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Date Feb 23, 2004

txbraun_25.jpg (9032 bytes) TODAY    txbraun_25.jpg (9032 bytes)

THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE TEXAS BRAUNVIEH ASSOCIATION
 

 

The Importance of State Associations
By Dr. Craig Ludwig, Executive Vice President, Braunvieh Association of America

             Many of us overlook the importance of state or local associations and the part they play in breed promotion.  Any successful event is generally the result of the efforts of those that are often referred to as the “locals”.  The “locals” that don’t plan and/or attend the various events within an area or state often are not aware of what a lot of the membership has accomplished.

            In the case of Texas, 34 percent of the BAA membership comes from this large, southern state.  In addition, 33% of the National Junior Braunvieh members live in Texas.  It is, therefore, obvious that Texas and its Braunvieh enthusiasts play a very important role in the overall promotion of the Braunvieh breed.

            Over the years, the TBA has focused its activities in several areas that the membership can use towards breed promotion and expansion.  To date, the TBA has awarded $12,000 towards college scholarship funds for six young Braunvieh enthusiasts.  This scholarship fund is an investment for both the future of the state’s young people and the Braunvieh breed.  Along the same lines, the TBA has awarded 32 silver belt buckles and three custom jackets to the young Braunvieh heifer exhibitors at Fort Worth, San Antonio and Houston.  Along the same lines, six TBA members donated $6,900 to the Texas Junior Braunvieh members for use towards breed promotion, field days and heifer shows.

            In addition to the generous donations mentioned in the above paragraph, the TBA has initiated an annual state sale to be held each September.  At the recently completed 2002 sale, Braunvieh sold at good prices with interest shown from new, as well as established, breeders.

The TBA has also been actively involved in the Houston and San Antonio Livestock Shows and was very instrumental in the inaugural Fort Worth Braunvieh Show in 2001.

            Another important function of the TBA is their yearly sponsorship of a Braunvieh booth at the Beef Cattle Short Course, College Station, Texas.  Here commercial cattlepeople, as well as feedlot operators, learn more about the Braunvieh breed.

            As one can see from all the many contributions listed above, the TBA has been, and will continue to be, an integral part of promoting, and thus expanding, the Braunvieh breed.  TBA members, both adult and juniors, get their money’s worth from the TBA.  With 262,134 square miles within the Texas borders, there is a large area to cover.  Since it does make up 34% of the BAA membership, the TBA needs the constructive input of every Texas Braunvieh breeder so the breed will be promoted and, thus, expanded in the future.

 

One Man's Observation

     Last fall I purchased two sets of heifers in order to increase my recipient cow herd.  One set of heifers was Angus and the second set of heifers was Angus cross.  Upon arrival at the ranch both sets really looked good and I thought we had done good on these heifers and they would end up to be a nice set of cows.  The Angus heifers were A.I.ed and pasture exposed to Angus bulls when we bought them.  The Angus-Braunvieh cross heifers were open.  I bred this set with our Braunvieh bulls.  Both sets of heifers were on good fertilized pasture with mineral and salt.  At calving neither set of heifers had to have any assistance in delivery.

     After a couple of months with calves I could see a difference in the body condition of these heifers.  The Angus calves grew off good but were pulling the cows down physically.   The Angus-Braunvieh cows were maintaining their body condition.  The material traits of the Braunvieh had come through in the Angus and proved to be a great cross bred cow.  I had seen this cross before but when you look at it every day and how they progress it makes a believer out of you.  It will anyone.

Merrill Jensen

 

Another Interesting Lesson About Braunvieh Bulls

     Living in South Texas means that you most likely have commercial cows with some “ear”. I have several ¾ Braunvieh x ¼ Brahma heifers this year so deciding to follow market trends I wanted to breed some of these to Angus bulls. I purchased two bulls and got them ready to turn out and realized that having 40 heifers like this I was probably pushing my luck since I was synchronizing these heifers so that I could close up my calving time. No problem, I would just turn out one of my first original Braunvieh bulls to help. We rounded up old Number Two as we call him and turned him out with our Angus bulls and went along thinking how smart we were.

     Palpating time came and we had all heifers bred, calving would be with in the 60-day window we were shooting for, everything was fine.

      Calving time comes. It seems that not everything was going as per plan. We have had 23 calves as of this writing and only 1 Angus crossed calf. Seems old Number Two was extra busy (and maybe not as old as we thought).  Once again I am reminded just how prolific, and aggressive breeders these Braunvieh bulls are.

      This kind of information is what we as breeders need to get out to our potential customers, and as an organized group we stand a better chance of accomplishing this than as a group of independents trying to market whatever we have in the pasture at the time. If we all work together in promoting the breed, cull our bull calves aggressively based on industry requirements, and give our customers what they want, we all win. We should have an easy task in front of us with the quality of the product that we have to market if we all work together to market it, and there is no better way than helping with the Texas Braunvieh Association with your paid up memberships, advice on the direction of the association, and spreading the word on this amazing breed.

      Help make this association work and you will have a strong organization working for you, the producer, to help with whatever your goals are.

Larry Struthoff

 

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