Stand alone Breed

[KMacGinley]

Ok you guys, which breed is best suited to stand alone/ no crossbreeding needed; and to produce The all things considered most efficient cow and the best end product. Please justify your choice!

 

[dun]

Ok you guys, which breed is best suited to stand alone/ no crossbreeding needed; and to produce The all things considered most efficient cow and the best end product. Please justify your choice!

It hasn't been discovered yet

dun

 

[KMacGinley]

Ha, I thought the first answer would be Murray Grey.

 

[El_Putzo]

Ha, I thought the first answer would be Murray Grey.

I have to agree with Dun, but I bet the "A" word comes up a few times. ;-)

 

[kaneranch]

I went with a friend a week ago to look at buying some club calves. I was very impressed with there show cattle and a breed that they crossed with them, breinvieh (sp). They crossed very well and they pure bred good as well. I had not really even heard of this breed but it would be something I would look into.

 

[certherfbeef]

Ok you guys, which breed is best suited to stand alone/ no crossbreeding needed; and to produce The all things considered most efficient cow and the best end product. Please justify your choice!

It hasn't been discovered yet

dun

I agree. There is too much difference in climate to chose just one breed.

 

[Bullbuyer]

Angus - 'nuff said.
Better end product - and that is the bottom line. It doesn't matter about EPD's and maternal ability and all this other stuff that so many on here seem so worried about. If your consumer isn't loyal to your product, then all the data in the world isn't going to do you any good. Just try eating or spending that data.

 

[Australian Cattleman]

There are too many types of country in our big world. Bos Indicus cattle naturally do the best in rougher and drier,British as the name suggests are better in the softer or colder climes. European have similar requirements to those of British, but I feel that some Euros are more hardier than others (Tarentaise,Piedmontese and a couple of others probably,may be Limousin)
Our Herefords and South Devons do well in our higher softer country and do poorly in lower nutritioned coastal areas,whereas our Brahmans do well here and down in the coastal area. Hence we breed South Brahvon for coastal areas for those that want lesser Brahman content and to add fleshing.
Thats my two cents worth.
Colin

 

[purecountry]

Yeah there's differences topographically, geographically, economically, blah, blah, blah....so, in our area, in our climate, Galloways work fine as a stand alone breed. As do Welsh Black and Highlands. Besides the usual traits, I think the main thing about them is their meat quality. Some good folks have created a good market for a good product, and it's working. So yes, they can stand alone.

 

[andybob]

I totaly agree, there is no one 'universal' breed, and never could there be. The reason there were no Angus in my origional home region for example,was because even with vaccinations and weekly dipping, the mortality rate was horrendus, so they never caught on.

 

[purecountry]

I'll add that any breed can stand alone if it's done right. Yes heterosis can improve a great deal of traits, but after hearing how Ohlde's sale went, I'm sure you'd have a hard time telling them that Angus won't stand alone. It's really all just relative to what you can market. Lots of breeds can produce the product, but to stand alone as a purebred makes marketing a bigger piece of the equation.

As far as just doing it all on a production basis, the Galloways are my pick, hands-down.

 

[S.R.R.]

Good question and I wish I had a good answer for it. If I knew a breed that could produces the "most efficient cow and the best end product" I would have used it. All things considered if I could not have a cross bred cow I would have to go with Welsh Black or Galloway. Hardy, low in birthing problems, a bit of hair for our weather, ++ meat quality and good forage converstion on med. quality pastures.

 

[Oldtimer]

I think right now the past history would have to point toward the Angus...Years ago most of our country was Herefords- that were then starting in about the 60's crossed to Angus- and for years many ran baldy cows- but over time and to get away from the constant crossbreeding chores, prolapses, sunburned teats and pinkeye problems most went straight angus....

The all black full Angus calves still top most of the markets around here...The highest selling set of calves sold on Superior Video for the last two years in a row were a lot of straight black Angus that were raised about 100 miles south of me.....

 

[Caustic Burno]

In this country it would have to be brimmer.

 

[VanC]

My choice would be Hereford or Angus because of the larger gene pools and their mothering ability. In my area Angus would bring higher prices for the end procuct for either seedstock or slaughter. Brahman in the sparser areas.

 

[BRG]

It is tough to have a breed to do it all, but I would have to say that the breed I am involved in can do it as well or better than any other. Red Angus. But they better be good, because they can get to frail made if you don't use the right genetics. You need to keep enough bone and muscle in the cattle to do it. Red Angus has the maternal needed to get it done in the pasture and bring in the required weaning weights with little input. It has the performance to get it done on feed, and ussually kill at the 1200 to 1300lbs weights that is needed to "fit in the box" They ussually have a 63% yield and grade choice or better. They have all of this with the calving ease needed and vigor at birth to get up and suck. The feedlots love them and commercial men are paying a premium for the females, at least in the Dakotas. They may not be as tough as a Herf, or have the performance as a Char. But all in all, I think they do it all in one package better than the rest.

 

[RedAngus121]

I Agree with ever thing you said BRG we run all Red angus and Couldnt ask for better mothers and have calfs that bush down the scale at weanning.

 

[KMacGinley]

SRR: Did you post some pictures of your Welsh Black bulls a while back. They were some fine looking animals if those were yours.

I've always liked the Red Angus cattle that I've been around. Some of them look a lot better to me than most of the blacks, especially the bulls pictured in the stud catalogs.

I like my Angus, but it is getting pretty darn hard for me to pick AI sires, especially young ones, because with all the marbling selection going on the ones most of them crow about in the ads look like black holsteins to me.

 

[greenwillowherefords]

In the U.S. when it was open range west of the Mississippi, Herefords did work from one end to the other. The old timers told me that in those days when you got west of the big river, it was hard to find anything else because they survived winters much better. Beef was king in those days too, not chicken.

Understood, there really is no breed that is perfect for every clime, but name me a breed that doesn't work pretty well crossed with the old herfs.

 

[S.R.R.]

SRR: Did you post some pictures of your Welsh Black bulls a while back. They were some fine looking animals if those were yours.

I've always liked the Red Angus cattle that I've been around. Some of them look a lot better to me than most of the blacks, especially the bulls pictured in the stud catalogs.

I like my Angus, but it is getting pretty darn hard for me to pick AI sires, especially young ones, because with all the marbling selection going on the ones most of them crow about in the ads look like black holsteins to me.

If you want to keep putting black on thoses Angus you wont be sorry useing a good Welsh Black bull!! Check out Randy Kaisers bulls. Here is a link to his site and bull sale catalogue. Its a good place to start.

http://www.westernrancher.com/CelticCattle.html

http://www.westernrancher.com/BullSaleCatalogue-06.pdf