The Gyr Cattle Breed

[Up North]

A unique critter that's for sure

http://www.kyabra.com/index.php?id=8

[gone-a-milkin]

To me the calves kind of look like nubian goats...


cool looking beasts.

[ladycat]

Those look a lot like brahmas. Brahmas were all over the place in south Texas. I assume they still are.

[GrannieD]

It is a bloodline of the brahman cattle..I advertized a bull for a friend a couple weeks ago..He was asking $1500 for a 4yr.old red bull that they had to X breed to beef breeds...As he had no takers he sent him to auction at the main livestock auction here & got $450 for him..It isn't a breed that is respected in "beef cattle country" ,but the percentage in some breeds like beefmaster & brangus is just right for the market..They have a percentage bull they are raising to replace him..A beauty that has some of the chacteristics,but not extreme.. GrannieD

[francismilker]

In my area, anything that even remotely resembles a brahman is severely docked at the beef auction. (even if it's black in color) The brahman breed was really popular here back in the early 80's and then crashed all of a sudden. The large droopy ear, the brisket flopping, and the extremely large sheath has become a deterent to buyers anymore. While the farmers will still argue that their brahmans were hardier and could gain weight eating brush and less desireable grasses, they still have gone to angus or angus cross beef cattle because of the price. Most of them wish they could still market these large gentle beasts.

[R.Adams]

I had a few registered ones of this breed about 5 years ago. Their very flighty. The bull I had weighed 1500 lbs but could clear a 5 foot fence not to get caught. It took 2 men on horse back with dogs to rope him and drag him in the trailer the day we took him to sale. Beautiful color for a rug though. He crossed very well onto other beef breeds but he was a little to strong of genes and they showed more brahma influence than the other breeds.

The gyr's were one of three original breeds that were used to make the american brahma though.

[Cat]

Up North ... did you see that bull listed on Craigslist? I had to go look them after I saw that posting. They're almost too cute to be cows. I thought brahma were cute. Those calves are cute enough to wanna cuddle!

[Up North]

Originally Posted by gone-a-milkin

To me the calves kind of look like nubian goats...


cool looking beasts.

That's what we said too! ...LOL

[Up North]

Originally Posted by Cat

Up North ... did you see that bull listed on Craigslist? I had to go look them after I saw that posting. They're almost too cute to be cows. I thought brahma were cute. Those calves are cute enough to wanna cuddle!

Yes, saw the listing. I like the Airplane wing ears on the Angus/Gyr F1 crosses .

[tyusclan]

Back when I was growing up in the 70's a lot of folks around here were putting Brahman bulls on their cows to get the heat and insect resistance. There were several purebred breeders around as well. Hardly ever even see one any more.

Anything from 1/4 to 3/8 still helps with the resistance, but sells okay at the auctions. Any more "ear" than that and the desirability starts going down.

I think one drawback that caused the decline in popularity is that the Indicus breeds mature quite a bit later than the Taurus cattle. They're also a little more difficult to "finish".

[Cat]

When I was processing cattle those with the brahma influence were much loved for their ears! MUCH easier to implant & tag! They were few and far between, unfortunately.