What breed is she?

[Pallyshire]

Any ideas now what she might be?

[SpaceCadet12364]

that looks like a zebu angus cross. or possible zebu dexter cross.

[ramiller5675]

I'd guess that she's a corriente.

[MO_cows]

Corriente/Zebu. A lot of Corriente characteristics but those horns say Zebu.

[WildRoots]

Are you sure it's a she? That's quite the outtie belly button.


Wild Roots Farms Pompey, NY.

[Pallyshire]

Yea. She has an udder, never had balls, and urinates like a girl...Ive wondered about that too though...

[MO_cows]

Having 2nd thoughts about the Zebu, she's not really showing any other Brahman-ish characteristics except that bit of extra skin on the underline.

She's definitely mostly Corriente, with a shot of something else with more massive horns/horn bases. A straight Corriente female wouldn't have such a big horn base, and that horn growth pattern isn't typical Corriente, either.

[nosqrls]

This is why I say zebu/angus.

[MO_cows]

That cow looks Dexter/Angus to me, not showing a hint of bos indicus blood. If you bred her, you know what's in her, though. I guess we shouldn't judge a book by its cover or a cow either.

In the first photo in the OP, that is a Corriente face. Also her hindquarters, the hind legs are a bit longer, another Corriente trait. She looks more narrow and lighter boned than a beef cross would be. And it looks like there is a hint of a "mane", that trait is pretty much unique to Corriente.

[Pallyshire]

Originally Posted by MO_cows

That cow looks Dexter/Angus to me, not showing a hint of bos indicus blood. If you bred her, you know what's in her, though. I guess we shouldn't judge a book by its cover or a cow either.

In the first photo in the OP, that is a Corriente face. Also her hindquarters, the hind legs are a bit longer, another Corriente trait. She looks more narrow and lighter boned than a beef cross would be. And it looks like there is a hint of a "mane", that trait is pretty much unique to Corriente.

I didn't personally breed her and don't know her breeding. I was hoping someone could shed some light for me. I know I will never know her exact lines though. We are trying to figure out what our plans are for her. Originally we were going to breed her for more beef calves to put in freezer but I have read Corrientes are not good for eating. If she had some dairy influence I might make her a nurse cow but I don't think I will know her full use until we breed her. Also she is small. At a year less than 4 feet tall so I don't think I can breed her to a beef breed. I didn't expect so many different answers.

I do appreciate all the replies. I have looked up each breed people have mentioned and I can see where some have got heir guesses. Wish there was a for sure way to tell.

[Pallyshire]

She doesn't have a mane but it does look like she has a line where there would be one.

[MO_cows]

Originally Posted by Pallyshire

I didn't personally breed her and don't know her breeding. I was hoping someone could shed some light for me. I know I will never know her exact lines though. We are trying to figure out what our plans are for her. Originally we were going to breed her for more beef calves to put in freezer but I have read Corrientes are not good for eating. If she had some dairy influence I might make her a nurse cow but I don't think I will know her full use until we breed her. Also she is small. At a year less than 4 feet tall so I don't think I can breed her to a beef breed. I didn't expect so many different answers.

I do appreciate all the replies. I have looked up each breed people have mentioned and I can see where some have got heir guesses. Wish there was a for sure way to tell.

The first paragraph of mine you quoted was responding to nosqrl, that cow in post #8 looks Dexter/Angus. The 2nd paragraph was about yours.

Corriente isn't the most tender beef but has good flavor. If you breed her to a beef bull, you should be happy with your resulting beef. A calving ease Angus bull, Lowline, Dexter, there are a lot of options if you AI.

When the Corriente market tanked a few years ago, breeders with fullblood Corriente cows started turning out beef bulls, mostly Angus and I heard of one using Charolais. That really put more beef on the calves. Didn't hear of any of them having calving problems except one rancher who had a Simmental bull breach the fence, he lost some calves and even cows from that. With a heifer having her first calf, you have to be careful of course, and stay on the calving ease side of the spectrum.

[Pallyshire]

Is calving ease considered 50lbs or less? How do they determine that?

[MO_cows]

There is more to it than weight, the conformation of the calf matters, too. Some breeds have EPD (Expected Progeny Differences) and can give a prediction for calving ease as well as actual birth weight. Angus would have this, but I don't think Dexter, Lowline or other minor breeds have this level of data analysis. Pure Corriente or Lowline calves, 50 pounds would be on the high side for expected calf weight. Dunno about Dexter.

[Farmer Jayne]

Your heifer looks just like my Shawna. She is an Irish Dexter, Watusi cross. I know this is unlikely for yours because it's not very common, but they look like they could be sisters. I looked and I don't have a picture but I will get one this afternoon and post it.

[CIW]

I believe that due to her horn base and direction of the horns growth she could be a Watusi crossed with Mexican Corriente. They cross them with the Watusi to produce team roping calves. Just straight Corriente calves have a tendency to break horns and get sore heads when roped. The Watusi lessins those horn problems and the Corrientis like to run a little better.
Leasing team roping calves can be quite a lucritive business if it is played right.

[CIW]

If you bred her to a longhorn bull you would likely have a small calf and the calves horns would grow outward than up. This is more desirable for the ropers. Also the longhorn will have a little more mass when grown.

[MO_cows]

Originally Posted by CIW

I believe that due to her horn base and direction of the horns growth she could be a Watusi crossed with Mexican Corriente. They cross them with the Watusi to produce team roping calves. Just straight Corriente calves have a tendency to break horns and get sore heads when roped. The Watusi lessins those horn problems and the Corrientis like to run a little better.
Leasing team roping calves can be quite a lucritive business if it is played right.

Sore heads? Most likely caused by being too lazy to take the horn wraps off and put them back on for every roping session. Or people who aren't really ready to tie off their rope, doing so - instead of using the breakaway device and sparing the cattle.

"...if it is played right" - you said a mouthful there! Raise an animal to over a year of age, train it for the arena, and then some yahoo will give you $25 a month to lease it for roping. If they are too rank of an amateur roper, in a very short time they will teach your steer to duck and drag and bring their career to an early end. Then the packers will discount the animal down to 50 cents a pound because of horns, the 30 month rule, and COOL. You better really know what you are doing, even better, have your own outlet for selling the meat, to lease out roping cattle.

Some pro ropers can use the same set of practice cattle for 2 years. When you are really good at it, you aren't hard on the cattle.

[65284]

Dexter X Jersey.

[Lizbet]

How tall is she pics are not good for showing size. If I had to guess I would say she is a Dexter as she looks quite like mine.