Thread: Wagyu calves

Well quiet cattle are essential for us, and these allow me to walk up to them and feel their bollocks. Love a good scratch, not worried about the dogs, the tractors or the black white faces a year ahead of them. Come to the sound of me tapping the bucket, good eaters, drinkers, so all good! Stood there and watched the wife in the veg garden all day today, very attentive.

An advantage is that the breeding cows and the last year’s steers are over the road from us, so can see exactly what they’ll turn into, which is why I got them. Perfectly fine, easy going cattle, easy to move, follow the quad type stuff. Walk up to them to drench them with the pour-on, happy to scoff some nuts and have their medicine. None of the crazy wild hill country Angus - Charolais mayhem I’m used to.

Originally Posted by Flyblown

None of the crazy wild hill country Angus - Charolais mayhem I’m used to.

I hear ya! Never again.

Originally Posted by Flyblown

Well quiet cattle are essential for us, and these allow me to walk up to them and feel their bollocks. Love a good scratch, not worried about the dogs, the tractors or the black white faces a year ahead of them. Come to the sound of me tapping the bucket, good eaters, drinkers, so all good! Stood there and watched the wife in the veg garden all day today, very attentive.

An advantage is that the breeding cows and the last year’s steers are over the road from us, so can see exactly what they’ll turn into, which is why I got them. Perfectly fine, easy going cattle, easy to move, follow the quad type stuff. Walk up to them to drench them with the pour-on, happy to scoff some nuts and have their medicine. None of the crazy wild hill country Angus - Charolais mayhem I’m used to.

I'm starting to suspect some people prefer wild Angus cattle. I've been to bull sales where the quiet bulls I bid on get almost no other bids (suits me!), but when a bull comes into the ring and the seller immediately steps out, and the bull starts snorting and crashing into the sides, the bids go through the roof. Maybe a mad wild bull has some breeding advantages but on small farms like mine quiet bulls are the way to go. I cannot understand why anyone does not actively breed for quiet cattle. I work Angus cattle in the yard, in tight spaces without ever being concerned about safety. Out in the paddock sometimes we have cattle sitting on the tracks that don't bother getting up when we try to get past. By contrast I've seen other Angus herds where every beast has it's head up, snorting, watching your every move even from a long way away.

If there is any advantage of wild cattle I'm confident the quiet ones make up for it with less stress, less fencing damage, and less hassles generally.


Has anyone had experience with Red Devon? The meat group I'm involved in are all heading that way, and I'm the only one resisting and sticking wiht Angus at this stage.

Originally Posted by Ben Waimata

I'm starting to suspect some people prefer wild Angus cattle. I've been to bull sales where the quiet bulls I bid on get almost no other bids (suits me!), but when a bull comes into the ring and the seller immediately steps out, and the bull starts snorting and crashing into the sides, the bids go through the roof. Maybe a mad wild bull has some breeding advantages but on small farms like mine quiet bulls are the way to go. I cannot understand why anyone does not actively breed for quiet cattle. I work Angus cattle in the yard, in tight spaces without ever being concerned about safety. Out in the paddock sometimes we have cattle sitting on the tracks that don't bother getting up when we try to get past. By contrast I've seen other Angus herds where every beast has it's head up, snorting, watching your every move even from a long way away.

If there is any advantage of wild cattle I'm confident the quiet ones make up for it with less stress, less fencing damage, and less hassles generally.


Has anyone had experience with Red Devon? The meat group I'm involved in are all heading that way, and I'm the only one resisting and sticking wiht Angus at this stage.

The Red Devons are a very old breed and have been bred from a time before modern parasite treatments so have very good natural resistance, which is probably why they will be popular with an organic group.
If it were me I would go for a first cross cow. An F1 will have on average about 16% improvement over the mean of economic traits in the two parent breeds. This is why Black Baldies ( Hereford Angus ) cows have been a mainstay for so long. The most efficient cow is a jersey angus or jersey hereford cross on kg's calf weaned per hectare. But just a plain hereford angus with a Speckled park bull over them might be the best option. The very best way is F1 cows ( jersey x hereford) mated to an F1 bull like a limosine x Charolas so four unrelated breeds are crossed and progeny are terminal

Played around on my 10 acre block with Waygu ,& have only got experience with comparing to previous Murray Grey and Angus/Murray Grey x.Was encouraged to give the Waygu a try cause the straws were mates rates free against my better judgement.So finally picked up the processed steer after that extra years graizing in anticipation of the next level marbled steaks.Straight on the barber.Verdict: wasn't worth the extra feed.Quiet underwhelmed with eating quality.Not worth the candle.have immediately switched back to the tried and true Murray Grey; easy care,good on fencing,oarsome table beef.

Originally Posted by Ben Waimata

I'm starting to suspect some people prefer wild Angus cattle. I've been to bull sales where the quiet bulls I bid on get almost no other bids (suits me!), but when a bull comes into the ring and the seller immediately steps out, and the bull starts snorting and crashing into the sides, the bids go through the roof. Maybe a mad wild bull has some breeding advantages but on small farms like mine quiet bulls are the way to go. I cannot understand why anyone does not actively breed for quiet cattle. I work Angus cattle in the yard, in tight spaces without ever being concerned about safety. Out in the paddock sometimes we have cattle sitting on the tracks that don't bother getting up when we try to get past. By contrast I've seen other Angus herds where every beast has it's head up, snorting, watching your every move even from a long way away.

If there is any advantage of wild cattle I'm confident the quiet ones make up for it with less stress, less fencing damage, and less hassles generally.


Has anyone had experience with Red Devon? The meat group I'm involved in are all heading that way, and I'm the only one resisting and sticking wiht Angus at this stage.

we had WILD red devons...as in proper wild herd,been feral for hundy years,they grow fast and have great nature if bred in captivity,great/awesome mums and milk not too bad either.....and that senario is the one where a snotty scrappy bull is advantage,he keeps cows and fights off feral scrub bulls,other than that a scrappy bull is pain in arse and best turned into burgers...