If you're looking for a 'silver bullet' breed to solve every problem; keep looking.
If you're looking for a breed that can help position your operation for better efficiency and profitability; take a closer look at Braunvieh.

Braunvieh remains one of the best kept secrets in the industry. No other beef breed combines fertility, growth, marbling, leanness, tenderness, structural soundness, and adaptability to a higher degree. We do not claim Braunvieh to be the best at any one trait; but efficient beef production requires balance. Braunvieh simply have the best balance of performance across all traits of all beef breeds.

The Vista Braunvieh program was originally established by the purchase of a load of 'All Swiss' Braunvieh females from the US Meat Animal Research Center (MARC), Clay Center, NE. These cows were part of the genetics that proved, in the MARC research, that Braunvieh was the most productive breed across all traits ever tested. For our goal of developing superior pasture and feedlot cattle, this was the perfect place to start. We have since added Full blood and Purebred genetics from across the US and Canada, to build one of the largest and highest producing herds in the country.

Braunvieh is one of the oldest pure breeds of cattle, not a cross or a composite. These brown cattle are typically moderate framed and well muscled with a prominent white band around the muzzle. Braunvieh have established a solid reputation for 'branding' their offspring with outstanding fertility, global adaptability, quiet dispositions, superior udders, exceptional feedlot performance, and award winning carcasses. Although the breed originated in the mountains of Switzerland, we believe Braunvieh is destined to become one of the major breeds in Texas.



Carcass Merit and Feedlot Performance

No breed out performs Braunvieh in the feed yard or on the rail. We have been feeding Braunvieh sired calves for the last five years and have collected carcass data on every pen. We have come to expect every pen of Braunvieh calves we feed to grade at least 50% Choice or better with 80% Yield Grade 2 or better, with little concern for the breed makeup of the dams. Cost of gains and illnesses in the feed yard have been lower for Braunvieh calves than for any of the other calves we have fed. In visiting with other feeders and breeders we have found that our results are not unique; superior feedlot and carcass performance is the rule, not an exception.


Fertility

We have tried several different breeds of bulls in our commercial operation, and none have the libido of our Braunvieh bulls. These bulls will service more cows under worse conditions than any other breed of bulls. Tom Woodward of Broseco Ranches, TX agrees, "Our highest conception rates are from the cows running with Braunvieh bulls (a full 7% higher than their average conception). The difference was significant, and we can't find anything to explain it, other than the fact that the bulls are just more aggressive when it comes to servicing the cows."

Breeding Braunvieh cross heifers to calve at two years of age is no problem, since most begin cycling at about 8 months of age. Our half Braunvieh commercial heifers, raising their first calves were the only group of cattle that didn't show a loss in pregnancy rate during the drought in the Spring of 2000. They tested 95% safe in calf after a 75 day breeding season.


Adaptability

Braunvieh show a significant amount of heat tolerance, and are exceptional producers, even in South Texas. Our Braunvieh cows graze through the Summer right along side our Brahman influenced commercial cows. The Braunvieh cows are high producers, and will breed better at lower body conditions than any other cattle we have worked with.

The beef cattle market is changing; carcass traits are becoming increasingly important to the profitability puzzle. The Braunvieh difference results in early maturing, fertile females that rival all others in pounds of calf weaned per cow exposed, as well as, vigorous steers that finish quickly, producing high-yielding, high-quality carcasses.
 

Try them and you'll agree; these white nosed, brown bulls work!

Vista has an extensive bank of semen on some of the most respected sires in the breed, along with several powerful young sires we believe have potential to be breed leaders as well.