3 Quarters Today

My Life, my photography, my passions

ranching

Face to Face with a Charolais Bull

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You don’t see Charolais cattle very often, but when you do, they are impressive. Most beef breeds are crossed with Angus for that desirable black color.

On my recent trip to Western Nebraska a Charolais bull got into my father in laws pasture with some other cows. He obviously thought me and my camera were worth checking out.

Charolais Bull
Charolais Bull:  ISO 100 f/5.6 1/250 second

Don’t worry, I stayed in my car and it was with the help of my 70-200mm Tamron lens that I was able to get an up close and personal portrait of this great animal. Isn’t he magnificent?

I’ve often told people I don’t take pictures of people or animals. Landscapes are more my style. But once in a while , find a subject who is patient and this bovine posed quite nicely in the evening golden hour sun.

Charolais Bull Posing for the camera
Charolais Bull Posing for the camera

Charolais are a popular breed in Colorado due to their strong legs on open range and the mountains. We saw several cross breeds on our Colorado trip a few years ago and quite a few Charolais bulls out in the pastures.

Facts about Charolais Cattle (source Oklahoma State Breeds website)

  • Originated in southern France and legend has it white cattle were noticed in the region as early as 878 AD
  • Were used for milk, meat and draft animals.
  • Know for large bone and power with a superior mothering and milking ability.
  • Introduced into the United States after the First World War by Jean Pugibet.
  • First bulls imported through Mexico to the King Ranch. Their names were Neptune and Ortolan.
  • Influenced the American cattle industry by introducing size and a larger frame than the typical British breeds of the time (Herefords)
  • Charolais are white or creamy white in color and bulls weigh from 2,000 lbs to over 2,500 lbs with cows weighing between 1,200-2,000 lbs.

Information about Breeds of Cattle

A Field Guide to Cows: How to Identify and Appreciate America’s 52Cattle: A Handbook to the Breeds of the WorldRaising Beef Cattle For DummiesKnow Your CowsThe Backyard Homestead Guide to Raising Farm Animals: Choose the Best BreedsSmall Cattle for Small Farms (Landlinks Press)

#18/52: Cows in the Sunset

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The grass is belly high, the cow have calves by their side and the sun is setting on the horizon. How I love the Midwest!  Angus and “black baldy” cows are the norm around this part of the country and after “talking” to them a little I got their attention.

Evening in the country
Evening in the country with the cows

Editing notes: Used Lightroom 4 to increase the exposure and increase clarity in the grass and the brush to decrease the exposure in the sky. The last thing I did was use the masking brush and open up the the highlights in the cows, their black coloring was hard to separate individuals.

Information about Raising Cattle

A Field Guide to Cows: How to Identify and Appreciate America’s 52Cattle: A Handbook to the Breeds of the WorldRaising Beef Cattle For DummiesKnow Your CowsThe Backyard Homestead Guide to Raising Farm Animals: Choose the Best BreedsSmall Cattle for Small Farms (Landlinks Press)

Day 52/365: Angus Cow

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Day 52: Angus Cow

If this cow could talk it would say. Yeah it’s cold, but we live in Nebraska, so what you complaining about.  These Angus cattle looked pretty comfortable in the corn stalk field as I stopped the car to take pictures. How do I know they look comfortable. They weren’t huddled together to stay warm, but were scattered on the ridge-line casually eating corn and stalks. (There are more pictures of them in my Flickr page.) They probably thought I had some range cubes  or Crystalx tubs for them as they started walking towards me.

Seeing how I’m an Animal Science major from Oklahoma State University I could probably, and should, say more about this breed. But it’s late and I’m behind on my posting. I will that Angus cattle say they are the most popular breed in the mid-west and cows are often crossed with Herefords and called “Black Baldies” (love that name) . Their meat is considered the best in the world and the Japanese especially insist on “Black” Angus  beef. They will even visit Nebraska and inspect the cattle before they are purchased to assure the black purity.

Angus branded beef is considered premium, and displays significant marbling which results in superior taste, tenderness, and juiciness to other domestic cattle. There isn’t anything better than a  Angus T-Bone steak cooked on the grill in the summer.