Perfect breed of Cattle???

[james dilley]

What would you say is the perfect breed, If there is such a beast.Polled or Horned types.

[myersfarm]

i know the answer to that one............................................... .................................................. ...location location location

[unioncreek]

The perfect breed is going to depend on the person owing it and location. One breed would not fit perfectly for everyone. I own Longhorns since they are more browsers than grazers, they cleaned up all the brush and willows that I had growing. Longhorns don't mature as fast as the English breeds, but I don't make a living on them so I can wait longer for them to mature.

Bobg

[Haggis]

I concur. The perfect breed is that breed that most closely satisfies the needs of its owner.

I wonder if that is why about there are about 500 breeds?

[Don Armstrong]

Originally Posted by james dilley

What would you say is the perfect breed

For what? Where?

Cattle are commonly used for milk and/or beef. Less commonly for draught animals. Some very hairy breeds shed winter coats used to be used for spinning and weaving.

Do you want a pure dairy type? What are you looking for then? Commercial dairy or just home use? Volume of milk? Will you be satisfied with the low-cream thin-tasting milk of a Holstein? Would you prefer the lower volume but much higher cream-content of Jersey milk? Something in between? Or a mixed herd and mix'n'match the milk yourself?

Pure beef types? Size of carcase? Or smaller quicker-maturing, quicker to market types? Something that will produce good lean grass-fed beef; or something that produces high-fat, cut-with-a-fork beef in a feedlot with high-grain, high-cost feed. Special climatic considerations? Do you need Brahman blood? Say Santa Gertrudis?

I was brought up with old-fashioned milking shorthorns, and I think they were a good homestead-type animal. They'd produce a fair volume of medium-cream milk. However, as I knew them they weren't a profitable pure-dairy animal. They'd also grow big carcasses, so you could make good money from your excess stock and steers. They're docile and tractable, and as it happens because they're big and calm they make good draught animals too - not that I've used them that way. However, the breed has been made-over to be a pure dairy type now, with heavy infusions of Australian Illawarra Shorthorn blood. I gather that the closest you can get now to the old-fashioned multi-purpose milking shorthorn is the Durham.

[Lazy J5]

I also agree, everyone has their favorite. First, decide what do you want from the cattle. Beef, milk, both? Do you want 1000s of pounds of beef or milk, or just enough for family use. Is yours a cold or hot climate? How much pasture do you have available? Is your pasture best suited to grazing or browsing? Will you have to buy hay? Will children or inexperienced people be around the herd? Knowing these things will help narrow down the choices.

[james dilley]

The breed I would want needs to wean a calf every year ,and have a set of horns be able to forage ,on limited feed ,put on weight gain, be a gentle beast.
It would need to tolerate heat,and cold both.

[fordson major]

brown swiss come closest to a perfect cow. great meat able to eat rough pasture and produce high protein moderate fat milk and keep weight on .quiet though mischevios and they are smart!

[JeffNY]

Didn't know alot about Brown Swiss, but they seem to be hardy. South texas breed? Herefords are in Texas, so for beef why not them? Milk? As others said, depends on location, and sometimes its the person.


Jeff

[milkstoolcowboy]

Ah, another "Who's the prettiest girl at the dance question?" The perfect breed is about match quality: you want beef or dairy, finish at lighter or heavier weight, a rangy animal that can gain on marginal pasture. The breed has to match your preferences.

One way to help answer that question is this. Sounds like you want a beef cow that's a good mother and will be efficient on thin pasture. Well, take a look at what other ranchers have in the area, since they are likely facing the same pasture type as you.

[Don Armstrong]

Originally Posted by james dilley

The breed I would want needs to wean a calf every year ,and have a set of horns be able to forage ,on limited feed ,put on weight gain, be a gentle beast.
It would need to tolerate heat,and cold both.

You're thinking of Beefmaster, aren't you? I knew I'd heard of that "wean a calf a year" before, and dug it out with Google. You can find anything with Google.

http://www.lasaterranch.com/2002_sum_news.htm
http://www.lasaterranch.com

Mind you, they've done that with a breeding program. You might find cattle elsewhere that are the result of similar breeding philosophies.

[james dilley]

Brown Swiss do well down here and there counter parts that are a Beef breed are both popular here ( there used to be a large B S dairy in the area) There a decent cow but I like something with a bit more horn. I see this has got alot of folks thinking, I know there is No one perfect cow for the whole world.