Saturday, 14 December 2013

Herd Improvement And Greater Profits With Black Baldy Cattle

By Eugenia Dickerson


Cattle ranchers know that there is little leeway between losing money or making it in the beef production business. The years of hard work in all weathers required to raise even the sturdiest animals on the open range mean that a barren cow or one that dies young is a real liability. Black Baldy cattle are showing ranchers a promising way to make their profit margin a little bigger. Reports of up to 20% annual increase are making beef producers sit up and take notice.

Black Baldy is the name given to white-faced, sable-bodied cattle that are produced by breeding a Hereford bull to an Aberdeen Angus cow. The white-face gene of the Hereford and the sable-color gene of the Angus are dominant, so the color of the hybrid crosses is remarkable consistent.

The same coloration is found when Hereford females are mated with Angus bulls. First births can be difficult when both parents are Herefords. Using an Angus bull gives a calf with a lower birth weight and a smaller head, which is easier for a heifer in her first calving. This practice alone can cut herd losses to a significant extent.

Baldies are becoming known for their docility, their fertility, and their longevity. They are also prized for their thriftiness, or the ability to thrive and grow under range conditions and to gain more weight on less feed in the fattening pens. They make excellent mothers, having ample milk for their calves and taking good care of them. All of these characteristics are valuable when raising beef animals for profit.

Part of this success comes from what is called hybrid vigor. Pure breeds involve a certain amount of interbreeding. Genetic defects are therefore passed down with ever-increasing frequency. By crossing two sound breeds, the off-spring have a greater chance of escaping the genetic weaknesses of either of the parent breeds. The black, white-faced cows live longer, conceive more readily, and are less susceptible to disease.

There are more Hereford cattle around the world than any other breed, a testimony to the hardiness and adaptability of this great strain. There are those who prefer the taste of Hereford beef to any other, but more people are familiar with the Angus label, which they see on restaurant menus and in the grocery store. Angus beef is renowned for flavor and tenderness.

Baldies are popular in areas with hot sun, like Australia, where their dark color minimizes sunburn. In the American northwest, this breed is called Black Hereford. These great beef producing regions have extremes of weather that demand sturdy animals. Ranchers may love their cows but they cannot and do not pamper them.

Black Baldy Cattle are available for breeding stock and for those who want to fatten animals for beef. Check out the results of performance tests that show how this breed can increase production in any aspect of the beef business.




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