What about Brangus?

[branguscowgirl]

Branguscowgirl, are you saying you like brangus?

Possibly. But after getting some wild azz calves in today, I may reconsider!
Once they settle down and I get my hands on them they are fine. They turn out just as docile as a puppy dog when I am finished. But it does take some work to gain their trust! They were bouncing off the panels today! I was threatening to trade them all in for Herfs. :nod:
You don't "push" Brangus anywhere. You have to teach them to follow.

 

[Jessica06]

It takes about 4 days of hand feeding. We had to move 5 bull calves that we weaned about 8-9 days ago from the pens to a trap that's about a hundred yards down the road. Rather than push them through the back to the gate leading into the trap, we let them out the front and shook an empty feed sack. They chased us at a gallop the whole way. Brangus can be some of the gentlest cattle you'll find if you raise them right. Weighed a calf today from a 1400# second calf heifer. Calf jumping everywhere, ear tag broke so had to fix it and tag it again...she never did more than sniff me. All it takes is spending time around them.

 

[Bigfoot]

Personally, I think the discount for the ear is why there not prevelent north of the Mason Dixon. Mine calved in 27 inches of snow. Got in thickets, and made it work. Only my most loose skinned are discounted, and that's probably a nickel, or a dime back. As long as my weaning weights are in the 6's and the 7's, I really don't care. My calves are only 3/16, and out of something that I think will tighten up their pizzle.

 

[Ojp6]

We buy cattle in the mid-south and ship them to north year round. Ran some gerts through a Minnesota winter without a problem. Had some brangus type cows and a few beefmasters as well. As long as they aren't too slick and can grow some hair when it gets cold you shouldn't have a problem. As long as the calves are a quarter or less eared they shouldn't hit you too hard at the sale barn but a calf with more than that will take a big dock probably over 50 cents. Ultrablacks might be a better option since it would allow you to breed a little more of the ear out of them on the calves. We have always had a lot worse luck when we brought northern cows south in the summer than when we brought southern cows north in the winter.

 

[Muddy]

We buy cattle in the mid-south and ship them to north year round. Ran some gerts through a Minnesota winter without a problem. Had some brangus type cows and a few beefmasters as well. As long as they aren't too slick and can grow some hair when it gets cold you shouldn't have a problem. As long as the calves are a quarter or less eared they shouldn't hit you too hard at the sale barn but a calf with more than that will take a big dock probably over 50 cents. Ultrablacks might be a better option since it would allow you to breed a little more of the ear out of them on the calves. We have always had a lot worse luck when we brought northern cows south in the summer than when we brought southern cows north in the winter.

Knew someone had Gerts cows few years ago, they suffered with frostbite in their ears and shealths. They sent them back to Iowa (they paid us to haul them to their new owner).

 

[Ojp6]

Thanks guys, and gals, for the replies. A good point was made that they may not be here for a reason. I've got some thinking to do. All I know is that I need some beefier cattle at my place as the longhorns may be pretty, but they're not much on them to eat.

what's wrong with crossbreeding them to another breed to beef them up?

We plan on doing that, too, but I was looking to maybe replace a female. We're pretty well stocked in this area for Angus and Hereford, with old blue-blood type farms that have been here for generations. I may look to something else, though, b/c I don't want to just be another fish in that sea.

If you just want a couple you can probably talk to the breeder in your area and get one that's lived there it's whole life. Then you can have one acclimated to your environment and be different than all the traditional farmers around you.

 

[Nesikep]

In that case you probably won't mind the hit you may take with Brangus. I'll bet it won't be as bad as on the Longhorns.

We plan on going the freezer beef route. Also, b/c we're both not ranch raised, we thought that starting out with something that's top billing is calving ease would be a good idea. We're small enough that we'll have the time to interact with people and sell stuff that way. I sell hay right now, which is a pain, so I'm used to dealing with customers backing out, taking forever to show up, etc. I'm hoping that selling a quarter, half or whole of 5 calves is going to be a lot easier than selling a bunch of hay 1 ton at a time.

I'm sure there's some angus or baldy females out there you can get, meanwhile get a Gelbvieh bull to put over what you have and you'll see an improvement in the amount of meat you get... my buddy slaughtered a %longhorn cow, she was 2 1/2 years old, but had a calf at about 18 months, she didn't raise it.. her hanging weight was 250 lbs.. his big old sow he slaughtered the same day was 450lbs.

There's no shortage of ways to be different, what you gotta work at is being different while still being profitable, and not being a 'freak'.
To me as a bull buyer, I like buying bulls from places that have about 75 or more head of cattle.. those places have enough bull calves landing that they don't need to hum and haw as to whether something is bull material or should be banded, the selection pool is bigger... I also like buying from places that have been dealing with cattle, and preferably that breed for at least 25 years, and again it because it really does take that long to find out which bloodlines are the consistent winners.

Want to be different, yet fit in? Saler cattle are really good.. awesome calving ease, very good (can be aggressive) mothers, and typically have good udders, feet, etc. I've heard they've really improved the docility since we got our Saler bull 22 years ago.. They're solid RED, though I think blacks are available now, so they fit in well with Angus herd too.

I think in all breeds there's the freaks, and the docile cattle, and the temperament of the mother is of critical importance. My old girl Rosie was Saler Hereford, and she was really tame, all her daughters actually LOVE people and go out of their way to be friendly to complete strangers

 

[TexasBred]

It takes about 4 days of hand feeding. We had to move 5 bull calves that we weaned about 8-9 days ago from the pens to a trap that's about a hundred yards down the road. Rather than push them through the back to the gate leading into the trap, we let them out the front and shook an empty feed sack. They chased us at a gallop the whole way. Brangus can be some of the gentlest cattle you'll find if you raise them right. Weighed a calf today from a 1400# second calf heifer. Calf jumping everywhere, ear tag broke so had to fix it and tag it again...she never did more than sniff me. All it takes is spending time around them.

Absolutely....work calmly, quietly and patiently. Makes the job so much easier.

 

[andybob]

Why not try Bonsmara as a composite which is bred for heat tolerance but copes well with cold, and is the most performance tested breed, here are some pictures of Bonsmara in winter in Alberta - http://sangacattle.webs.com/apps/photos ... id=8986914

 

[Brute 23]

There are two factors in making money... your expenses and your revenue.

The little amount they dock you for ear is far less than doctoring for pink eye, losing calves, and all that other non-sense.

Its really amazing how hardy these animals are. If I told yall how little I actually do... most would not believe me.

 

[Muddy]

Come on, brangus in Idaho?

 

[TexasBred]

Come on, brangus in Idaho?

KARL ALLEN - K-S BRANGUS Black Marker Brangus� Breeder Address Information 900 E 300 N, DECLO, ID 83323-5000 Telephone Information (208) 260-1083 Contact Information Owner KARL ALLEN

 

[Muddy]

Come on, brangus in Idaho?

KARL ALLEN - K-S BRANGUS Black Marker Brangus� Breeder Address Information 900 E 300 N, DECLO, ID 83323-5000 Telephone Information (208) 260-1083 Contact Information Owner KARL ALLEN

The only one breeder in the entire Idaho....

 

[TexasBred]

Come on, brangus in Idaho?

KARL ALLEN - K-S BRANGUS Black Marker Brangus� Breeder Address Information 900 E 300 N, DECLO, ID 83323-5000 Telephone Information (208) 260-1083 Contact Information Owner KARL ALLEN

The only one breeder in the entire Idaho....

May be but Texas also started with one breeder. :???: Apparently he's making it work for him anyway.

 

[Muddy]

KARL ALLEN - K-S BRANGUS Black Marker Brangus� Breeder Address Information 900 E 300 N, DECLO, ID 83323-5000 Telephone Information (208) 260-1083 Contact Information Owner KARL ALLEN

The only one breeder in the entire Idaho....

May be but Texas also started with one breeder. :???: Apparently he's making it work for him anyway.

Yeah I seen too many people tried to bring up the southern breeds up north and try to get them working in this climate. Maybe that's the reason WHY they're only one breeder in the entire state.

 

[Dave]

There is a lot of cattle with a little ear in the high desert country just a couple hours south of Boise. They will work there. I just wonder how well they will work for someone with little experience. They can be real gentle but they can also be some real terrors. There are plenty of real gentle Herefords and Angus out there that don't have any calving issues. And it will be a lot easier to find them in Idaho than locating some real gentle Brangus.

 

[TexasBred]

There are brangus in Canada. They should be able to handle Idaho. They do grow hair like others in the winter and are good hustlers.

 

[Muddy]

There are brangus in Canada. They should be able to handle Idaho. They do grow hair like others in the winter and are good hustlers.

Yes and there are Brahmans in Canada as well, but I seriously doubt both brangus and Brahman are in great numbers in that region.

 

[TexasBred]

There are brangus in Canada. They should be able to handle Idaho. They do grow hair like others in the winter and are good hustlers.

Yes and there are Brahmans in Canada as well, but I seriously doubt both brangus and Brahman are in great numbers in that region.

No, no more than british whites belted cattle and some of the others raised up north are in great abundance down here but you do see some. Just saying it's not an impossibility. Folks may be overlooking a gold mine just because someone like you says it won't work.

 

[Bigfoot]

Wouldn't a 3/8ths be able to make it almost anywhere?