BRANGUS
The Number One American Breed
The unexcelled combination of Brahman hardiness and Angus quality sets Brangus apart. The blend of selected individuals from the two parent breeds results in a breed that better combines efficiency of production and excellence of end product than any breed -- new or old.
The following pages will further explain the advantages and reasons for the Brangus breed's development, growth and ever-increasing popularity. Read on to see for yourself why Brangus is the number one American breed.

How It All Began
A review of the development of the Brangus breed would take us back beyond the founding of the American Brangus Breeders Association in 1949; however, registered Brangus descend from the foundation animals recorded that year or registered Brahman and Angus cattle enrolled since then. Much of the early work in crossing Brahman and Angus cattle was done at the USDA Experiment Station at Jeanerette, Louisiana -- the first crosses being made as far back as 1912.
During the same period, Clear Creek Ranch of Welch, Oklahoma, the Essar Ranch of San Antonio, Texas, and a few individual breeders in other parts of the United States and Canada were also carrying on private experimental breeding programs. They were looking for a desirable beef-type animal that would retain the Brahman's natural ability to thrive under adverse conditions in combination with the excellent qualities for which the Angus is noted.
The early breeders from 16 states and Canada met in Vinita, Oklahoma, on July 29, 1949, and organized the American Brangus Breeders Association, later renamed the International Brangus Breeders Association, with headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri. A permanent headquarters office building was occupied by the association in San Antonio, TX on Jan 1, 1973. There are now members in nearly every state, Canada, Mexico, Australia, Central America, Argentina, and South Rhodesia in Africa.
The concept of developing a new breed by stabilizing the best characteristics of two proven breeds in a fixed proportion is unique to the International Brangus Breeders Association. Rather than top crossing on commercial cows, proven individuals of the two parent breeds serve as the foundation for establishing new bloodlines.
Registered Brangus must be 3/8 Brahman and 5/8 Angus, solid black, polled as to conformation and breed character. Both sire and dam must be recorded with the International Brangus Breeders Association. Foundation Angus and Brahman cattle must be registered in their respective breed association prior to being enrolled with the IBBA. Intermediate crosses necessary to reach the 3/8-5/8 percentage are certified by the IBBA.
In recent years, the major portion of the Brangus registered are from Brangus parents, but an increasing number of foundation Brahman and Angus are being enrolled as the breed achieves greater recognition.

The Best of Two Breeds
3/8 Brahman + 5/8 Angus = The Number One American Breed
Brahman characteristics:
Hardiness
Heat Tolerance
Docility
Mothering Ability
Angus characteristics:
Beef Quality
Early Puberty
Muscularity
Maternal Strengths

Brangus would not perform in the outstanding manner they do if the two parent breeds were not each outstanding in their respective strong traits. The combination results in a breed that is superior to either original foundation parent breed.
The Brahman, through rigorous natural selection, developed disease resistance and overall hardiness unmatched by any breed. This breed also tends to be quite docile when in regular contact with man.
The Brahman in Asia were never selected for smoothness as were all the English breeds, so they do not have the tendency to lay on undesirable external fat (rind). Brahman cattle have outstanding milk production and continue to milk even under low feed conditions. Calving ease, due to a large birth canal and a small birth weight, is a strong Brahman trait. The Brahman breed is also noted for longevity.
The Angus is the premier beef quality breed. No other breed can match the eating qualities which make Angus beef second to none. A major reason for this advantage is the fact that Angus tend to marble at a relatively earlier age than most breeds and, consequently, will reach the desired grade at a more acceptable slaughter weight. The Angus cow is highly fertile and is also known for her milking ability.
The Brangus cow combines all the outstanding maternal traits of both parental breeds and weans considerably heavier calves than either. The superior growth rate of Brangus is carried on through the post weaning period in the feedlot and this, combined with the superior marbling ability, produces slaughter animals that ideally suit today's market for high quality beef with maximum red meat and minimum fat.
The Brangus bull puts all the hardiness of the Brahman to good use in big rough country, making him more and more popular with commercial breeders in areas of adverse environmental conditions. Naturally, in kinder environs, he more than holds his own in any competition -- and Brangus can just as safely be used on first calf heifers as any of the smaller breeds.
The Brangus breed was not developed to fit one area or need, but as one that could do it all. The two breeds that constitute its heritage are the ones that have more of the total advantages the producer, feeder, packer, retailer and consumer want than any other breed or combination of breeds.
Brangus are adapted to any region of the United States and, for that matter, most of the world. This is not surprising when one considers the fact that the two breeds from which they have been developed each excel in different climates. Angus cattle adapt well to harsher winter environments whereas Brahman cattle are better adapted to milder climates with higher heat tolerances.
Brangus grow all the hair they need when raised for colder winter country and retain the heat tolerance of the Brahman for warmer climates. They seem to be better adapted than either parent breed to desert or semi-desert country. This amazing adaptability is a result of Brangus cattle's overall thriftiness. They not only thrive where other breeds just survive, but in kinder climates they outdo their competition.

Any Country is Brangus Country
The outstanding maternal strengths, feedlot performance, and carcass merit of Brangus are helping them make inroads in the West and Midwest as well as any good cow country. This naturally polled, black breed was developed to withstand extreme climates and challenging environments. They are hardy, disease and parasite-resistant cattle that efficiently produce uniform, predictable calf crops.
Brangus breeders have carefully selected for these genetically superior traits, and in the process, have developed meat animals with high carcass merit. Environmental adaptability is an important trait that breeders of commercial and registered cattle alike seriously consider when selecting sound, functional cattle that will perform in any climate.

America's Number One Brood Cow
If the Brangus breed, which is known for balanced performance, has one advantage that stands out above all others, it would have to be its outstanding maternal advantages. The Brangus cow has proven herself superior in all research that compares her with other straight breed females.
Research from New Mexico State University has confirmed the outstanding fertility of Brangus and their ability to calve easily unassisted.

Brangus Brood Cows Breed Added Profits
Growth rate is a trait that responds to selection and can be modified with judicious culling. Fertility is a less heritable trait and the track record in this area is most important when choosing a breed. Outstanding mothering ability is the major reason commercial cattlemen have taken Brangus to the great extent they have. Fortunately, registered Brangus breeders have recognized this important factor and foundation seedstock is expected to produce just as efficiently as on a commercial operation.
Brangus heifers breed at 15 months and are in the cow herd right on calving schedule as two year olds. It takes rapid growth and early puberty to accomplish this. The typical moderate-sized Brangus calf helps minimize calving problems and, sustained adequate milk production assures top weaning weights.
Brangus do it all
Easier calving
Extra weaning/yearling weights
Superior replacement heifers
Stay healthy/gain well in feedlots
Packer and Consumer preference

Brangus Complement Other Breeds
There are lots of options open to someone getting into the cattle business these days. Each breed has literature that makes theirs seem far the best . . . but if you truly want to make the beef herd of America better, you had better make it Brangus. Why? Because only this breed combines all the traits that make for efficient production of the kind of juicy, tender beef for which the United States is noted.
Cross-breeding became popular in response to the problems that individual breeds had developed. Most of the old ones were suffering from in-breeding depression and the new ones are mostly useful only as a terminal cross on crossbred females. Still not everyone can, or wants, to cross-breed. What is such a person to do?
More and more breeders have been turning to Brangus to solve their problems by top crossing their commercial cows with successive generations of Brangus bulls. The bulls go out and get the cows bred, adding profitable pounds of weaning weight to the calves and producing replacement heifers that are superior to their mothers in every respect. There is no need for a rotational cross or a back cross every few years. They just keep using Brangus bulls every generation and, if they pay attention to the quality of bulls they buy, their calves and replacement heifers get better every generation.
There is one problem -- there just are not enough registered Brangus cattle to fill the demand for range bulls -- and if you are planning to get in the registered cattle business, range bull prices are the only reliable indicator over the long haul for soundness of market. Everyone in the registered business "to stay" sells range bulls. Brangus reached their current stage of outstanding prices for females after the range bull market had already been established!
Just because Brangus are known as a do-it-all breed does not mean they will not fit into a cross-breeding program. Quite the contrary; when compared with English breeds or exotics, Brangus bulls have proven themselves to sire more dollars worth of calf per cow than the competition. Brangus bulls impart growth rate but do not sire monstrous calves that are born dead or kill their mothers. Their size comes after they hit the ground.
Research comparing Brangus bulls with English breed bulls on non-Brangus cows shows superior weaning weights for the Brangus calves and the superior growth rate continues in the feedlot, meaning the Brangus are ready for slaughter earlier and at less cost. The balanced performance of Brangus is still an important factor in considering Brangus bulls for a cross-breeding program because of the outstanding performance of the Brangus-sired heifers.
Most commercial breeders who use Brangus bulls on another breed end up using them regularly because of the superiority of the heifers they produce. This advantage is lost if they go back to another bull after a generation or two.
We don't talk much about using Brangus cows in a cross-breeding program because commercial Brangus cows are already in extremely short supply due to the continuing demand. Breeding a Brangus cow to something other than a Brangus bull costs the owner the premium price a Brangus heifer commands in the replacement heifer market. Commercial Brangus breeders have been getting as many dollars per head for their heifers as their steers for years and Brangus-sired steers top the feeder market!

Preferred for Cross-Breeding
Less calving problems
Higher yearling and weaning weights
Feedlot demand
Outstanding replacement heifers

Breeding Up to Brangus
The herd book of the International Brangus Breeders Association is open in a unique way. Registered Angus and Brahman cattle can be enrolled as foundation stock for new Brangus bloodlines.
The exact procedure for breeding up to Brangus consists of enrolling foundation Angus and Brahman, certifying the intermediate crosses (1/4 bloods, 1/2 bloods, and 3/4 bloods with the Brahman percentage always given first) and then registering the animals as Brangus when they reach the 3/8 - 5/8 level.
The certified intermediate crosses are simply a tool to get to Brangus and are rarely crossed back to one another. It is possible to either breed 1/4 bloods to 1/2 bloods, or 3/4 bloods to Angus to get to Brangus (see chart II).
In the IBBA's program, the reciprocal crosses are equal so those developing new bloodlines can best utilize all their crosses. There are also good opportunities to provide certified foundation cattle to others breeding up to Brangus who do not want to develop all the intermediate crosses themselves.
The program for breeding up to Brangus is particularly appealing to the registered Angus breeder who can buy a 3/4 bull or use 3/4 semen and have Brangus the first generation. Those with Brahman and 1/2 bloods can raise 3/4 bulls for sale to Angus breeders and can also breed their 3/4 heifers to outstanding Angus bulls if they choose and start a Brangus herd from 3/4 cows.
 
International Brangus Breeders Association