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Any Gelbvieh breeders?

Grassfarmer said:
Should maybe resist the temptation to comment but as far as I'm concerned when you take a breed and cross it with something in fashion (usually Angus B. or R.) to become more acceptable to the in crowd your are cutting your breeds throat. If you make them like Angus why does anybody need them? - there's plenty Angus around for everybody already. I believe Gelbvieh were a good breed with distinct characteristics but they are yellow cattle - that is what the name means for goodness sake. These black and red things are not Gelbvieh any more than solid red or black, polled, Simmentals, Maines, Salers, Limos or any of the other mainland europe "exotics". If this continues we may as well just abolish breeds and call them red or black cattle and sort them on their EPDs :roll:
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Maybe I am misunderstanding you, I believe the point is HYBRID VIGOR. Balancer or Super Baldies etc. meet the wants of customers. I am anything but a Seedstock man. But I understand why it takes all kinds. I have opinions, they don't really matter. The facts are that a very high percentage of commercial cows are high percentage angus. As far as Gelbveih, my inlaws buy balancers from Cedar Top from Tryon Nebraska. They seem to have good luck. Not my breed of choice but it works for them.
 
Well, GF, to me, our bull is Gelbvieh, through and through. I do know what you are saying though, many breeds are having the same discussion and it is not always a pleasant discussion.
To me, the bottom line is what sells, but keeping certain traits and selections that are important to me, as a focus. When animals are discounted because of to much dewlap, or to light of a color, or whatever, the market itself drives change....just like it is hard to distinguish a GM car from an import in newer models. But, if you are a car buff, you will know the differences, and like gcreek says, theres always room for the good kind, no matter which breed.
This bull and his sire, are up for sale on Mar 13 @ Olds.....give one a try....you may be surprised! :)
 
flyingS said:
Grassfarmer said:
Should maybe resist the temptation to comment but as far as I'm concerned when you take a breed and cross it with something in fashion (usually Angus B. or R.) to become more acceptable to the in crowd your are cutting your breeds throat. If you make them like Angus why does anybody need them? - there's plenty Angus around for everybody already. I believe Gelbvieh were a good breed with distinct characteristics but they are yellow cattle - that is what the name means for goodness sake. These black and red things are not Gelbvieh any more than solid red or black, polled, Simmentals, Maines, Salers, Limos or any of the other mainland europe "exotics". If this continues we may as well just abolish breeds and call them red or black cattle and sort them on their EPDs :roll:
Click to expand...

Maybe I am misunderstanding you, I believe the point is HYBRID VIGOR. Balancer or Super Baldies etc. meet the wants of customers. I am anything but a Seedstock man. But I understand why it takes all kinds. I have opinions, they don't really matter. The facts are that a very high percentage of commercial cows are high percentage angus. As far as Gelbveih, my inlaws buy balancers from Cedar Top from Tryon Nebraska. They seem to have good luck. Not my breed of choice but it works for them.
Click to expand...

I believe that is part of the problem - hybrid vigor is very important but selling crossbred bulls to commercial producers is a con. The benefit of hybrid vigor in this case has accrued to the "pure bred" breeder and the commercial bull buyer will get very little benefit of the hybrid vigor in his calves because it will be diluted. He will however get all the inconsistency that bulls with high levels of heterosis bring. If a guy has straight Angus, or high % angus cows and wants to benefit from hybrid vigor he would get a way better deal buying a genuine straight, pure bred bull of whichever breed he fancies.
 
I have dabbled with crossing Angus and Gelbvieh. This is definitely a good way to add weight to the calves, but there seems to be more buyer resistance than from selling straight Angus calves. As far as keeping crossbred heifers for replacements, my experience it that a cow that is 3/4 Angus 1/4 Gelbvieh works quite well. 5/8 Angus 3/8 Gelbvieh cows aren't bad, but the ones that are half and half we didn't like. They were too big for our operation.
 
Soapweed said:
I have dabbled with crossing Angus and Gelbvieh. This is definitely a good way to add weight to the calves, but there seems to be more buyer resistance than from selling straight Angus calves. As far as keeping crossbred heifers for replacements, my experience it that a cow that is 3/4 Angus 1/4 Gelbvieh works quite well. 5/8 Angus 3/8 Gelbvieh cows aren't bad, but the ones that are half and half we didn't like. They were too big for our operation.
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Surely that would be more a bull selection issue than a breed selection issue given what folks always say about there being more difference within breeds than between them? I'm quite sure there are some Angus with higher mature weights than some Gelbvieh and vice versa? What you need are the elusive curve benders that everyone claims to have - lower birthweight, heavier weaning weight, lower mature weight, more milk but not enough to adversely affect fertility or condition :roll: :wink:
 
Soap you are 100 percent rignt. Your buyers buy your cattle. Its not the breed its the respect for your ranch and family cattle. Dad purchased some pots of black cattle from Russelville Nebr from Wes Pettipiece and his father in law . long long ago He went out on a limb and tested these sandhills cattle at Colorado State Univ agains T cross straight Hereford steers and the Black feeder heifers he bought at Crawford, NB cattle actually were resold to a Canadian delveopment in Prince Edward Island as a breeding herd I loaded them it was a 4 day trip. It was only one pot of Wyoming and Nebraska Heifers.

Soap time to take a look how vaulable the cattle are where you are at.
WHY would you ever think a Balancer would be the answer????
You fellers have had the answer for almost 100 years back when the Texans setteled that country.
 
I've sorted loads of cattle at the stockyards. that run xbred cows and use F1 bulls there are less sorts in them than alot of straightbred cattle. It's not what you run and how you run them. about all purebred cattle will gaurantee you in a commercial outfit is that they'll all be one colour after that it's up to the genetics the rancher has used. You can have a dog from every town no matter what breed you run.
 
Actually, latest stats out are that the Gelbvieh breed is a smaller framed animal than Angus....average of coarse. Many of us have moderated substantially over the last few years. Here the moderate thick ones seem to stay, have a few taller, older gals that continue to give "dam good calve', so they stay.
 
As far as PB breeders having a thick hide.... if you dont you should be in another business. People always have an opinion you can take it or leave it but sometimes there are words of wisdom to be found. As far as breeders being cons for selling crossbred bulls..... I will leave that to being one man and his opinion. I really like the hair on that bull Larry. You are obviously taking your cattle in the right direction. Some of the original gelbvieh were too slick for these parts. I still maintain that the best thing for a breed is that it not become too popular. When that happens everyone becomes a breeder and none have knives.
 

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