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Beef Cattle Breeds

Brangus Cattle: Three-Eighths Brahman, Five-Eighths Angus

A solid black, polled composite built to join Brahman hardiness with Angus carcass quality.

What Is a Brangus?

Brangus was developed to combine the strengths of Angus and Brahman cattle. The Oklahoma State breed profile says the breed's genetics are fixed at 3/8 Brahman and 5/8 Angus. Registered animals must be solid black and polled, and both sire and dam must be recorded with the International Brangus Breeders Association.

Foundation Angus and Brahman cattle must first be registered with their own breed associations before their descendants can enter the Brangus herd book.

Where Did the Breed Begin?

Early Brahman-Angus crossbreeding research began around 1932 at the USDA Experiment Station in Jeanerette, Louisiana. At the same time private programs were under way in Oklahoma, at Clear Creek Ranch in Welch and with Raymond Pope in Vinita, in Mississippi, at Clear Creek Ranch in Grenada, and in Texas, at the Essar Ranch in San Antonio, along with breeders in other states and Canada.

The Wikipedia article on Brangus and the Cattle Site profile are other overviews.

The 1949 Association in Vinita

On July 2, 1949, breeders from 16 states and Canada met in Vinita, Oklahoma, and founded the American Brangus Breeders Association, later renamed the International Brangus Breeders Association. It was first headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, and has been based in San Antonio, Texas, since January 1973.

Setting the 3/8 and 5/8 rule gave breeders a fixed target, instead of a loose set of crosses with different fractions.

Why Cross Brahman and Angus?

According to the Oklahoma State profile, Brahman traits include heat and humidity tolerance, disease resistance, hardiness and strong maternal instincts. Angus traits include high carcass quality, fertility and good milking ability in females. The cross is meant for areas of high heat and humidity.

The profile adds that Brangus has enough hair for protection in cold conditions, calves are usually medium sized at birth, and the cattle respond well to abundant feed and cope with stress.

What Did the Louisiana Research Show?

The Oklahoma State page reports Louisiana findings that Brangus cows gained weight in summer while Angus cows lost weight, which suggests better adaptation to coastal climates. Brangus calves were heavier at birth and weaning and produced more total pounds per cow.

The same research found that Angus cows had higher conception rates, calved earlier, and had calves with more vigor at birth and better survival to weaning. The results show a trade-off rather than a clear winner.

What Made It Work

Brangus grew out of many small programs, public and private, that all tried to solve the same problem: how to keep Angus-type beef in hot, humid country.

The profile is candid that Angus still did better on some fertility measures, so the breed is a compromise by design.

  • Public research at Jeanerette, Louisiana, began around 1932, and private ranches ran parallel programs.
  • A fixed 3/8 Brahman and 5/8 Angus ratio created repeatable breeding.
  • A 1949 association drew breeders from 16 states and Canada.
  • Solid black and polled rules created a uniform look.
  • Louisiana data showed summer weight gain and higher weaning weights for Brangus.

Learn More

For more breed histories, see the ranching section of farm.FM. A farm.FM story about Brangus cattle looks at the breed on the ground.

Timeline

  1. 1932Brahman-Angus crossbreeding research begins in Jeanerette, Louisiana (around 1932)
  2. 1940sPrivate Brangus programs run in Oklahoma, Mississippi and Texas
  3. 1949American Brangus Breeders Association founded in Vinita, Oklahoma, on July 2
  4. 1949The new association is first headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri
  5. 1973Association headquarters moves to San Antonio, Texas, in January

Frequently asked questions

What is Brangus cattle's genetic makeup?

Registered Brangus are 3/8 Brahman and 5/8 Angus, solid black and polled, according to Oklahoma State University's breed profile and the International Brangus Breeders Association rules it describes.

When was the Brangus association founded?

The American Brangus Breeders Association, later the International Brangus Breeders Association, was founded on July 2, 1949, at a meeting in Vinita, Oklahoma, of breeders from 16 states and Canada.

Why were Brangus cattle developed?

Breeders wanted to combine Brahman heat tolerance, disease resistance and hardiness with Angus carcass quality, fertility and milking ability, mainly for use in hot, humid regions.

Sources and further reading

Profiles are compiled from public sources and reviewed against them. See our editorial policy to suggest a correction.

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