2017: The Year of the Ultrablack®

by Tori Perkins

Looking out into a cow-filled pasture, it is hard to see the difference between them at first glance. When you take time to look closer, there is a clear difference between each breed in the pasture and on your plate.

Brangus cattle are known for being the hardy cross between the Angus and Brahman breeds and feature a balance of traits from both Angus and Brahman heritage. Though many breeders still appreciate and prefer the traditional look of Brangus cattle, more are beginning to utilize the Ultrablack® program to offer an alternative product to heavily influenced English-bred cow herds. Ultrablack® cattle give commercial cattlemen a product that allows them to introduce more environmentally adapted, Brahman influence into their future breeding plans.

Ultrablack® cattle were first recognized in March of 2013. They are the product of breeding a registered Brangus to a registered Angus. To be recognized by the International Brangus Breeders Association (IBBA) as an Ultrablack®, the animal must have between 50 and 87.5 percent Brangus genetics and the remaining percentage must be of registered Angus lineage.

Ultrablack® cattle have less ear and cleaner underlines but still possess the hardiness and sustainability of Brahman cattle. The benefits of Ultrablack® cattle make them increasingly popular among cattlemen. This prediction has led IBBA staff and directors to believe that 2017 will be the “Year of the Ultrablack®.” Information was gleaned from interviews with current IBBA leadership, President Mike Vorel and Director Cody Gariss.

“Producers typically seek Ultrablack®s for three reasons,” said Gariss. “One, they need more pounds at payday. Two, their cattle have become too hairy, in turn they are losing performance in terms of weight and fertility and are seeking something that will shed off. Three, they are looking to add to the maternal base of their cow herd.”

For cattle producers, profitability of cattle is always a concern. Research is imperative for knowing how certain cattle will perform from pasture to plate. In data collected from a set of crossbred calves in early to mid-2016, data showed the Ultrablack® calves had the highest value per head and heaviest carcass weights compared to the Angus and Brangus calves in the study. This study is highlighted in an article in the September 2016 edition of FRONTLINE Beef Producer.

“For both Registered Brangus and Angus producers, it allows the opportunity to add new genetics that complement their existing genetic base to produce Ultrablack®s,” Vorel said. “Both breeds have worked hard to find cattle that are born easy and grow well with excellent carcass traits.”

Ultrablack® cattle have proven they have the capability to outperform Angus cattle. This is a major selling point to producers and is a valid reason for the increase of Ultrablack® cattle in production today. As a composite breed, Ultrablack® cattle have higher hybrid vigor, which has led to improvement in reproductive performance, increased longevity, and better performance in the feedlot phase.

“The really neat thing about Ultrablack®s is the three generations,” Vorel stated. “The genetic makeup of each generation may work extremely well in one area and the next generation better in another area. The versatility makes the Ultrablack® a product useful in many ways to most everyone.”

Now that Ultrablack®s are gaining popularity, the IBBA Board of Directors has decided to allow the “breeding up” of Ultrablack® cattle. This means Ultrablack® cattle can now be registered as Brangus through IBBA after undergoing a specific three-step breeding cycle. These breeding cycles are: 1) Breeding a registered Brangus to a registered Angus to produce the initial cross (UB1); 2) The UB1 offspring is then mated to a registered Brangus to produce the UB2 calf; 3) The UB2 animal is then bred to a registered Brangus. The progeny of this third cross results in an animal that is 87.5 percent Brangus which receives an “R” prefix at registration.

All animals receiving the “R” prefix from the Ultrablack® program will have 87.5 percent or greater Brangus genetics which meet all IBBA requirements for Brangus registry. Ultrablack® cattle having less than 87.5 percent Brangus makeup are not eligible for Brangus registration but are continued to be registered as Ultrablack® cattle. They must be further mated to registered Brangus cattle to produce animals greater than 87.5 percent Brangus to continue in the breeding up process to produce offspring that qualify for registered Brangus status.

“Through a by-law vote by the membership in 2013, the IBBA implemented the ability to ‘top cross’ Ultrablack®s back to Brangus genetics in order to allow for the ability to breed them back up to Brangus,” Gariss said. “This affords producers the opportunity to widen the Brangus gene pool through the addition of fresh Angus genetics while maintaining the integrity of the Brangus breed. The by-law change also helped to add value to the Ultrablack® females in production and gave registered breeders more confidence in making mating decisions as it allowed for an additional outlet both from a marketability and genetic standpoint.”

The raw power, adaptability, maternal value, and maximization of premiums in the packing plant are the product of using the best characteristics of the Brangus breed with an inclusion of more current, modern Angus genetics. Ultrablack® cattle are the perfect match for maintaining carcass attributes while possessing outstanding environmental adaptability.

“Maintaining the ability to thrive on fescue and withstand hot environments and being more cold tolerant when the equation is changed,” said Vorel, “all with the added benefits of heterosis.”

Ultrablack® cattle have become more popular as they allow breeders the opportunity to enjoy traits of their Brahman heritage while refreshing the Angus genetics.

“Nearly every relevant beef breed has its ‘Angus-based’ hybrid derivative but none can do what the Ultrablack® can,” Gariss said. “No other breed can add pounds through heterosis and peel back the hair coat increasing heat tolerance. At the same time, they are improving the maternal base and maintaining and improving carcass quality allowing for qualification of the most stringent quality based grid programs.”

The inclusion of small amounts of Bos indicus in Ultrablack® cattle produce an animal with hair-slicking ability, increased environmental adaptability, and improved reproductive performance in the resulting offspring. All of this is possible while maintaining or improving the overall carcass attributes and profitability of the feedlot animal. Therefore, IBBA’s Promotions Committee has deemed 2017 as the “Year of the Ultrablack®.”