hat are Gelbvieh?

The Gelbvieh breed is one of the oldest Continental cattle breeds.  They originated in southern Germany in Bavaria, in the late 18th and early 19th century.  They were first imported into the United States in 1971.

Why Gelbvieh?
Gelbvieh calves are widely recognized for excellence (explosive) in growth, feedlot efficiency, muscling, and marketability, while Gelbvieh females are known for superior milking ability, high fertility, and quiet temperament.  According to the USDA Meat Animal Research Center’s (MARC) Germ Plasm Evaluation.  Gelbvieh is the only widely used breed that excels in calving ease, milk yield, retail yield, weaning growth, and yearling growth combined.  Gelbvieh produce more pounds of weaned calf per cow exposed than any other widely used breed.

Gelbvieh offers the same genetic benefits in a variety of phenotypic packages.  Commercial producers can select from red Gelbvieh or black, and from either polled or horned Gelbvieh genetics.   That’s one more reason Gelbvieh fit so well as the crossbreeding component on British and Brahman-based cows.

What is a Balancer?
A Balancer is a specific hybrid with the following breed composition and documentation requirements:

• A combination of ¼ to ¾ Gelbvieh and ¼ to ¾ Angus or Red Angus with a maximum of 1/8th unknown or other breed, and

 • The sire and dam must be recorded by an officially recognized organization (AGA, American Angus Association or Red Angus Association of America), and

• At least 75% of the pedigree must be known and documented by the AGA and/or another officially recognized registration association.

Why Balancers?
Balancers offer a simple and powerful way to maintain hybrid vigor and the proper blend of British and Continental genetics in your cowherd without complicated crossbreeding systems.  All polled, red or black, registered Balancers blend the Angus traits of calving ease, moderate mature size and marbling with Gelbvieh’s growth, muscle, leanness, fertility and unequaled pounds of calf weaned per cow exposed.  Use registered Balancer bulls to take advantage of management convenience and hybrid vigor in a single package while producing cattle that fit the pasture, the feedlot, and the meat case.  Documented research proves that Balancer hybrids offer the same consistency as their purebred parents with improved uniformity of composition.  Balancers are registered seedstock, complete with documented parentage and EPDs. 

To learn more about the role of Gelbvieh and Balancer cattle in Crossbreeding systems, call AGA at 303-465-2333 and request a free SmartCross Handbook. Information can also be obtained by visiting the AGA website.

Additional Information:
Why Gelbvieh - AGA Publication

The History of Gelbvieh - AGA Publication

Smart Cross Handbook - AGA Publication

EPD Encyclopedia - AGA Publication

Additional information can be found at the American Gelbvieh Association website.