what's the most popular meat breed in the U.S.?

[la4angus]

la4angus, I did not mean to strike a nerve, was not poking fun at any breed. But do stand by the statement that "There is a lot more to consider than popularity". Location, feed availability, market preference just to name a few.

The question was "what is the most popular meat breed in the U.S. today, and I answered it." There is nothing else to consider. Black Angus is the most popular meat breed in the U.S. today.

 

[greenwillowherefords]

The classic and most popular cross is the Hereford/Angus, the black-baldie. For instance, at the OBI bull test, the top two gaining bulls were an Angus and a Hereford, if I recall correctly. If I don't, Frankie will be all over it. The top Hereford gained 5.99 pounds per day, and the top Angus gained well over 6 pounds per day. There were, however, significantly more Angus on test than Herefords.

Now, GWH, why would you say something like that? ;-) Actually, I don't pay much attention to which bulls are high gainers in the other breed tests. But when the sale catalog comes out, it's put upfront for everyone to see. For reference, the highest gaining Simmental bull in this past sale gained 4.97 lbs per day. The high gaining Red Angus gained 4.74, the high gaining Salers 4.20, and the Braunvieh gained 3.72. There may have been bulls on these tests that gained more; but they weren't brought to the sale.

You're right that there are significantly more Angus on test. I again encourage you and everyone else to put those bulls out there and let's see what they can do. From a personal standpoint, I can tell you it's a learning experience....

Specifically I say that because it was very true. And we are strongly considering, even planning to put some GWH genetics in the OBI test soon. I am not saying for sure it will happen this year. My brother, who is closely involved with GWH, and uses my bull, has a bull calf coming on who is the second calf of a Flying G cow that I sold him. The calf is sired by my old Day Rupert Tone 092 bull. This calf weighed 541# at five months without being pushed. (BW was in the mid seventies) He plans at this point to put him in the OBI test.

If you would, could you provide us with the average ADG of the top four breeds at OBI, and also the feed conversion ratios, especially of the top Angus and Hereford bulls? Thanks in advance if you do.

 

[certherfbeef]

Wiseman once said; "Just cause it's popular don't mean it's profitable"

Lot's more to consider than popularity!

I expect that Angus are the most popular because they are the most unprofitable. Makes sense to me.

Just think, if the "charlois" had the angus marketing team we may have a different most popular breed.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Wiseman once said; "Just cause it's popular don't mean it's profitable"

Lot's more to consider than popularity!

I expect that Angus are the most popular because they are the most unprofitable. Makes sense to me.

Just think, if the "charlois" had the angus marketing team we may have a different most popular breed.

Pallet head charlois, or Little Black Angus . Wow tough decision, if you go with Angus you can walk around and talk EPD's.

If you can get any live births with the pallet heads sell good at the barn.
Angus have advantages to can carry twice as many to the sale barn in one trip, with the price of fuel saves a little.

 

[franseen]

Angus aren't the best and most popular meat breed just because of marketing. They excel in many areas. The marketing makes a huge difference, but... All other breeds are too far behind to catch up. They shouldn't try to gear their marketing to overtake angus. I think they should try to gear their marketing so angus and angus cross breeders can see how well their breed compliments angus cattle. By no means is any breed a perfect breed. Faults occur in every breed. However as crossbreeding becomes more and more common cattle that can compliment a popular breed such as angus will survive and become even more profitable. Take the breed you choose and try to improve it as progressively as possible, while staying profitable. Progressiveness toward market demands will increase profitablility.

 

[Frankie]

GWH said:

If you would, could you provide us with the average ADG of the top four breeds at OBI, and also the feed conversion ratios, especially of the top Angus and Hereford bulls? Thanks in advance if you do.

Sorry, GWH, I don't have that info right off the top of my head. Here's the OBI link again. You can look at tests for all the breeds over the past few years....

http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/exten/OBI/bull_testing.htm

 

[Cattle Rack Rancher]

Wiseman once said; "Just cause it's popular don't mean it's profitable"

Lot's more to consider than popularity!

I expect that Angus are the most popular because they are the most unprofitable. Makes sense to me.

Just think, if the "charlois" had the angus marketing team we may have a different most popular breed.

There are lots of guys up here who have those great big Charolais-Simm cows. They eat about twice as much as the British breeds. The calves are slow to get up and suck and quite often need to be pulled and helped to get on their feet. I guess some guys like high maintenance women, too. For my money, I'd rather run more calves and more cows on the same chunk of land. I bet I produce at least as many pounds of calf per acre on the same land and I get paid more because the price per pound is higher for the lower weight animals. I don't think you need to worry about Charolais overtaking the Angus any time too soon.

 

[greenwillowherefords]

GWH said:

If you would, could you provide us with the average ADG of the top four breeds at OBI, and also the feed conversion ratios, especially of the top Angus and Hereford bulls? Thanks in advance if you do.

Sorry, GWH, I don't have that info right off the top of my head. Here's the OBI link again. You can look at tests for all the breeds over the past few years....

http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/exten/OBI/bull_testing.htm

As far as I could tell, there was no information about one of the most important criteria of all: Feed conversion ratios. How many pounds of feed did it take to produce a pound of gain? Some bull tests I've read reports on in other states include this data. Efficiency is just about as important as rate of gain.

 

[Frankie]

GWH said:

If you would, could you provide us with the average ADG of the top four breeds at OBI, and also the feed conversion ratios, especially of the top Angus and Hereford bulls? Thanks in advance if you do.

Sorry, GWH, I don't have that info right off the top of my head. Here's the OBI link again. You can look at tests for all the breeds over the past few years....

http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/exten/OBI/bull_testing.htm

As far as I could tell, there was no information about one of the most important criteria of all: Feed conversion ratios. How many pounds of feed did it take to produce a pound of gain? Some bull tests I've read reports on in other states include this data. Efficiency is just about as important as rate of gain.

It's an expensive proposition to measure feed conversion and we haven't done that at OBI. The industry standard for feed efficiency has been ADG. Some feed test stations do and I feel confident that Angus will shine there, too. Gardiner Angus has been testing his own bulls for years. Warden Farms in Iowa has been measuring that trait and ABS picked up their bull 4.8 of Ironwood. His conversion rate is his name. The Texas Beef Development Center has installed a new system to measure feed efficiency.

Can you list any Hereford operations that measure the feed efficiency on their bulls?

And will you share those bull test station results that test for feed conversion?

 

[greenwillowherefords]

It has been two or three years, so I would have to look through the archives to find the article. I probably do have the magazine still yet. The Colorado State University decade long test did research both ADG and feed conversion. Herefords beat the industry average in that test fairly handily. I feel confident that Angus will also beat the industry average, and in my previous post I did not mean to imply at all that Angus wouldn't do well on feed conversion. Give me a week or so to find time to look up the bull test report article and I will share it. Remind me if you wish. I haven't had my hands on the CSU literature in a couple years either.

 

[MikeC]

Auburn Bull Test measures feed efficiency. http://www.albcia.org

 

[J. T.]

Talk about chasing rabbits!!!! The original question was "What is the most popular meat breed in the US?" It is the Angus (black) and that's a fact and, no, I'm not an Angus breeder.
J. T.

 

[bigmac]

i think gert a good beef breed to start with because you can cross gert with angus and alot other beef breed and gert can stand any weather clamt and gert also a breed that is faster come in beef.

 

[cattlgrl08]

I agree with T.J. Black Angus is the only way to go when it comes to meat, well Angus is the only way to go period.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Black Angus is the most popular meat breed in th e U.S.

For purebred. The most popular meat animal is still the crossbreed.

dun

I have been watching this thread for a while Dun is 100% correct its Commercial cattle. Without the commericial cattleman all you purebred boys would be out of business. The commercial cattle runs and controls the beef industy not seedstook or purebreed producers.
So the crossbred is the most popular meat in the US with a lot of it marketed under CAB and CHB.

 

[Susie David]

From what I see up here there is alot of black cows being called Angus cattle...still the blacks bring $15-$25 more cwt than any other color in the barn. I agree that the cross is the most popular...love them Baldies.
Any discussion as to which cows have the best flavor....another can of worms.