Where can I find.........

[Double J Cattle]

A few Brahma x Holstein heifers anymore. They used to be common, but in the last five or so years I havent seen a one. They make one heck of a calf raiser. I have a couple of cows but they are pushing seven years old and I was hoping I could find about five of them to go in my commercial herd when I cull some of my older cows. I am close to Stephenville, Tx where all the dairies are and I havent found any of the baby heifers, which used to be the only way to get them. Would anybody be able to help me find some ? I greatly appreciate it.

 

[Chuckie]

I can't say that I have ever seen this cross before. Do you have any pictures you could post? I am pictureing a holstein with brahman coloring or a brahman with holstein coloring. I know it is somewhere in between. Both give such strong characteristics to their offspring. Post some pictures for us to see.

 

[Double J Cattle]

I'll get those pics as soon as I can. Mine and the majority of the ones I have seen are tall, heavy and are mostly black with a white star on the head and a white underside and switch. They really make the milk and they seem to inherit more ear from the Brahma than other F1s. They just happen to be something I like alot. Probably not too many others do though. I am just a sucker for eared cattle. I know those dang discriminating buyers wont give squat for them, but I'm in the business because I enjoy it. Life is short and I will raise what I want to. Just my style. But I think I can have those pics by tommorow around this time.

 

[Chuckie]

Even though the buyers discount for the ears, sometimes you make the money up in other areas that aren't always seen on paper. Like disease resistance, more milk, heat resistance, etc...... The check at the end is an all at once justification that feels good.
If you raise what you like, you will always be happier. I can compare this to my wants. If I want a new tractor, a John Deere is what I would want. I could buy a Ford or Massey cheaper, and it would do the same job. But everytime I looked at it, I would wish that I had put more money with what I spent, and got the John Deere. Everytime something happens to the Massey or Ford, I would say I should have got a JD. I eventually would sell the Massey or Ford and go buy what I wanted in the first place. Then I would be out of a lot more money if I had of bought what I drooled over in the first place. Moral to this story, "You are a lot happier with what you like than what someone else likes."

 

[Brandonm2]

I am with Chuckie. I thought I had seen Brahman crossed to everything over the years. Brahman crossed with Holstein though is one notable exception. PLEASE post pictures.

 

[MikeC]

When the dairy's were plentiful here around Montgomery lots of them bred the Holstein's to Brahma bulls because they bought replacement heifers anyway.
Selling baby calves in the fall was a good cash income (at times). Brahma calves are vigorous and easier to raise, sold for more than others because of it.(Although heterosis may have played a big part)

 

[Arnold Ziffle]

Double J -- I have seen Holstein/Brahman cross cows a number of times at replacement cattle sales and they pretty much sold like hotcakes; bidding was about like for good tigerstripes or Brangus. As you said, they were pretty close to being solid black and guys were no doubt buying them to use with English or Continental bulls. It may be worth your time to call Kenny Richardson at Four County Livestock auction in Industry, Texas. ( Industry is near Brenham, Tx. ) I believe Kenny is still a part owner of the auction barn and he may be able to give you some info about a possible source. The times that I saw those H/B crosses were at the spring and fall replacement sales at his auction barn, but not real recently. I understand that it used to be pretty common for dairies to breed heifers to Brahman bulls so it is a bit surprising to hear that there are apparently none to be found around Stephenville..

 

[wocattle]

Just a side note, at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo they have a commercial female sale that is geared toward the Brahman F1 and American breeds, I have seen several pens of Brahman/Holstien cross cattle there. They are used quite abit in the Central American countries for milk production...straight Holstiens don't seem to last in those areas

 

[Crowderfarms]

I've seen Brahman Bulls used as "Clean Up" Bulls on some dairies before. I've got a JerseyX Brahman Cow, we call her the milk truck. Bred her second Calf to our Beefmaster, got a heck of a Tiger Stripe, heifer. She just had her first calf in May.

 

[Farmgirl]

The original post made me think of when I was growing up. My Dad had a 1/2 brahma calf out of a half guernsey half holstein cow. He looked more brahma, grey with a touch of brown, if I remember. Crazy calf was a dumb as a stump. When he was born he couldn't figure out how to suck. Mama's udder was big and low to the ground. He was tall and lanky. After milking a few coke bottles full of milk and feeding him and throwing him down so he could reach up to nurse he finally got the idea. When we weaned him he was almost as tall as his mama. He grew to be a big calf. I don't remember if we ate him or sold him. That was one bovine experience I will never forget though!

Just felt like sharing that one.

Farmgirl

 

[Longtails4Me]

I know a lady that raised 7 of these in 1984. She had a broken arm at the time and bottle fed them one-handed. She still has all 7 of them today. If it wasn't for the broken arm thing , I would surely think she was mistaken about the age of em. They stay in good shape, and they're bags have held up great after 17 calves. Her husband runs them with a big set of his commercial cows, and they still after all these yrs. bring in the biggest calves in the bunch.
When bred to Herford bulls, they throwed real consistant tiger/stripes with white feet.
Charlais bulls gave the biggest framed calves, smutty colored,
but a little too "horsey" lookin.
Limo bulls put a butt on most of them, but the colors were real inconsistent, most were pencil legged, and buckskin(jersey)
colored. I like Limos but was disappointed in this cross.
Now they breed them to Angus & Balancer bulls, and the calves are really nice. Solid black, big and thick.

I can see why you are lookin for some more of these cows. Hers are 20 and look like they're 8 yrs old. She also has daughters out of some of the combinations mentioned above
and they are baby-raisers too.

 

[Double J Cattle]

I will look into these auctions everyone has mentioned. I appreciate everybodys help. Yalls stories are making me want all of them I can get that much more. As far as the pictures go, I'm still working on that. My computer is not reliable at all, seein how I live so far out that I only can have dial-up. I also let my cameras battery go dead or I would have taken some pics yesterday. I'll get em' though asap.

 

[Rustler9]

They're good cattle-I used to buy bottle calves from a dairy here that used a gray Brahman bull on his Holstein cows. They were mostly black, maybe some had a white underline, sometimes they'd come out black with white frost on sides. Made huge cows and sure could raise a good calf. They always showed the Brahman ear and flap. Perfect for breeding back to a Char, Angus or Hereford. I can see why you want to get some more of them. If those that you have now are only seven years old you'll get more than double that amount of years out of them yet. The Brahman influence gives them longevity.

 

[Double J Cattle]

Yeah, I wasnt meaning to sell the other two, I just wanted more. I dont really have the need to cull anything , but if I can find five of them I will have to make room for them. I'll have to make a hard choice of what to replace with them. Heck, I wish I had a hundred of them to put in a pasture with some Hereford and Angus bulls, but that might be a little far fetched. I cant believe the good response I've got from this topic, keep em' coming. I can talk about this all day and night.