What is a cattle breed?

[Alan]

I was speaking with a cattle guy yesterday, I got the opinion he is a hobby guy, as am I. He raises Brangus, I think I may have offended him by making a comment that implied they were a cross bred cattle (I said I thought they were a good cross).

Do you consider Brangus, Braford (sp), etc. to be a breed of their own? If so, when does a cross become a breed in your opinion?

With this in mind is a Beefmaster a breed?

Your thoughts,
Alan

 

[dun]

Just my simple concept is that ones a crossbreed or multiple breeds are crossed and they beomce stndardized to the point that they are breeding tue, that's a breed. To me, some Brangus and others are alwasy a breed. Something like Gerts that have bred true and can;t be created by every tom, dick and harry (or larry, moe and curly) in their back yard without having to go to the original soruce, that's breed. A composit breed, like Brahman, MG, Brangus, etc., but a breed never the less.
Stand by for the brickbats.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

I was speaking with a cattle guy yesterday, I got the opinion he is a hobby guy, as am I. He raises Brangus, I think I may have offended him by making a comment that implied they were a cross bred cattle (I said I thought they were a good cross).

• Do you consider Brangus, Braford (sp), etc. to be a breed of their own?

If so, when does a cross become a breed in your opinion?

With this in mind is a Beefmaster a breed?

Your thoughts, pretty much. their a composite breed.. true pure brangus are 3/8 brahman 5/8 angus.. braford is the same but the association lets you breed about any precentage you want. how are those brangus fairing in your area?

 

[DOC HARRIS]

I was speaking with a cattle guy yesterday, I got the opinion he is a hobby guy, as am I. He raises Brangus, I think I may have offended him by making a comment that implied they were a cross bred cattle (I said I thought they were a good cross).

Do you consider Brangus, Braford (sp), etc. to be a breed of their own? If so, when does a cross become a breed in your opinion?

With this in mind is a Beefmaster a breed?

Your thoughts,
Alan

This is a simple answer, but one which will get comments from some breeders.

If a particular "named" group of cattle has a Breed Association which registers those cattle so as to keep them Purebred, that is a breed. HOW that particular breed arrived at the point of being able to be called a purebred breed is where you will hear conflicting opinions. Five successive matings of calves to a purebred bull of ANY breed results in the progeny being 96.875% pure, and one more cross results in 98.4375% - and that is beyond being too concerned about the lack of purity in back breeding!

Yes, Beefmaster is absolutely a breed, comprised of Hereford, Shorthorn and Brahman matings began about 60+ years ago. Check with the "Beefmaster Association".

DOC HARRIS

 

[KMacGinley]

Is Hereford a breed? Some guy in the 1700s bred like to like and got red with a white face and continued breeding them together. I would guess then that Brangus and Beefmaster and Murray grey and ....... are also breeds then.

 

[dun]

If a breed association is the determining factor then black baldys are a breed. Of course they had to call them something fancy so they're black herefords now