA as closer relatives to Angus than they would to the old Fleckvieh cattle. Every time an animal is certified, the CAB brand gets richer. It has been an extremely successful and profitable marketing ploy.

"

 

[Ky hills]

KY Hills said
"I think it helped the Angus breed for a while, but now I believe Simmental are beating them at their own game by exploiting their he loose definition of CAB."

Actually the Simmental cattle and any other breed that have gone black in order to sell CAB, is only helping to enrich the brand.
"CAB is entirely funded by licensed packers and processors, who pay commissions of about 2 cents per pound of branded product sold. When an animal is certified, a packer can then choose to market it as Certified Angus Beef ®–and most of the time, they do.

If your Simmental receives CAB certification, then CAB (an American Angus Association subsidiary) will receive 2 cents for every pound of product sold with the CAB brand label.

The Simmental breed turned black by introducing Angus genetics. The best grading Simmental cattle would likely DNA as closer relatives to Angus than they would to the old Fleckvieh cattle. Every time an animal is certified, the CAB brand gets richer. It has been an extremely successful and profitable marketing ploy.

"

Originally the Simmentals, Charolais and other continental breeds were often bred up to purebred status using the available breeds at the time namely Angus or Hereford. So a lot of breeds like Simmental, Limousin etc already had a number of black hided individuals within their breeds. When the black hided craze hit it was an easy transition for them.

I'm not saying that CAB isn't good marketing it. It is a good marketing strategy that just happened to come about at the right time to be successful.
A lot of factors came together at the conclusion of the frame race, that brought Angus back into favor with or without CAB.

What I am seeing over the last several years is that while Angus are still very popular, other breeds are making inroads back into the market share that Angus bulls had previously dominated.
Herefords have been very popular and Simmentals are red hot right now, which means that Angus may always have the lions share of the bull market but other breeds are beginning to cut into that.

I've used Angus bulls for nearly 20 years but have also been incorporating Hereford and more recently Simmentals into our herd.

 

[Travlr]

KY Hills said
"I think it helped the Angus breed for a while, but now I believe Simmental are beating them at their own game by exploiting their he loose definition of CAB."

Actually the Simmental cattle and any other breed that have gone black in order to sell CAB, is only helping to enrich the brand.
"CAB is entirely funded by licensed packers and processors, who pay commissions of about 2 cents per pound of branded product sold. When an animal is certified, a packer can then choose to market it as Certified Angus Beef ®–and most of the time, they do.

If your Simmental receives CAB certification, then CAB (an American Angus Association subsidiary) will receive 2 cents for every pound of product sold with the CAB brand label.

The Simmental breed turned black by introducing Angus genetics. The best grading Simmental cattle would likely DNA as closer relatives to Angus than they would to the old Fleckvieh cattle. Every time an animal is certified, the CAB brand gets richer. It has been an extremely successful and profitable marketing ploy.

"

And this is why the lack of genetic diversity in cattle is getting to be concerning...

 

[50/50Farms]

My muscles are too tight to go along with these mental gymnastics.

 

[Warren Allison]

I often see rants against CAB posted on this site. People seem to blame CAB for ruining the market for their cattle, just because they aren't black. The problem is, their cattle are discounted because buyers have found them less likely to grade well than the black cattle. If you are able get a reputation for raising cattle that consistently have a high percentage grade prime, you will still find buyers willing to pay the same prices as they give to the black cattle. Most small producers will find it difficult to establish such a reputation, and are unlikely to even know how their cattle grade. You can't blame the feedlots and packers for paying more for what statistically has resulted in better profits. Black Angus breeders have spent over 40 years working on increasing a reputation for quality beef, and that is why black calves are more likely to receive top dollar. CAB was designed to increase the value of Angus cattle, but it would not have worked if the product was not superior to the competition.

CAB is a wholly owned subsidiary of the American Angus Association. It was formed in 1978 in response to lower quality grades being labeled as choice by the USDA. The American Angus Association responded Introducing CAB and requiring higher standards for beef to be labeled as Certified Angus Beef. The goal was to increase beef quality in Angus cattle and to sell Angus bulls. The black color was used as one way to identify Angus influenced cattle, since selling Angus bulls was one of the goals. At that time a black calf was almost surely sired by an Angus bull, since most other breeds were not black. CAB requirements include "Angus type" which excludes animals that appear to have too much dairy (light muscling) or Bos Indicus (neck hump exceeding 2 inches) influence. "Cattle must have a predominantly black hide, with no other color behind the shoulder, above the flanks, or breaking the midline, excluding the tail." The rumor that an animal only needs to be 51% black is false. Being black does not ensure qualifying for CAB, nor does being 100% Angus. When originally conceived, CAB was designed to improve carcass qualities in Angus cattle which was already better than those qualities in many other breeds. It can certainly be argued that the obsession with marbling has resulted in some breeders losing sight of other important qualities. I personally don't value a high marbling EPD near as much as many other traits, but I can certainly see the value when using a terminal sire.

The more important CAB requirements include;

Modest or higher marbling.
Medium to fine marbling texture.
"A" maturity (both lean & skeletal)
10- to 16-square-inch ribeye area.
1,050 pounds hot carcass weight or less.
1-inch or less fat thickness.
Superior muscling (limits light-muscled cattle)

The immense success of CAB, resulted in many other breeds increasing carcass quality and going black by adding Angus blood.

The only flaw I see in your post, is about the so-called discounts. Red, white, yellow purple polka dotted cattle that grade ( or buyers feel will grade) choice and prime are paid top dollar. But, buyers will pay a premium for black hided cattle that buyers feel may make CAB status at slaughter, When `prime non-black cattle bring $2.00 lb, and black ones bring $2.20 per pound, the non-blacks are NOT discounted 20 cents. The black ones fetch a 20 cent premium. If the CAB ended today then the black ones would bring $2 per lb as well. As long as certified Angus beef sells for more than "beef" at the grocery store, the packers will charge the grocery stores more. Thus, they will pay a litle more for carcasses that attain CAB status. So, when you sell your calves, buyers will pay a little more for your black calves they feel may attain CAB status. You are right about the ranting and railing and gnashing of teeth by people on here upset their red or white or whatever colored cattle didn't bring as much per pound as their black ones. Instead of bitching and belly aching, buy yoursaelf some black cows. Or a black bull. You are also right that all black calves a buyer might pay a premium for, doesn;t always meet CAB criteria at slaughter. But 100% of the red, white, etc calves WILL NOT fetch the CAB premium at slaughter, so sane buyers are NOT gonna bid as much for them. You are right about the idiotic thing that Simmental, Limosine, Gelbiev etc., breeders did, in turning their breeds black. Totally unnecessary in order to capitalize on CAB programs., A Black Angus bull would have sired back calves 100% of the time out of red & white Simms, red Lims, orange Gelbs, etc. And those red or red & white bulls would have sired black calves when bred to black Angus calves. But turning Simms etc black, does nothing to boost demand for Simms. It still boosts demand for Angus. The labels don't say " Certified Angus Beef, but this animal was actually a Simm in real life!" LOL When people think of beef they think of Angus. When people decide they want to try their hand at farming, ranching or raising a few cows, they think of Angus . The AAA, and the various Certified Angus programs, and the Angus breeders, HAVE NOT done a damned thing to reduce the genetic diversity of the world's beef herd. Nor have they "destroyed the other breeds of cattle". That all lays squarely on the SIMM, LIM, GEL, etc, breeders that have turned their breed into Angus crosses. Period.

 

[CSM]

Certified Angus Vs USDA Prime Beef: Which Is The Superior Choice For Meat Lovers? - Cookindocs

This post explores the difference between Certified Angus Beef and USDA Prime Beef, so you can decide which is worth the extra cost. Learn what sets these two beef grades apart and why you should consider investing in quality.

cookindocs.com

This is a short article that would be very funny if this wasn't how people in the US thought. I don't know any thing about this publication or writer but it's out there and at least a few people will read it and accept it as the truth. The American public do not understand food production.

 

[BFE]

Certified Angus Vs USDA Prime Beef: Which Is The Superior Choice For Meat Lovers? - Cookindocs

This post explores the difference between Certified Angus Beef and USDA Prime Beef, so you can decide which is worth the extra cost. Learn what sets these two beef grades apart and why you should consider investing in quality.

cookindocs.com

This is a short article that would be very funny if this wasn't how people in the US thought. I don't know any thing about this publication or writer but it's out there and at least a few people will read it and accept it as the truth. The American public do not understand food production.

Interesting read. Makes no sense at all, but interesting.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I often see rants against CAB posted on this site. People seem to blame CAB for ruining the market for their cattle, just because they aren't black. The problem is, their cattle are discounted because buyers have found them less likely to grade well than the black cattle. If you are able get a reputation for raising cattle that consistently have a high percentage grade prime, you will still find buyers willing to pay the same prices as they give to the black cattle. Most small producers will find it difficult to establish such a reputation, and are unlikely to even know how their cattle grade. You can't blame the feedlots and packers for paying more for what statistically has resulted in better profits. Black Angus breeders have spent over 40 years working on increasing a reputation for quality beef, and that is why black calves are more likely to receive top dollar. CAB was designed to increase the value of Angus cattle, but it would not have worked if the product was not superior to the competition.

CAB is a wholly owned subsidiary of the American Angus Association. It was formed in 1978 in response to lower quality grades being labeled as choice by the USDA. The American Angus Association responded Introducing CAB and requiring higher standards for beef to be labeled as Certified Angus Beef. The goal was to increase beef quality in Angus cattle and to sell Angus bulls. The black color was used as one way to identify Angus influenced cattle, since selling Angus bulls was one of the goals. At that time a black calf was almost surely sired by an Angus bull, since most other breeds were not black. CAB requirements include "Angus type" which excludes animals that appear to have too much dairy (light muscling) or Bos Indicus (neck hump exceeding 2 inches) influence. "Cattle must have a predominantly black hide, with no other color behind the shoulder, above the flanks, or breaking the midline, excluding the tail." The rumor that an animal only needs to be 51% black is false. Being black does not ensure qualifying for CAB, nor does being 100% Angus. When originally conceived, CAB was designed to improve carcass qualities in Angus cattle which was already better than those qualities in many other breeds. It can certainly be argued that the obsession with marbling has resulted in some breeders losing sight of other important qualities. I personally don't value a high marbling EPD near as much as many other traits, but I can certainly see the value when using a terminal sire.

The more important CAB requirements include;

Modest or higher marbling.
Medium to fine marbling texture.
"A" maturity (both lean & skeletal)
10- to 16-square-inch ribeye area.
1,050 pounds hot carcass weight or less.
1-inch or less fat thickness.
Superior muscling (limits light-muscled cattle)

The immense success of CAB, resulted in many other breeds increasing carcass quality and going black by adding Angus blood.

Horse shyt and I run an Angus bull. CAB is a scam and has been since day one.
When it only has to be 51% black hides a Holstein will qualify.
There is not enough Angus in the world to fill all the beef being sold under the CAB flag.
Be kinda of hard to do when 80% of the world and 40% of USA beef is Brahman influenced.
All the Angus associations accomplished is turning others into the septic tank of Angus to achieve a black hide.
What did Angus put in the woodpile to turn those knotty 1K pound bulls into 2K plus behemoths overnight.
I have been playing this game over half a century and you can't BS a man at his own game.

 

[Ky hills]

I find it so amusing and frustrating at the same time how people twist things around to justify something.
A lot of people think that I must be anti Angus which isn't true at all, over half of our herd is black or black white face and most all of that comes from Angus. I e used Angus bulls for around 20 years. They can be good cattle and do a lot of things right. They are however, like any other breed in that they are not perfect.
They have several problems as a breed in the same sense that Herefords or Simmentals, Charolais etc. have negatives that they have been known for.
Largely most of the issues with Angus are fairly new, in my estimation it is a result of breeding by numbers and constant reliance on using the AI bull of the month generation after generation.
If people really believe that Angus are more pure than other breeds they are very likely mistaken.
Like @Caustic Burno said, you don't get a 2000# animal from 1000# animals overnight without bringing in other breeds that are capable of doing that.
It's not just Angus, the same can be said of Herefords.
It's true that CAB doesn't promote Simmentals or anything else, but because those breeds have a lot of black animals it's only logical to think that a significant amount of CAB is genetically as much as half or more Simmental, Hereford, and others. Those Hereford crossed BWF calves should easily make CAB. Those Simmental and SimAngus calves will make CAB too with many being solid black and BWF.
Pretty sure a lot of Brangus and Brangus cross calves make CAB too, but they wouldn't admit much to that either.
The CAB started as a way to market Angus bulls, because at the time Angus could not compete with the popular continental breeds that brought more growth. They jumped in the frame race too, and when it came to a screeching halt there were enough Angus left of moderate size that they were able to benefit from the new trend at the time of moderate framed cattle.
By now people have figured out that other breed bulls crossed on Angus based cows will have more growthy calves than straight bred Angus, hence why Simmentals, Hereford, Brangus bulls are in demand now.
CB is also right in that there isn't enough Angus to fill those orders for "Angus" beef. If it was only Angus bulls being used and it really was such a good deal then Angus bulls would still be averaging much higher prices than other breeds.
I've heard several Angus breeders the last few years lamenting that bull sales were slow and that had there were too many of them to move. No doubt a lot of people use Angus bulls and they pay high prices for many of them, but in this area comparison wise, Simmentals and Herefords, are sold pretty fast and comparable or higher priced on average.
Again understand I'm not bashing Angus or Angus breeders just calling out the propaganda that we've been hearing for years about how superior Angus CAB is and how it's the savior of the cattle industry etc.
It's not the argument we need to be having. We need to be focused on taking back the beef industry, but obviously sone people are content to be told they are getting a bit of a premium for their cattle. Kind of like being lost in the woods and looking for trees. It's easy to find a tree, and that takes up time and may give a sense of accomplishment but it does nothing to help get out of the woods.

 

[Ebenezer]

If the facts about heterosis are real, and I think that they are, then the mingling of breeds to get most breeds black haired is not the best answer.

 

[Travlr]

The only flaw I see in your post, is about the so-called discounts. Red, white, yellow purple polka dotted cattle that grade ( or buyers feel will grade) choice and prime are paid top dollar. But, buyers will pay a premium for black hided cattle that buyers feel may make CAB status at slaughter, When `prime non-black cattle bring $2.00 lb, and black ones bring $2.20 per pound, the non-blacks are NOT discounted 20 cents. The black ones fetch a 20 cent premium. If the CAB ended today then the black ones would bring $2 per lb as well. As long as certified Angus beef sells for more than "beef" at the grocery store, the packers will charge the grocery stores more. Thus, they will pay a litle more for carcasses that attain CAB status. So, when you sell your calves, buyers will pay a little more for your black calves they feel may attain CAB status. You are right about the ranting and railing and gnashing of teeth by people on here upset their red or white or whatever colored cattle didn't bring as much per pound as their black ones. Instead of bitching and belly aching, buy yoursaelf some black cows. Or a black bull. You are also right that all black calves a buyer might pay a premium for, doesn;t always meet CAB criteria at slaughter. But 100% of the red, white, etc calves WILL NOT fetch the CAB premium at slaughter, so sane buyers are NOT gonna bid as much for them. You are right about the idiotic thing that Simmental, Limosine, Gelbiev etc., breeders did, in turning their breeds black. Totally unnecessary in order to capitalize on CAB programs., A Black Angus bull would have sired back calves 100% of the time out of red & white Simms, red Lims, orange Gelbs, etc. And those red or red & white bulls would have sired black calves when bred to black Angus calves. But turning Simms etc black, does nothing to boost demand for Simms. It still boosts demand for Angus. The labels don't say " Certified Angus Beef, but this animal was actually a Simm in real life!" LOL When people think of beef they think of Angus. When people decide they want to try their hand at farming, ranching or raising a few cows, they think of Angus . The AAA, and the various Certified Angus programs, and the Angus breeders, HAVE NOT done a damned thing to reduce the genetic diversity of the world's beef herd. Nor have they "destroyed the other breeds of cattle". That all lays squarely on the SIMM, LIM, GEL, etc, breeders that have turned their breed into Angus crosses. Period.

Just because you say it, it doesn't make it true.

 

[Travlr]

Certified Angus Vs USDA Prime Beef: Which Is The Superior Choice For Meat Lovers? - Cookindocs

This post explores the difference between Certified Angus Beef and USDA Prime Beef, so you can decide which is worth the extra cost. Learn what sets these two beef grades apart and why you should consider investing in quality.

cookindocs.com

This is a short article that would be very funny if this wasn't how people in the US thought. I don't know any thing about this publication or writer but it's out there and at least a few people will read it and accept it as the truth. The American public do not understand food production.

LOL... what a bunch of absolute bullshiite in that article!!!

Thanks for posting it though. It was a good laugh with my morning coffee.

 

[Warren Allison]

Horse shyt and I run an Angus bull. CAB is a scam and has been since day one.
When it only has to be 51% black hides a Holstein will qualify.
There is not enough Angus in the world to fill all the beef being sold under the CAB flag.
Be kinda of hard to do when 80% of the world and 40% of USA beef is Brahman influenced.
All the Angus associations accomplished is turning others into the septic tank of Angus to achieve a black hide.
What did Angus put in the woodpile to turn those knotty 1K pound bulls into 2K plus behemoths overnight.
I have been playing this game over half a century and you can't BS a man at his own game.

Nope, dairy types are not allowed and won't make it past the live animal inspection. Even if they did, they wouldn't pass the other 10 criteria when it got to carcass inspection. Neck humps can not exceed 2 inches in height, so most Brangus, Black Braford, black Beefmasters, etc, would pass that .

 

[Caustic Burno]

Nope, dairy types are not allowed and won't make it past the live animal inspection. Even if they did, they wouldn't pass the other 10 criteria when it got to carcass inspection. Neck humps can not exceed 2 inches in height, so most Brangus, Black Braford, black Beefmasters, etc, would pass that . View attachment 31460

BS I have hauled1/4 Jersey 1/4 Brahman 1/2 Angus and beat everything in the salebarn that day in that weight class.
They not supposed to have Brahman either but the buyers fight over mine when the come in. The ask for their numbers.
You can BS the city folks not the cattlemen.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I find it so amusing and frustrating at the same time how people twist things around to justify something.
A lot of people think that I must be anti Angus which isn't true at all, over half of our herd is black or black white face and most all of that comes from Angus. I e used Angus bulls for around 20 years. They can be good cattle and do a lot of things right. They are however, like any other breed in that they are not perfect.
They have several problems as a breed in the same sense that Herefords or Simmentals, Charolais etc. have negatives that they have been known for.
Largely most of the issues with Angus are fairly new, in my estimation it is a result of breeding by numbers and constant reliance on using the AI bull of the month generation after generation.
If people really believe that Angus are more pure than other breeds they are very likely mistaken.
Like @Caustic Burno said, you don't get a 2000# animal from 1000# animals overnight without bringing in other breeds that are capable of doing that.
It's not just Angus, the same can be said of Herefords.
It's true that CAB doesn't promote Simmentals or anything else, but because those breeds have a lot of black animals it's only logical to think that a significant amount of CAB is genetically as much as half or more Simmental, Hereford, and others. Those Hereford crossed BWF calves should easily make CAB. Those Simmental and SimAngus calves will make CAB too with many being solid black and BWF.
Pretty sure a lot of Brangus and Brangus cross calves make CAB too, but they wouldn't admit much to that either.
The CAB started as a way to market Angus bulls, because at the time Angus could not compete with the popular continental breeds that brought more growth. They jumped in the frame race too, and when it came to a screeching halt there were enough Angus left of moderate size that they were able to benefit from the new trend at the time of moderate framed cattle.
By now people have figured out that other breed bulls crossed on Angus based cows will have more growthy calves than straight bred Angus, hence why Simmentals, Hereford, Brangus bulls are in demand now.
CB is also right in that there isn't enough Angus to fill those orders for "Angus" beef. If it was only Angus bulls being used and it really was such a good deal then Angus bulls would still be averaging much higher prices than other breeds.
I've heard several Angus breeders the last few years lamenting that bull sales were slow and that had there were too many of them to move. No doubt a lot of people use Angus bulls and they pay high prices for many of them, but in this area comparison wise, Simmentals and Herefords, are sold pretty fast and comparable or higher priced on average.
Again understand I'm not bashing Angus or Angus breeders just calling out the propaganda that we've been hearing for years about how superior Angus CAB is and how it's the savior of the cattle industry etc.
It's not the argument we need to be having. We need to be focused on taking back the beef industry, but obviously sone people are content to be told they are getting a bit of a premium for their cattle. Kind of like being lost in the woods and looking for trees. It's easy to find a tree, and that takes up time and may give a sense of accomplishment but it does nothing to help get out of the woods.

There was some hanky panky in the Hereford association as well heck they green papered certain lines. The yellow Hereford disappeared along with the feather necks and goggle eyes popped up overnight as well. American Chars are just hybrid Brimmer they supposedly breed it all out. DNA doesn't work that way once it's in the woodpile it's almost impossible to get it out. You might get down to a low percentage but it's still there.
"
The first Charolais came into the United States from Mexico in 1934. From that beginning, the breed grew rapidly. Wherever they were shown, the big white cattle commanded instant attention. Cattlemen admired both Charolais bulls and females for their muscling, correctness and size. They were also very impressed with their calves. An ever-expanding demand for purebred Charolais seedstock kept an active market for both bulls and females. Livestock producers across the country were searching for animals who would improve their profit picture.

In the late 1940s and early 1950s the breeders established the American Charbray Breeders Association and the American Charolais Breeders Association, both of which limited pedigrees to a blend of Charolais and Brahman breeding. Producers who were utilizing other beef breed cows to produce Charolais by compounding Charolais blood through successive generations, formed the International Charolais Association. In 1957, the American and International Associations merged into today's American-International Charolais Association (AICA). In 1964, the Pan-American Charolais Association, whose registrations were based on performance rather than genetic content, merged into the AICA. And three years later, the American Charbray Breeders Association merged with the AICA, bringing all Charolais-based breeds in the United States under the fold of a single breed registry.

With the limited availability of pure Charolais during the early years, American breeders established a five-generation "breeding-up" program to expand the breed. This program involved using purebred Charolais bulls for five consecutive generations to produce a 31/32 Charolais animal. Geneticists say this percentage is the equivalent of a purebred, containing only 3% of the genetic material from the foundation breed.

Charolais is a naturally horned beef animal, but through the breeding-up program, using other breeds carrying the polled gene, polled Charolais emerged. Some of the breed's strongest herds and leading breeders specialize in the production of high-performing polled Charolais."

I would love to see the USDA pull CAB meat from different counters across the country and DNA test it.

 

[Brute 23]

I don't like it because it promotes breeding for hide rather than performance. I worry what long term effects that will have on the industry. There is a lot of hypocrisy in the CAB program.