Hereford / Red Angus cross

[AC Diesel]

I currently run all black angus cows with Hereford bulls, and my calves always sell well. I have an opportunity to buy some Red Angus 2nd calvers for a real fair price. My question is how well does this cross sell and do the calves preform as well as a black cross? Thanks

 

[loomixguy]

I don't see how you could possibly go wrong with the Red Angus.

 

[Faster horses]

First of all, let me say, Red Angus is my favorite breed of cow.

Those red calves may not have sold quite as well as black ones in the past,
but I think that day is over. Red Angus has a lot going for them. As far
as performance, I think you'll find they'll do as good or maybe better
than the blacks, depending of course, on their genetics.

If I had the opportunity you have, I'd jump at it. FWIW
Back in 1979 when we were changing from Herefords, I wanted Red Angus,
but there weren't many available to buy.

I agree with Loomixguy. How could you go wrong if the price is right?

 

[Soapweed]

I currently run all black angus cows with Hereford bulls, and my calves always sell well. I have an opportunity to buy some Red Angus 2nd calvers for a real fair price. My question is how well does this cross sell and do the calves preform as well as a black cross? Thanks

Sounds like a good deal. The only slight drawback will be that the Red Angus cross calves won't fit in with your black baldies. They will probably sell separate, and won't command as good of a price as if all your calves were of the same color and sort. Who knows, maybe they'll outsell your black baldies? :???: :wink:

 

[Nicky]

We've been using some RA bulls on our hereford cows for the last 4 years are very happy with the calves. Don't have performace data on them but to look at them they look as good as the the black baldy calves.

 

[jodywy]

I currently run all black angus cows with Hereford bulls, and my calves always sell well. I have an opportunity to buy some Red Angus 2nd calvers for a real fair price. My question is how well does this cross sell and do the calves preform as well as a black cross? Thanks

Sounds like a good deal. The only slight drawback will be that the Red Angus cross calves won't fit in with your black baldies. They will probably sell separate, and won't command as good of a price as if all your calves were of the same color and sort. Who knows, maybe they'll outsell your black baldies? :???: :wink:

only had one pen where my Herefords got sorted of the blacks and baldies last fall and the was my biggest cut as they were 50lbs bigger then the crosses and blacks they were with

 

[AC Diesel]

Thanks for the replies guys, I was just curious what some of you ranchers thought of that cross. The barn I sell at is pretty good about not sorting for color, my Hereford calves sell with my baldies so that's not really a concern.

 

[bllcattle]

I"M almost certan that the choice red' cross's will outsell most of the black-baldies that are out there. Reason being that the idea that black hide could '" hide a multitude of sins" is comeing home to roost. Just to much of a mix in so many black cattle and liike so many easy good things it all will show up. It's fun to watch but we all must realize that it's not good for the general beef business.

 

[katrina]

We got hammered with our all red cattle at our sale barn... Maybe it's the numbers. We don't have very many to sell.... I love red angus and have nothing aginst them, it's just was costly for us having that red gene pop up occasinally and the three or four we had would be sorted and sold seperaly every time.... I would say that that was a biggest mistake we ever made in the 27 years we have sold calves... I think it's a numbers thing... Now with Aiing we have pretty much eliminated the problem as most of our cows have stacked pedigrees....

 

[cowman52]

I bred cows for a red angus/Hereford operation in southern Ks. Some years back, the fences were not so great so there were several red baldies every year. They seemed to take the best of both breeds as far as being mothers and raising calves. I would have liked to had every female that came along, and the steers were sent to a growing yard and on. Seemed they were welcomed as far as quality and not so frowned upon price wise. The baldies still out sold the straight hereford or red angus, and close to the blacks but made it up in pounds.

 

[Shortgrass]

I did a RA sire on Char momas this year. Steers averaged 641 over all. RA sired calves averaged 647. Char sired calves 630. Guess I'll look at some more RA bulls this year. Kept 80% crossbred heifers for replacements. Will likely run Char bulls on the crossbred cows. When the calves came (March 20 begining date on calving) and for several months after birth, I felt I was in a wreck. The last 6 weeks, I was noticing a catch up taking place with the RA calves. I did not expect to see them outweigh the straight Charlais. The RA included my 1st calf heifer's calves. I would expect you might like RA blood.

 

[LazyWP]

Thanks for the replies guys, I was just curious what some of you ranchers thought of that cross. The barn I sell at is pretty good about not sorting for color, my Hereford calves sell with my baldies so that's not really a concern.

You must not sell at Valentine, or anywhere where Matt is on the block. He will sort for color in the ring.

 

[katrina]

Thanks for the replies guys, I was just curious what some of you ranchers thought of that cross. The barn I sell at is pretty good about not sorting for color, my Hereford calves sell with my baldies so that's not really a concern.

You must not sell at Valentine, or anywhere where Matt is on the block. He will sort for color in the ring.

It's not just at Valentine.... What you're not a member of the ol boys club??
When we hauled cattle for others we had one rule... If we hauled them to Valentine, we wouldn't haul them back after they were nosaled... did that several times.. Took all night to get them home...

Not to put Soap in the hot seat or anything, but as far as I'm concerned, He had the best red calves in the country and now he doesn't.... I begged hubby to buy them one year and he didn't get to bid.....

 

[AC Diesel]

No Valentine is to far away for me. I haul my calves an hour to the east of me into farmer country, Creighton Ne. Those guys get real excited to see good quality grass calves fresh of the cow. There seems to be a few fellas over there that still like to feed calves.

Thanks for all the input guys.

 

[Anonymous]

I don't think there is a better cross out there all things considered than red angus and Hereford. If I was to start a herd tomorrow, that's exactly what I would get and I see a lot of cattle on the range every year.

On the angus side, I would take red angus over black angus hands down. Hereford has had their problems but for those guys who push the pencil, you can't beat their feed efficiency and longevity. I also believe Hereford beef, all things being equal, has a tendency to be more tender particularly within the current system of wet aging which makes the difference between choice and select strictly perceptual. The reds seem to handle the heat better than the blacks. Overall I see a lot better quality utters in the reds than the blacks.

Of course this is a lot of generalizations within the alphabet soup of genetics and there is always extremes but I don't think you have a better chance of success with any other cross if you keep your mature cow size below 1250.

Just my thoughts.


~SH~

 

[Denny]

Herefords get sorted here reds not so much. They do sort in the ring some but mainly at the buyers request.