Tell Me about Beefmasters

[ALACOWMAN]

:arrow: brangus

 

[Ryder]

Here's an example of what you should expect from those Beefmaster mommas: (2 week old heifer calf)

In whatever you do, I wish you well. I just don't want you to believe that you would be losing by choosing the Beefmaster breed. You will get some bull calves that have too much sheath...that makes them a perfect candidate for slaughter. And if you did take them to the sale barn, the additional weight that Beefmasters typically have does a good job of offsetting any "premium" for hide color.

EC

This is a VERY good looking calf.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

here is a example of what to expect from those brangus moma's > $$$$$$$$$$

 

[skyline]

here is a example of what to expect from those brangus moma's > $$$$$$$$$$

Alacowman, I will give you this. You're very consistent! I got nothing against Brangus.

 

[East Caney]

Alacowman,

I have no problem with Brangus cattle. I still maintain, however, that I like Beefmasters better.

Ryder,

Thanks for the compliment of the calf. I think she's nice and will hopefully do well...we're a long way out on knowing for sure.

Alftn,

I respectfully disagree with your opinion. When horns and color affect the quality of an animal, I will select for it. Until it does, I give little reference to it. The most important thing in Beefmasters is very uniform...that's quality. Phenotype is as different within any breed as it is between breeds. There are many different-made bulls and cows in any breed. Food for thought...junk can be uniform, too! :cboy:

EC

 

[East Caney]

Oh, and every person who ever bought Beefmasters didn't have "cowboy blood" running in their veins...so you'll find herds where people have selected for things other than functional traits. I encourage anyone to stay away from those herds if they're planning on running a profitable cattle operation. But to those who have the extra money to blow, I'm not mad at you. As a matter of fact, I wish I had the extra money to blow. Spend it as you please. I'll do what works for me. I wish you the best with whatever it is you choose to do. And that's not a statement specific to Beefmasters, that's for every breed, F1, composite, commercial, crossbred, and any other kind of cattle operation in existence.

EC

 

[ALACOWMAN]

here is a example of what to expect from those brangus moma's > $$$$$$$$$$

Alacowman, I will give you this. You're very consistent! >>I got nothing against Brangus.<<

me neither ;-)

 

[alftn]

I live right up the road and pass by it regularly, a well know beefmaster producer... I think he been there at least 25 or 30 years.. I still do not like the varince I see.. Although in the last few years there are some nice colors... You can throw together 10 breeds of cattle and call them a breed, I still think you have a terminial cross. I do not say this about many cows, beefmasters I do not like...and longhorns I do not want...Everything else I give a try.

 

[ffamom]

As far as you kids and 4-H, quality brangus will create a better steer...at least in the judges eye. My boys raise simbrahs so I am not biased about either one. Also, the beefmaster heifer classes are huge, up to 30-35. Brangus class usually run about 10-20 with fewer than 10 being the average. If he has a pen class, brangus have more consistance. In Texas both junior associations are excellent.

 

[chippie]

Since you like either breed (although favor the Beefmaster), go shopping for both breeds and buy the one that you can get the best quality for your dollar.

Ive wanted a momma cow or two for awhile now to raise our own beef and if my son gets froggy and wants to do the 4-h cattle thing in the future.

Since you are only going to get a few cows, buy both breeds and AI your cows. We have a mixed herd because of our children's 4-H scramble heifer projects. Because my husband AI's our cattle, we can buy semen from a five figure bull to breed our cows. If you are thinking about showing in the future, you will need a good bull. Besides, you would be improving your herd.

 

[East Caney]

I live right up the road and pass by it regularly, a well know beefmaster producer... I think he been there at least 25 or 30 years.. I still do not like the varince I see.. Although in the last few years there are some nice colors... You can throw together 10 breeds of cattle and call them a breed, I still think you have a terminial cross. I do not say this about many cows, beefmasters I do not like...and longhorns I do not want...Everything else I give a try.

I'm sorry...I'm really trying to gain an understanding here. I have a few questions.

What variance are you speaking of? Are you speaking of something other than color and horn status? If so, what?

Are you unhappy with the breed due to the fact that it was created using multiple breeds? Is there something wrong with gaining the heterosis between breeds, then essentially locking it in...selecting and ruthlessly culling and keeping only the best animals? Ed and Tom Lasater didn't start the crossbreeding of Brahman, Hereford, and Shorthorn to form a breed. They did it to run a profitable operation. The Lasaters simply reaped the benefit of being innovative and creative. Their product began to seek high demand. Then, someone came along and thought it should be a breed with its own name. They can be called commercial cattle for all I care. Don't send in the papers and that's what any registered cow becomes. Cattle still better be efficient. When input costs are low, efficient cattle will maximize profit. When input prices are high (as they are now), effecient cattle will help make profit. In this part of the country, I do not believe that there is any breed that will do that as consistently as foundation bred Beefmasters.

I can't stress enough...there are people out there that start selecting on single traits or colors and other things not at all related to the quality of the product, and disasters can happen. Everyone likes to boast of a 700 lb weaned steer calf. What people forget to mention is that he wouldn't have weighed 500 lbs had the creep feeder not been around.

Another point of interest worth note is that good disposition will pay in a feedlot. Nervous cattle don't gain as well and have more dark cutters.

So, I'm asking...are there any reasons other than color, horn status, and the combination of 3 breeds that makes you so resentful of Beefmasters?

 

[Santas and Duhram Reds]

[quoteI can't stress enough...there are people out there that start selecting on single traits or colors and other things not at all related to the quality of the product, and disasters can happen.][/quote]

In every breed . . . even Beefmasters. I am guesstamating that the majority of cattlemen out there select a bull on a few single traits. Whether it WW, BW, polled, black, efficiency, frame, etc. What is important is that they don't lose sight of the big picture.

I have seen good Beefmasters and I have seen bad Beefmasters. I even used to own some Beefmasters. A Beefmaster bull was the first Brahman influenced animal we ever used. I am not knocking the breed.

I did find some inconsistancies amongst the group a cows that I had. Granted, we only owned 25 Beefmasters in that group, so it is a small pool to measure consistancy.

One thing I have to say is going for the Beefmaster is that I have found that people who discredit Brahman influence cattle generally claim Beefmasters as being a good breed of cattle, yet it has more Brahman influence than most other American breeds. Reason behind this? I don't know. Sometimes I wonder if it is because of the name BEEFmaster. The name itself has a ring that is appealing.

 

[alftn]

I did not say i was resentful of Beefmasters, I said I do not like them...If I live in the deep south I might like them more but since I do not need the Brama in my cattle I do not like them...I guess that comes from the mixed up mess that I see ..They look like a bunch of Ter. crosses being breed..One of them flavor of the month type of things.. In another 40 years I might change my opion..Of course by they I anit going to be around.

 

[bigbull338]

i for 1 do not pick cows bulls or heifers for 1 single trait.you cant do that.because if you do your breeding out all the other traits that make the breed what it is.ive got a reg beefmaster cow that has a 3 month old black granite bull calf at side.an if the bull calf looks like i think he will.im going to keep him an raise him for a bull.now this bull calf is black.an i really dont like black.but i know his breeding on both sides.an im not about to cull him because of his color.each breeder has to buy an raise the cows an bulls that fitt their programs.

 

[CowpokeJ]

I started out with a registered beefmaster bull and commercial and registered beefmaster heifers. I've been at it for about 3 years now and I like them and haven't regretted the decision. My goal is to get involved in the E-6 program in the next year or so when I've got my volume up high enough to make transportation to the annual sale in Columbus, Texas worthwhile.

Skyline, we have the same goal. My only drawback is that BBU charges $250 to "certify" your E-6 calves. I only have 4 now, so I am looking for someone to split the fee with.

What are the costs? Other than the $25 to join the program, the only other cost is the inspection of the cattle and the cost of the E6 certificates. This is either $100 flat fee or $10 per female, whichever is the greater fee. [

 

[TEhayandcattle]

I live right up the road and pass by it regularly, a well know beefmaster producer... I think he been there at least 25 or 30 years.. I still do not like the varince I see.. Although in the last few years there are some nice colors... You can throw together 10 breeds of cattle and call them a breed, I still think you have a terminial cross. I do not say this about many cows, beefmasters I do not like...and longhorns I do not want...Everything else I give a try.

There is nothing terminal about real Beefmaster cattle, not to mention once they have names you can tell them apart. As for Longhorns there are a couple of herds around who are as good as any cows in any breed. If you don't like Beefmasters you probably bought one from an unethical source or talked to someone who did and developed an opinion based on a lack of firsthand knowledge. As far as variance being an issue, There are Beefmaster Bulls that can lay down an endless stream of uniformity, and likewise there are some who are a little more artistic in their work. But altogether there is no better breed, that is just another opinion I suppose, but if you really aren't convinced compare your stats with your neighbor. Calves born in the same window, feed inputs, growth vs. maintenance, whatever. The more feed prices go up the better a cow who can maintain herself and consistently put 7-800 pound yearlings on the ground with nothing but foraging pasture is gonna look, guaranteed. And that is regardless of color or hornsize or lack thereof.