What is the most PURE breed left

[KNERSIE]

As to the point about british cattle being big wayy wayy back...

I was given two copies of the Hereford breed magazine from I believe 1920 and 1954. The earlier one was full of pictures of great cattle, probably 5 or 6 frame, they would be outstanding or at least just right today. In 1954 they were all ponies.

In 1985-86 fresh out of old Purdue, I worked near Warrenton VA, for a ET outfit and down the road was a place that raised Angus cattle. Their cattle were big. The owner started the herd in the 60's with canadian cattle. They were never small and they were running a closed herd I believe.

I agree, the herefords in the USA had, in my opinion anyway, reached its peak at around 1930, after that they got carried away with showing and bred smaller and smaller till they just about bred all functionality out of them. Then the change to the racehorses also got carried away and the breed ended up no more functional than the ponies of the 1950's.

Some of the herefords of 100 years ago would still be as functional today. Don Carlos, a son of Anxiety 4th, is still the model of the bull I want to breed, and he was born about 120 years ago.

 

[Campground Cattle]

It's also important to note that during a period of type change in the late 1960s and early '70s from overly small, fat cattle to growthier, leaner types, there was some unethical infusion of Holstein and Brown Swiss blood into the Angus breed, as well as Simmental blood into the Hereford breed. In some instances, such cattle were detected via blood-typing and removed from the herd book. In other instances, they weren't.

I am a breed purist and I have been saying forever that the jump from pony types to racehorse types in the hereford breed was just too drastic and too sudden and too many breed characteristics changed (like headshape, eyeset and white markings) to be completely believable.

The infusion of simmental blood would have been the obvious choice as the markings is very similar, but what doesn't add up is if it was indeed simmental blood why were the tall racehorse types of the early '80's such poor milkers? The simmental blood would have added to milking ability not take away from it.

Does anyone have a theory on this?

I have thought the same thing about the milk as I have also believed some Simm was thrown in the gene pool like Holstien in Angus.

 

[salemhigh]

Brahman

 

[J. T.]

Are we talking only British / Continentals? What about the American Grey Brahman? :roll:

As I understand it, the American Brahman was produced by crossing several zebu breeds together with a dash of Charolais or other heavily muscled breed to add muscling to the cattle.

 

[vs_cattle]

I know of Charbray Cattle that are reconized by the AICA these are cattle are 5/8 to 13/16 Charolais and 3/8 to 3/16 Bos indicus

 

[jerry wy]

maybe scotty highlander

 

[jerry wy]

maybe scotty highlander

 

[BAGTIC]

According to the geneticists the two purest breeds are the Highland and the Galloway.

 

[andybob]

According to the geneticists the two purest breeds are the Highland and the Galloway.

How many breeds were compared? The more obscure breeds that are overlooked by researchers are often the ones that, in this case, may well be purer, due either to a smaller gene pool, or having been selected from a type that has developed in isolation and had no outside influence for many generations.

 

[ArrowHBrand]

In my opinion it is hard to find pure pure bred cattle anymore. I know Maines and Shortys. Maines used to be red but now most are black so in my way of thinking the red Maines are more pure than the blacks, but it all depends on their pedigrees. Just off the cuff I'd have to say longhorns are the purest breed. The reason: who wants to cross longhorns on their cattle? JK JK JK!! But I would have to say longhorns, because of their signature look.

 

[Rustler9]

ArrowHBrand, what is the pure breed that you have there, Kemo sabi? Just because you may not like them other people do. State your breed though so someone can run it down. That seems to be the norm on here now. Hate to bust your bubble but the Longhorn breed is made up of other breeds that evolved into a type over hundreds of years. Approximately 80% Spanish breeds with 20% Eurpoean, Hereford and Durham, a dash of Brahman in some cases which was supposedly culled out. Nowadays, alot of Longhorn cattle have other breeds that have crept in to be more competitive in the show ring which is undesireable to Longhorn purists who want to keep the easy calving and hardiness traits in the breed. But, they do cross very well with other breeds.

 

[Red007]

Did anyone think about 1A Red Angus???

 

[dun]

Did anyone think about 1A Red Angus???

The problem with them would be that any contaminants that were in the blacks would also be in the reds. Not saying there is any, but there are those that think that all Angus are contaminated with some other gene pool.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Not saying there wasn't any shenanigans in either breed but if you look wayyyy back at Hereford, Angus and Shorthorn cattle there were BIG cattle long before the 1980's.

The angus of the 60's were the smallest cattle I had ever seen.

 

[dun]

Did anyone think about 1A Red Angus???

The problem with them would be that any contaminants that were in the blacks would also be in the reds. Not saying there is any, but there are those that think that all Angus are contaminated with some other gene pool.

 

[Brandonm2]

I don't see how the "contaminated" issue would matter with commercial cattlemen. A guy who is buying 1407 sons to use on his black commercial herd probably would NOT buy completely "pure" Anguses even if somebody really had some. The big problem Red Angus face is that most herds are black Angus and the perception that there will be no heterosis effect between the two.

 

[dun]

The big problem Red Angus face is that most herds are black Angus and the perception that there will be no heterosis effect between the two.

And there won't be any more heterosis then breeding 2 animals from different bloodlines in the same breed. I asked the genetic experts at both the ugly colored Angus and the Red Angus associations that question when we went to Red Angus.

 

[BAGTIC]

According to the geneticists the two purest breeds are the Highland and the Galloway.

How many breeds were compared? The more obscure breeds that are overlooked by researchers are often the ones that, in this case, may well be purer, due either to a smaller gene pool, or having been selected from a type that has developed in isolation and had no outside influence for many generations.

The article I read said of all the British breeds.

Your explanation is probably correct. As minor breeds they tended to be bred by devotees who were more interested in keeping the breed pure for purity's sake that for changing it for possible financial benefit.

The author pointed out that because they contain many genes seldom found in more common breeds they may offer a good opportunity for exploiting heterosis in breeding programs.

I seem to recall members on this board who have personal experience with breeding and crossbreeding highlands and galloways.

 

[Santas and Duhram Reds]

that is why I mentioned the breeds I did earlier in the thread. I mentioned it would be a breed that would have little to gain by crossing. I mentioned double muscled breeds and possibly some obscure breed.

 

[purecountry]

According to the geneticists the two purest breeds are the Highland and the Galloway.

How many breeds were compared? The more obscure breeds that are overlooked by researchers are often the ones that, in this case, may well be purer, due either to a smaller gene pool, or having been selected from a type that has developed in isolation and had no outside influence for many generations.

That is exactly why the Highland and Galloway are still pure for the most part. Never gained in popularity. One of the main reasons we love 'em.