First calf from a Club Calf bull - Thoughts?

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ivychurch

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Mar 13, 2012
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Maryland
This year we decided to breed a few cows to a club calf bull. The first calf born is an Alias calf. Pictures are below. What do you think?  The cow is a shorthorn limousin cross cow. He is 1 week old in this picture.
 

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ivychurch

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Mar 13, 2012
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Maryland
Let him grow and see what he looks like,  most likely steer him and see if I can get him sold. We were hoping for a heifer, but will take what nature gives us. Nieces will be old enough in a couple years to show and I wanted to get a couple good steer making cows into the herd.  We have a little Chopper bull calf on the ground ( 2 days old), but I think this Alias calf just looked good from the moment he hit the ground. Weighed in at 85 lbs on the scale, the weigh tape put him at 132!  Sucker has some bone!
 

T-Majic

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May 11, 2011
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NE Nebraska
I like your calf.  I found it interesting too about the weight.  I was planning to get a scale b4 I start having calves this year but had wondered how accurate weigh tapes were.  Did you use the weigh tape that goes around the calve's leg?  Would I be better off investing in the scale or going the cheap rate with a tape?
 

Davidsonranch

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Dec 2, 2011
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SE Oregon
Thank you very much for the pics.  Alias is on my list year to breed to some herf / angus cows. It's nice to see calves out of different crosses.  He looks great.
 

ivychurch

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T-Magic said:
I like your calf.  I found it interesting too about the weight.  I was planning to get a scale b4 I start having calves this year but had wondered how accurate weigh tapes were.  Did you use the weigh tape that goes around the calve's leg?  Would I be better off investing in the scale or going the cheap rate with a tape?

Thanks! Yeah we use the tape regularly, one side for bulls , onside for heifers. It wraps around the top of the hoof right at the hair line.  It is usually pretty good, +- 3 lbs or so.  I taped him and it just didn't seem right. Reached down and picked him up and knew it wasn't right. That is when we went and got the scale.  We have always used low BW bulls. Our Limi cows rarely have calves over 90 lbs, even bulls. We have used low bw (EPD 1 or less) for at least the last 20 years.
 

CAB

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Corning,Iowa
ivychurch said:
T-Magic said:
I like your calf.  I found it interesting too about the weight.  I was planning to get a scale b4 I start having calves this year but had wondered how accurate weigh tapes were.  Did you use the weigh tape that goes around the calve's leg?  Would I be better off investing in the scale or going the cheap rate with a tape?

Thanks! Yeah we use the tape regularly, one side for bulls , onside for heifers. It wraps around the top of the hoof right at the hair line.  It is usually pretty good, +- 3 lbs or so.  I taped him and it just didn't seem right. Reached down and picked him up and knew it wasn't right. That is when we went and got the scale.  We have always used low BW bulls. Our Limi cows rarely have calves over 90 lbs, even bulls. We have used low bw (EPD 1 or less) for at least the last 20 years.

Are all BW tapes created equal or does anyone have an opinion as to which brand of tape is best?
 

Limiman12

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It would see to me if you're breeding for bigger bones, then no tape would be especially accurate as they are based on aerate bone.

 

Freddy

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Mar 31, 2007
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North central -- Nebraska on highway 183 - 30 mi
That is really a nice calf ,great way to start out, bet things are looking pretty good with a start like that ...
Also on the weight tapes ,they hit some of the time,really most of the time, but I have bull customers that will not buy bulls from me if I USED A TAPE .  to the commercial guy the birth weight is the first important decision regarding buying  a bull ...
 

ivychurch

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Mar 13, 2012
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Location
Maryland
He has only been tied up 3 times, stood perfectly in the chute while we were clipping him today. No issues with the show stick from the start either.
 

mark tenenbaum

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Mar 23, 2009
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Virginia Sometimes Iowa and Kansas
Cool calf-Shorthorn Limmy is a cross itself that most people do by accident but I think there should be more of-He has the look.but retained the shorty hip-and square backside-and he would probably do well in the Shorthorn Southern classes-Good one. O0
 
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