Cattleman’s Corner Radio

Brian Hale:  Welcome to The Cattlemen's Corner. I'm Brian Hale, sitting in for the late Howard Hale, as we continue his legacy of speaking with cattlemen and women from around the globe. Gelbvieh and Balancer cattle are well known throughout the beef industry for their maternal strengths and superior growth. With attributes such as more pounds of calf weaned, added fertility, greater cow herd longevity and heavier carcass weights, just to name a few, Gelbvieh and Balancer offer genetics that work for the commercial cattle business. For more information about the Gelbvieh and Balancer Edge, visit gelbvieh.org. On the program today, Commercial Marketing Director for the American Gelbvieh Association, Tom Strahm. So Tom, what is a Balancer Bull?

Tom Strahm:  So the Balancers are registered hybrid seat stock. It's trademarked from the American Gelbvieh Association and they're minimum of 25 percent. Gelbvieh up to 75 percent. Gelbvieh with the offsetting percentage being either Angus or Red Angus. They're out of two registered parents and we calculate all the performance information on them in the EPDs.

Brian Hale:  So how does that work for crossbreeding?

Tom Strahm:  I think it's a great way to implement a crossbreeding program in a commercial cow herd. Gelbvieh are the continental breed of choice. Very good breed complementarity when used with the British breeds. And so, you know, when you're thinking about crossbreeding and obtaining the benefits of heterosis and hybrid vigor, I also think that breed complementarity is very important. So the strengths of Gelbvieh complement the strengths of the British breeds are very well. And then, you know, if you're using those Balancer Bulls, keeping your own replacement females, you can continue to use Balancers and it makes a crossbreeding easy.

Brian Hale:  That was Tom Strahm, Commercial Marketing Director for the American Gelbvieh Association. Find out more about Gelbvieh at gelbvieh.org. That's going to do it for the Cattleman's Corner. Thanks again for listening and may God bless. I'm Brian Hale.