MURRAY GREY cattle FACTS AND ADVANTAGES
Characteristics
- Naturally polled and pass this on to over 90% of their progeny when bred to horned cattle.
- Murrays have dark skin pigmentation so not susceptible to skin or eye problems.
- Proven hardy and quickly adaptable to most climates.
- Excellent mothers with good intact udders without breaking down or developing bottle teats.
- Calving ease combined with a fast gain rate and quiet disposition makes them a top choice to crossbreeding your commercial herd.
- Bulls and cows both are noted for their early maturity and high fertility.
- Bulls are known for their large scrotal circumference and their ability to cover many cows.
- Murray Greys' gentle disposition makes easy handling cattle for cow/calf producers and feedlots alike.
- Murray Grey cows have great longevity. It's common for them to raise a good calf every year for 15+ years or more.
- They are highly efficient cattle with rapid growth and excellent feed conversion.
Cow Calving Advantages
- Murray Grey calves are small at birth, typically between 60 and 85 lbs.
- They have short labors. It’s common for the calves to be on their feet and nursing within 30 minutes of birth!
- They are easily calved, nurse quickly and grow well.
- Murray Greys rebreed quickly after calving.
Carcass Quality
- Murrays carry the genetics to produce marbled beef on grass or grain without the excess subcutaneous or intramuscular seam fat of other breeds.
- Murray Greys' known ability is producing tender beef.
- In GeneSTAR testing, Murrays carry more of the genetics that lead to tender beef than any other breed tested so far. The results show 30% of Murrays tested for the tenderness 2 gene marker (T2) have tested two out of two stars (two copies of the gene) since the test was introduced. Angus is the next highest breed with 8%.
- Murray Grey steers are very efficient, finishing weeks earlier and on less feed than most other breeds. This means less cost and more profit.
- Murray Grey steers have exceptional dressing percentages and high yields.
- Murray steers have a 12% larger rib eye area than the average US beef steer.
- Murray Grey steers were also twice as likely to grade Choice or Prime than the average steer.
Coloration
- They can vary in color of light "silver" to shades of grey, dun or black.
- Their skin, nose and udders are gray, eliminating cancer eye and sunburned cracked udders.
- Purebreds are always solid colors.