# Best beef breed to cross with a jersey..



## CaliAnytime (Dec 2, 2014)

I am trying to find a good beef breed to cross with my jersey. I was thinkin of the belgian blue because it'd be a good lean cross to breed with the fatty jersey. But that breed weirds me out a little and has a lot of issues. 
I was thinking abt a dexter because they're manageable and I hear they're a good beef and dairy breed. 
Some people say I should just go angus or red poll. 
The Swiss brown looks like a nice hybrid cow.

Just wanted to get others opinions. Thanks for your time.


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## sv.maple (Feb 16, 2014)

No way would i breed a jersey to a brown swiss. I cant tell you about the other breeds but ive had few hundred jerseys and about 25 swiss. Your cow would hate you for ever if she survived calving.


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## Shoestringer (Oct 18, 2013)

We have a solid little Jersey steer who is looking just about ready for the freezer now. Not sure we really want more beef than he represents. They are reputed to be excellent eating too.


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## BlackWillowFarm (Mar 24, 2008)

Jersey beef is delicious. I've been butchering my Jersey steers for over 6 years now and I haven't had a bad one yet. It's the best beef I've ever tasted. Having said that...

You're asking what beef breed to cross with. I would try an Angus cross. I hear the heifers turn out to be pretty good milkers too. 

On a side note: My Jersey cow was accidentally A/I'd to a Brown Swiss bull. She easily calved a healthy bull calf who grew into a good sized steer with a wonderful, kind temperament. Kind of hated to see him go to freezer camp. Even though my cow didn't have any calving troubles with the cross, it's not one I would do intentionally.


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## collegeboundgal (Jul 17, 2005)

If the size of full blood Angus makes you gun shy, you could go with a lowline, or a lowline cross.


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## arnie (Apr 26, 2012)

a low birth weight angus bull would be my choice and hope for a bull calf to put in the freezer. you don't want to cross your jersy with a big breed cause she may have trouble at calving time


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## CaliAnytime (Dec 2, 2014)

Kool, thanks for the replys. 
What do you guys think abt the dexter cows?


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## Ceilismom (Jul 16, 2011)

CaliAnytime said:


> Kool, thanks for the replys.
> What do you guys think abt the dexter cows?


I love Dexter cows. The question is, how many people are you looking to feed with the resulting calf? Also, if the calf turns out to be a heifer, would you still feed it out for the freezer, or have other plans for it? Some Dexter bloodlines are more beefy, others are more milky. That can be important depending on what you plan to do with the offspring. A Dexter steer is enough beef for my family of 4 for about a year, and we are accustomed to eating a lot of beef. The 2yo bull that we had butchered late last winter is by far the best-tasting beef we've ever raised.


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## postroad (Jan 19, 2009)

A Jersey Dexter cross cow is a good milk cow for a family. when bred Dexter again the three quarter cross calves are good for beef.


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## CaliAnytime (Dec 2, 2014)

Well I guess it depends on your taste in beef...cuz the other guy said that jersey beef was the best he tasted, hehe. I just want some exceptional beef that isn't tough or overly fatty, and a gallon or two of milk a day would be perfect.


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## arnie (Apr 26, 2012)

a pure jersey or other pure dairy breed will surely make beef and it will be lean .there meat will not marble with fat to be as juiciy or reach the grade of prime .many prefer leaner meat depending on how you cook it . I had a brown swiss cow for years and crossed with the angus bull always produced high quality tender yet not overly fat meat ,I have always butchered the calf as a "baby beef " under a year old after drying the cow off and giving it some extra feed / corn -grain to improve the meat and fat .I raised the calf the old way with me milking one side as the calf nursed the other ( I could never understand why people would milk the cow then bottle feed a calf ) I still got plenty of milk for my needs as well as extra to help raiseing a pig there is not many that can use over 2 gallon a day, and with hundreds of acres of wooded hillsides and distant pastures once the cow learned the rouitine of comeing into the calf and barn for milking she was there like clock work instead of me having to call or bring her in . keeping the calf in the small lot and well fed produces more tender beef than if it climed the hills in search of pasture or chaiseing after the other beef calves. so I will say I preferred the crossed calf you may have to be cauitious in cooking the pure bred jersey steaks to avoid them becoming dry bit if your taste is for good lean hambuger and stew beef ,their is always the chance of your cow having a heifer calf in which case the calf can be trained to lead and be very valuable sold as a fucture milker


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## Ceilismom (Jul 16, 2011)

CaliAnytime said:


> Well I guess it depends on your taste in beef...cuz the other guy said that jersey beef was the best he tasted, hehe. I just want some exceptional beef that isn't tough or overly fatty, and a gallon or two of milk a day would be perfect.


I didn't say it was the best beef I ever tasted.  Just that it was the best we ever raised. While we do feed range cubes as a treat, I'd guesstimate that our cattle live on 97%+ grass/hay/forage. Management has as much or more to do with the final product as the breed does.


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## Doggonedog (Dec 4, 2014)

Like others have said, a small Angus bull would make a delicious cross with a Jersey. I actually prefer 3/4 Angus 1/4 Jersey but it's a personal choice.


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## kycrawler (Sep 18, 2011)

Polled Hereford would be my choice. With low line Angus second . I wouldn't mind a Dexter either the first 2 you get a beefy calf that shouldn't have horns


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## myheaven (Apr 14, 2006)

what my crawler said.


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## WadeFisher (Sep 26, 2013)

postroad said:


> A Jersey Dexter cross cow is a good milk cow for a family. when bred Dexter again the three quarter cross calves are good for beef.


There are folks that like this cross. More milk than a dexter cow for home milker, more beefier style then pure Jersey for freezer meat.
:thumb:


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## Jennifer L. (May 10, 2002)

Your main concern with a Jersey would be a bull that throws small calves. I'd go with Angus. A Belgian Blue could end up killing your cow trying to calve. Keep those calves small.


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## postroad (Jan 19, 2009)

WadeFisher said:


> There are folks that like this cross. More milk than a dexter cow for home milker, more beefier style then pure Jersey for freezer meat.
> :thumb:


 the Dexter bull would also ensure a smaller calf for the Jersey to deliver.


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## arabian knight (Dec 19, 2005)

BlackWillowFarm said:


> Jersey beef is delicious. I've been butchering my Jersey steers for over 6 years now and I haven't had a bad one yet. It's the best beef I've ever tasted. Having said that...
> 
> You're asking what beef breed to cross with. I would try an Angus cross. I hear the heifers turn out to be pretty good milkers too.
> 
> On a side note: My Jersey cow was accidentally A/I'd to a Brown Swiss bull. She easily calved a healthy bull calf who grew into a good sized steer with a wonderful, kind temperament. Kind of hated to see him go to freezer camp. Even though my cow didn't have any calving troubles with the cross, it's not one I would do intentionally.


 I have been doing a Jersey steer every other year for the past 25 years. Jersey meat imo is must sweeter and ohhhh so tender and tasty too So tender the steaks are even hard to turn on the grill as they may fall apart. LOL
And Jerseys are so easy to come by in my part the country is also one reason to get one. 
I have in past few years even been splitting the meat with a friend that likes Jersey beef so much. He says DON'T change anything the way you are feeding, and don't switch from raising a Jersey sweet. LOL But I also grain them very heavily also 6 months before they get butchered, and I mean I Grain Heavily~! Like on Total Grain.


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