Soapweed ????

[Nesikep]

here's why I can't have anything nice!

[LazyWP]

I too find this an extremely interesting read. I have to agree with Soap, that the Black Angus, are by far the easiest to market, but if I am going to work animals, I choose about anything but Angus, and it doesn't make any difference whether they are black or red. I DON'T like working with them!
Each breed has its perks for sure. I have sewn up more prolapses in 6 months, in Herefords, then the rest of my life. The Chars were easy to handle, but true white is hard to sell, unless you feed them out yourself. Gelbvieh, kinda lost out with me over some neighbors bulls that WOULD NOT stay in.
All that said, for me, the Angus are the first to fight, and color seems to make no difference.

[Nesikep]

I too find this an extremely interesting read. I have to agree with Soap, that the Black Angus, are by far the easiest to market, but if I am going to work animals, I choose about anything but Angus, and it doesn't make any difference whether they are black or red. I DON'T like working with them!
Each breed has its perks for sure. I have sewn up more prolapses in 6 months, in Herefords, then the rest of my life. The Chars were easy to handle, but true white is hard to sell, unless you feed them out yourself. Gelbvieh, kinda lost out with me over some neighbors bulls that WOULD NOT stay in.
All that said, for me, the Angus are the first to fight, and color seems to make no difference.

I had the opposite problem... the Angus influence made them terribly hard on fences, the Gelbvieh behave themselves... Same experience with Herfs though.

[Big Muddy rancher]

My Daughter in law has Gelbvieh and we shipped 4 of hers as they would not stay in but where they were raised I think they were trained to crawl fence. Hope we can retrain the rest now she has moved them to my son's place.

[Nesikep]

For fighting, I found shorthorns were terrible... ALWAYS fights breaking out over nothing.. YOU ATE THE LEAF I WANTED!.. The Gelbvieh seem to fight less, they don't care if they get pushed around, they'll just stand there and take it, keeping their head in the feed bunk

[jodywy]

Growing up here in the mountains there was only a couple herds of Black angus, and most of them had brisket disease, and stayed in the valley not going up into the mountains. Lot more black cattle now with PAP testing. but still see some people bringing in summer herds because they got a deal on grass and yup... brisket disease... before summer over in cows and calves...

[George]

I had to google brisket disease as I had never heard of it - - - here in the mid west I guess it is not an issue, I think the highest point in Indiana is about 1.200 feet above sea level

[Denny]

I had to google brisket disease as I had never heard of it - - - here in the mid west I guess it is not an issue, I think the highest point in Indiana is about 1.200 feet above sea level

Its getting to be an issue in feedlot cattle also when you push them hard they just tip over dead one day had that happen a couple years back that's what it was figured to be.

[leanin' H]

I live at almost 6000 ft and everything in our country here on the high desert gets PAP tested. It's pretty rare to visit with anyone here who has Brisket Disease issues anymore. It never ceases to amaze me how the cattle business continues to evolve and the advances we have made. From PAP testing, DNA stuff, EPD's, ect. my Grand-dad would sure smile to see the tools we have to use. And then he'd say, "Those Herefords are sure pretty cattle compared to your Angus cows".

This has been a great thread, with lots of great opinions and generations of successful ranchers to back up each opinion! One size never fits anything!

I am waiting to hear from Gcreek to brag on his empire of crossbred wolverines. You think rolling out hay is tough, try trapping, skinning and feeding 2100 head of squirrels everyday!

[mrj]

I live at almost 6000 ft and everything in our country here on the high desert gets PAP tested. It's pretty rare to visit with anyone here who has Brisket Disease issues anymore. It never ceases to amaze me how the cattle business continues to evolve and the advances we have made. From PAP testing, DNA stuff, EPD's, ect. my Grand-dad would sure smile to see the tools we have to use. And then he'd say, "Those Herefords are sure pretty cattle compared to your Angus cows".

This has been a great thread, with lots of great opinions and generations of successful ranchers to back up each opinion! One size never fits anything!

"I am waiting to hear from Gcreek to brag on his empire of crossbred wolverines. You think rolling out hay is tough, try trapping, skinning and feeding 2100 head of squirrels everyday! "

'H', shouldn't you at least tell him he should leave the skins on those squirrels, since it would entertain and keep survival skills sharp in those wolverines as well as feeding them? After all, a goal for successful 'ranchers' is to increase sustainability of our animals. Wouldn't want Gcreek to be at a disadvantage, now, would we?????

mrj

[PureCountry]

He'll chime in sooner or later about his trait selection priorities:
1) Athleticism to outmaneuver wolves;
2) Webbed cariboo-like hooves for staying afloat in the swamps;
3) Hide like wear leather to resist horseflies and blackflies;
4) +257 EPD on weaning weight.

;-)

[MikeBo]

We have approximately 400 head of Black Angus cattle, my father in law says " around here you either raise Angus cattle or you have pet cattle". Inferring that if your in the business of cattle...you almost have to have Angus. We occasionally put Angus/ Gelbvieh Balancer bulls on our cattle ...they give the steers a real punch of muscle. We aggressively cull for "attitude" and I can honestly say we really don't have problems.... but we have had the same genetics for 40 or more years. We do buy some registered Bulls at local sales. Our last set of crazy offspring came out of a son of "Quaker Hill Rampage" ...the word Rampage Should have gave me a heads up!!

We tried Limousine once, I am sure it was just the cattle we bought but they were hard keepers and flighty.