Cattle

[goeduck]

We have 4 early calves, the only thing that makes sense is a juvenile bull that must have been able to jump high and quickly get it done. :confused3:

 

[aczlan]

What are you doing with the calves?

The plan is to raise the three calves (all steers) to ~18 months (spring of the year that they are born to the fall of the year after) and then sell two of them by the 1/2 or 1/4 for freezer beef (with one for family).
We have enough friends who are interested that they should go fairly quickly.

Aaron Z

 

[two_bit_score]

The plan is to raise the three calves (all steers) to ~18 months (spring of the year that they are born to the fall of the year after) and then sell two of them by the 1/2 or 1/4 for freezer beef (with one for family).
We have enough friends who are interested that they should go fairly quickly.

Aaron Z

Sounds like a good plan. Was breed a big factor?

 

[aczlan]

Sounds like a good plan. Was breed a big factor?

We wanted a beef breed (we raised a Holstein a few years back and didn't like the resulting meat).
The cows are a Hereford/Angus cross (black with a white face), the bull the first year was a black Angus (IIRC) and the calves ended up black with a few small white marks. The bull last year was a red Angus.

Aaron Z

 

[two_bit_score]

We wanted a beef breed (we raised a Holstein a few years back and didn't like the resulting meat).
The cows are a Hereford/Angus cross (black with a white face), the bull the first year was a black Angus (IIRC) and the calves ended up black with a few small white marks. The bull last year was a red Angus.

Aaron Z

Black baldies is what they are called down here. They were more popular until the solid black started to bring more at commercial auctions and a lot of people just went that way. Good combination - Angus and Herford.

Some of my friends kids are showing British Whites. Interesting cattle. Very gentle. They are said to have a propensity for twins but they are also said to produce sufficient milk.


TBS

 

[aczlan]

Black baldies is what they are called down here. They were more popular until the solid black started to bring more at commercial auctions and a lot of people just went that way. Good combination - Angus and Herford.

That is what my father in law calls them. We like them, they have been fairly gentle and good to work with.
As for what they bring at auction, we aren't planning on sending any to auction, so that isn't a priority for us.

Aaron Z

 

[beowulf]

When I was at home we mostly had Hereford bulls. Now it seems to pay better if it痴 Angus.

That is what I was told by the local sale yard owner/auctioneer - he said these days everyone wants black.

 

[aczlan]

That is what I was told by the local sale yard owner/auctioneer - he said these days everyone wants black.

That is what the guy we rented the bull from said as well. He also said that pure black, black/white, red and red/white cows taste the same on the inside

Aaron Z

 

[Dadnatron]

That is what I was told by the local sale yard owner/auctioneer - he said these days everyone wants black.

That is STRICTLY due to the American Angus Association's efforts since 1978 when they began the Marketing ploy of 'Certified Angus Beef'. They got together and pushed the 'thought' that Angus beef was the 'premium beef'. Now, you can't go into a restaurant without seeing 'Angus steaks' on the menu. It really has been one of the best STEALTH marketing campaigns with one of the biggest outcomes of which I know.

The funny thing is... you basically only have to have 51% Angus... to obtain the certification. Although, I think they have instituted some carcass characteristics which need to be met now. Which is funny, because a lot of those characteristics are likely to change, with the changing thought of how we eat. Specifically, smaller steak sizes are becoming much more popular. And I think one of the required characteristics for 'Angus' was to have a relatively large 'Ribeye'.

 

[two_bit_score]

That is what I was told by the local sale yard owner/auctioneer - he said these days everyone wants black.

That is what the guy we rented the bull from said as well. He also said that pure black, black/white, red and red/white cows taste the same on the inside

Aaron Z

The Angus breeders association did an excellent PR campaign with their “100% Angus Beef” campaign.