Too much ear?

[teletiger]

some forum users refer to cattle as having "too much ear" especially when talking about brahman crosses. Anyone care to elucidate.
thanks in advance.
regards

[Jena]

In many parts of the country, brahman is considered an undesirable breed and any indications that an animal has some brahman in it, results in a discount at the sale barn. Ears that appear to bear brahman influence are one thing that is looked at and so the saying "too much ear".

Jena

[tinknal]

What Jena said. Brahmas do well in hot wet environments. They are not as desirable outside these climates.

[tyusclan]

Even here in the South where the brahman characteristics help out, most folks don't want more than about 3/8 in their mama cows. Brahman cattle are a slower maturing breed, and don't finish as well as the others. By keeping the percentages down you still get some of the heat and insect resistance, but the calves finish off better.

[Celtic_Knot]

Acctualy out here in hot 'ol Californie people keep herds of bhrama's where normal cattle would not be able to live with angus bull and sell the half blood calves. They still make pretty good eatin. The angus really dominates the bhrama so the effects on the carcass aren't that dramatic.

[YuccaFlatsRanch]

Best selling price for cattle in this area of texas is for black brangus crossed with a hereford to get a white faced black calf. Premium of 10-15 cents per pound is received on these calves. I prefer to raise the white faced brangus crosses with black eye spots to help with cancer eye. I also like beefmaster cattle (brahma, hereford, shorthorn cross originally). All of the above have some EAR.

[tyusclan]

The key word there is SOME ear. Everyone understands and appreciates the heat and insect resistance the brahman genetics bring to cattle, but no one wants too much brahman in their cattle. With the brangusxhereford you're raising, your calves are at 1/4 brahman or a little less. That's perfect. Same with beefmaster. It's when the cattle have TOO MUCH EAR that their value drops.

[YuccaFlatsRanch]

Works for me. I raise what will sell - why fight a losing battle?? Other cattle eat the same, vet the same. etc etc etc - just sell for less.

[Slev]

.......great, so I guess when the AKC gets involved everyone will be cropping their cattle ears and/or tails for conformation lines????

Seriously though, I never heard the phrase before, so now I'm glad that I do...

[Oxankle]

Slev:
The brangus cross on a hereford produces some great mama cows, as does straight angus on hereford.

We call the angus x hereford calves "black baldies" and they bring good money.

In really hot climates you get good beef from brangus x hereford where angus bulls would really not be comfortable. If I had my druthers I'd stop at about an eighth brahman--enough to be a good "doer" but not enough to have a penalty for ear.

I've always been partial to herefords; I just like their color on green grass. However, here in Ok they do not sell well. Anything black sells better.
Ox

[Unregistered]

I knew a man who crossed a brown swiss bull on his santa gertrudis cows. He then took the heifers and put a hereford bull on them. Can't remember how his market was but he sure had some nice calves.