Research paper by Shelby Phelps
Presented for
Mr. Dwight Bertrand
Ag. Economics 401
McNeese State University
12 April 2020
Note: This paper was written for a college Ag Economics course by our good friend and fellow breeder Shelby Phelps. It was so good we wanted to share. Thank you Shelby for your detailed research.
To many brahman breeders and fellow members, the famous +Mr. V8 458/7, also known as “Noble” has captured the brahman show world by storm for his impressively heavy muscled bulls and feminine heifers that win in the show ring and perform outstanding maternal abilities in the pasture. Noble is bred and owned by Rachel Cutrer along with her husband Brandon Cutrer, the owner of B.R. Cutrer Cattle (also known as BRC), and of Ranch House Designs, a web designer company for fellow cattlemen, livestock owners, and ranchers covering most of the United States. Those who know Rachel and her husband Brandon, know they have spent years planning matings for both the show ring and for the pasture of both BRC and their customers. Their goal is to have moderate and functional cattle that produce beyond expectations to meet the needs of both the breeder, producer, and consumer. With this, Noble has done nothing less for the program of BRC.
At only 7 years of age, Noble’s offspring has won State, National, Junior National, and International level of many shows including open brahman shows such as Blue-Bonnet Kick-Off Classic and Houston International Livestock Show. Noble’s pedigree alone is what makes this half polled bull a breeding piece for horned and polled brahman breeders alike. Being sired by the legendary +JDH MR. ELMO MANSO and out of the first and only polled grey heifer to ever win Grand Champion at Houston International Livestock Show, Miss V8 100/7 (P). Noble is also a fraternal half brother to the polled bull, Mr. V8 279/7 (P); also bred and owned by BRC. Noble’s strong points include the look and style of a powerful bull yet still maintaining muscle, correct feet and the ability to move out in the pasture. One of the biggest compliments of Noble’s reign during his show career was the style and “show stopping look” Noble had when he stepped into the ring. Years later, Noble has passed down that trait to his offspring and grand-offspring.
Noble sires females that appeals to the eye and appeals to the producer. Noble, being a large framed bull has sired both moderate and large framed females. Regardless of preference, Noble’s females are known to be both heavy milkers and “easy keepers”, meaning they stay fleshy and thick with minimum feed input from the producer. Through this, Noble has sired the 2019 Houston International Champion Red Female CT LADY MELANIA, Reserve Grand Champion Grey Female MISS V8 824/8,Three time Houston Grand Champion Grey Bull MR. V8 146/8 along with several division champions in both red and grey divisions of each sex. Through this, some of Noble’s successful junior level success includes being the sire of the 2019 All American Grey Female, MISS V8 671/8. Noble proudly sired the 2019 American Brahman Breed Association’s National Brahman Show Champion Get-of-Sire, siring a total of 9 champions of both division winnings and overall championships of the Houston International Livestock Show along with countless wins at several open and junior shows.
Noble has sired large framed females desired for international customers. Being large framed himself, Noble’s offspring can also follow in his footsteps of high performance. Some reasons that producers would want Noble for his large framed offspring is high performance. These offspring are typically taller with more surface area that aids in the ability to cool off faster and better able to tolerate the heat and harsh climates in countries closer to the equator. Because of this, Noble is used in a wide variety of climates that are very harsh to British and continental breeds. Noble’s progeny have a wide range in both climate adaptability and frame.
Noble’s offspring are known to breed “Grey on Grey” and “Red on Red”. Throughout history, the red brahman breed has been known to have more ear and less muscle that can be used for meat consumption, resulting as to why grey brahmans are more favorable for commercial breeders and producers who are looking for pounds. Noble’s mating on red females have changed the game for red brahmans in history. Noble has been mated to several red females resulting in both maternal females and high volumed bulls. Because Noble can breed to both red and grey females and have offspring still come out their respective color, he is one of the only few bulls that sires the most champions in the 2019-2020 show season that can breed both grey and red, besides the infamous +Mr. V8 380/6 who sired the most champions from the late 2000’s until the early 2010’s. Noble’s red offspring have performed just as spectacular as his grey progeny. For example, Noble sired the red grand champion female at Houston in 2019, CT LADY MILANIA who was sired by Noble out of a +CT LADY RHINEAUX RAY daughter, Melania was bred by Circle T Cattle Co of Church Point, La. Melania is a high performing female with a very extended skeleton that is a wise breeding piece for many international and domestic breeders looking to build their herd on bone, power, maternal ability, or frame. On the grey side, Noble has sired the 2019 show season runner up show cow of the year, Ms JH TAYGE 58/7. This Noble sired female is a long bodied, big boned, big ribbed female that has banned every fall American Brahman Breeders Open Point show system in the fall of 2019 winning Grand Champion grey female of most.
Noble also breeders more moderate, easy keeping females that are more suitable for commercial breeders and cow-calf operations. Commercial cattlemen are always on the hunt for females that last, heavy milkers, naturally thick, and overall good mother cows. Noble’s females fit this description perfectly. One of Noble’s first semen purchasers, Wesley Janik bred and exhibited the Reserve Grand Champion Grey Female at the 2020 Houston International Livestock Show, Miss WJ Eva 288/8. One of the biggest concepts that Noble has mastered is the ability to pack both power and flesh into various packages regardless of moderate or large frame. As for Noble, he is not available for commercial breeding from BRC due to high birth weight. BRC recommends Noble on mature females, not heifers. In this case, Noble’s calves are born bigger yet performance and pedigree is spectacular.
Noble is so admired for his both horned and polled gene status for both horned and polled breeders. As previously stated, Noble is sired by +JDH ELMO and out of Miss V8 100/7 (P), to be clear; a horned bull and a polled cow. Today, polled brahman cattle are on the rise for both quality and more attractive feminine look in females. One of the many reasons why many breeders are breeding for polled brahman cattle is for a more stress-free environment. These polled brahman cattle are easier to handle and are temperament free. Because of this, more ranchers are bringing in more polled brahman cattle because they are easier to handle. With Noble’s mother being polled, he along with his offspring are very gentle. Along with this, Elmo’s calves are known to be very gentle offspring. Speaking so, docility is a genetic factor in Noble’s bloodline.
Noble’s breeding of Elmo allows him to be bred to brahman cattle of various colors. One of the biggest increases the brahman association is seeing in their red brahman cattle is the influence of grey genetics. When breeding brahman cattle, the four primary colors of Brahman Cattle are; Grey, Red, Black, or Speckled. When breeding for these colors, it is possible to keep the bloodline of pure color or to breed with various colors. For Example, some grey cattle can be bred to red cattle to make red or grey offspring. Through this, the breeders can “Breed-up” using anything from the parent to add or change a trait. Others feel this has a negative effect on breeding purebred red brahmans as they are being altered for their basic traits such as longer ears and a taller, less muscled structure. Because of the high demand of consumer beef, red brahman cattle were always docked at the sale barn because they could not be used for eating since they contained no muscle. Throughout the decade, Red brahman cattle have become “More meat and less ear” as some say for the “Breeding up” to bigger and better animals. Since this, both Noble and his sire, Elmo have had a huge influence on grey and red breeding.
Noble’s offspring and bloodline are used in various purebred or commercial cross-breeding settings. Noble’s sire Elmo has sired many other champions such as +JDH ELROY, CT MR ELMO RHINEAUX 1/7, and many more. The reason why Noble’s bloodline is so popular in cross-breeding is the added performance and docility the Elmo bloodline passes down from generation to generation. Many commercial breeders want to add Noble and Elmo offspring to their herd to be the backbone of their program for the vast amount of growth and performance the offspring have. As said before, the large and moderate frame offspring of noble allow for various uses in many operations. Because cross-breeding is such a popular breeding in the southern parts of the United States, Elmo’s calves such as noble are known to add muscle and flesh to their cross-breeding F1 breeding females.
Noble can be used as a breeding piece as a foundation bull. One of the biggest things about creating the “Perfect” bull or female takes decades of precise breeding, data, and management. With Noble, this process has turned from decades to only a few years. With a bull that adds soundness, performance, muscle, and look this bull is one of the fastest growing bulls being added to various herds other than BRC. Although Noble has not always thrown solid colored grey or red brahman calves (Calves with pigment), the quality is undeniable along with having the ability to breed solid grey or red through advanced technology.
Although Noble excels in growth and muscle, Noble will not add marbling to your cattle. One of the downfalls of Noble admitted by the trustworthy staff of BRC, is that Noble will not add marbling to your offspring. Therefore, Noble has to be mated to high marbling females in order to maintain exceptional marbling in his progeny. According to the American Brahman Breeders EPD’s for Noble, his marbling is -11.48 ranking in the 99th percentile. With this information, it is evidence Noble needs to be bred to cattle with higher marbling. From this we could conclude due to low marbling and the high performance, Noble is not a choice for show steer producers for the amount of frame that Noble’s offspring can possess. In refute, other EPD’s for Noble that rank in the top percentile are Weaning Weight (WW), Yearling Weight (YW), Scrotal Circumference (SC), Carcass Weight (CWT), Rib Eye Area (REA), Fat (FAT), Tenderness (Tend), Docility (DOC), and Calving Ease Maternal (CEM). With most of Noble’s traits in the top 1 percentile for the American Brahman Breeders Association, it is expected that cattle that have such an amount of growth will sacrifice terminal traits such as marbling as Noble’s EPD’s predict.
Noble excels in performance as well as other traits, but is not a heifer safe bull to breed to first calves heifers due to high birth weight and high performance. As a bull as previously stated has performed himself and his progeny that are far beyond expectations for the brahman breed, Noble is expected to not be able to be bred to heifers since he is such a high caliber bull of muscle and mass. Therefore, producers wishing to add Noble into their herd are advised to breed or mate him with mature cows to ensure minimal calving issues. The reason why it is advised to breed Noble to mature females ; based on an educated guess is Noble’s calves are born larger due to being higher performing in both size and birth weight.
Noble’s offspring have been known to be heavy milkers and easy keepers. In the show ring Noble bulls and heifers have dominated the brahman association open point shows for the easy fleshing, sound structure, and heavy milking abilities that are clearly displayed through their own offspring has been fast growers like their grand-sire Noble.
Mr. V8 458/7 “Noble” meets the criteria of almost every breeding operation from cow-calf, show calf, feeder calves or docile animals that strive in any environment that rank second to none especially in Brahman breeding. From high performing, to moderate to longevity, Noble’s offspring can be found anywhere in the United States and internationally breeding for a better tomorrow for both the beef industry and the cattle industry only to get better and better. With several trait leads, Noble is the most obvious choice for the producer, showman, and cattlemen for a better tomorrow for the United States beef industry.
Works Cited:
Breeders Association, American Brahman. “Pedigree and EPD’s of Noble .” Animal Detail, 8 Nov. 2013, www.livestockgenetics.net/abbapub/output/asearch_view.php?editid1=919887&editid2=70255.
Cattle , Heritage. “+JDH Elroy Manso 712/4.” Heritage Cattle Company, Ranch House Designs, heritagecattle.com/gray-brahman/jdh-elroy-manso-712-4/.
Cutrer, Rachel. “B.R.CUTER Sire Fact Sheet.” B.R. Cutrer, Inc., 2020, 46ejop67g5-flywheel.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Noble-SireSheet.jpg.
Cutrer, Rachel. “Miss V8 100/7 (P) The Epitome of Brahman Excellence.” B.R. Cutrer, Inc., Ranch House Designs, 2019, brcutrer.com/miss-v8-100-7-dam-of-noble-brahman/.
Cutrer. “Mr. V8 458/7 ‘Noble’ Brahman Bull.” B.R. Cutrer, Inc., Ranch House Designs, 2019, brcutrer.com/mr-v8-458-7-noble-big-brahman-bull/.
“JDH MR ELMO MANSO 309/4.” J.D. Hudgins, Inc., www.jdhudgins.com/jdh-mr-elmo-manso-3094.
