Judge Says Not Sound. Help?

Hey everyone, I have a Maine-Anjou/angus cross steer who weighs about 1000 pounds. We have been taking him and my other steer o a lot if jackpots this season and the average judge seems to place him farther down the line because he "just isn't sound enough to compete with the top of the class". I realized that he does pop a little bit in his pasterns and seems a little stiff in his hind legs. Him and my other steer have been on "Keep Um Sound" for the past two months. If there are any other things I could try or advice I could get on how to help him improve in the show ring that would be greatly appreciated.

Hopefully, somebody will have some good advice for you that might help with this calf's issues; unfortunately, I'm not sure you're gonna change him enough to be as competitive you might wanna be against cattle that are sound and comparable from a carcass standpoint. I think the real lesson here will go back to the selection process...do the best job you can and learn as much as you can that will help you not only with this one calf, but in evaluating cattle and selecting cattle in the future. Good luck to ya!

Yea thanks. I realize I probably could have picked a better calf however he appeared very sound to begin with. It troubles me that I might have done something wrong to make him unsound but perhaps his genetics are catching up with him. I was just looking for advice that may even help him even just a little bit. Thank you

Problems with soundness can happen to the best of them.  It is usually not something you cause with handling.  With any calf, you give yourself the best chance for soundness in the end by:

Letting them get plenty of exercise at night in a big area.

Keeping them on soft bedding during the day.

Not pushing them too hard on feed for long periods of time - keep them gaining around 2 to 2.5 pounds a day.  More than that and you run a chance of soft tissues not being able to keep up with the weight gain.

Avoiding use of muscle supplements or implants until the last little while before your terminal show.

Proper foot trimming.

I don't think I am pushing him too much on feed I've actually had people to tell me to feed more. He's on 14 pounds a day of showmaster grain with a pound a day of calf manna, two ounces of keep I'm sound a day and beet pulp.
I try to walk him for 15 mins a day but I personally don't see a difference. They are bedded down in shavings in the barn during the day and roam in the pasture at night. Should I do anything differently?

Have you had his hooves trimmed? I know a couple of years ago a friend of mine had a steer that just didn't want to track right on his hind legs, he took him to a guy to have him trimmed and they worked with him a few times over about 6 weeks and got him better, but he really never was right. And the popping never went away with anything he did, I know that doesn't help.

Hes scheduled to get his hoofs trimmed in April so maybe that will help.
It's just tough cuz he looks so well standing on both a hind and profile view and as soon as the judge watches him walk is when I feel like we're out of the game. I always enjoy hearing the advice others have to offer

chambero said:

Problems with soundness can happen to the best of them.  It is usually not something you cause with handling.  With any calf, you give yourself the best chance for soundness in the end by:

Letting them get plenty of exercise at night in a big area.

Keeping them on soft bedding during the day.

Not pushing them too hard on feed for long periods of time - keep them gaining around 2 to 2.5 pounds a day.  More than that and you run a chance of soft tissues not being able to keep up with the weight gain.

Avoiding use of muscle supplements or implants until the last little while before your terminal show.

Proper foot trimming.

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That is really good advice right there!

As far as the hoof trimming in April, go get them done now.  Unless they were just done, there is no reason that you can't get them trimmed now.

When you fit the steer, pull the hair on the back of his legs straight back.  Try to exaggerate the appearance of flex in his pastern as much as you can. 

Now, here comes the fun part.  Take him out in a big pen at home and see if the popping will go away when you lead him at different speeds.  Does it go away when you lead him slower?  Does it go away when you lead him fast?  Figure out if you can just plain "show it out of him".  If you can, then tighten up your belt and go get 'em kid!  Showmanship is more than just a class.  Figure out how to conceal his weakness and don't let those judges see it.

You can do it if it can be done!!!

Thanks! I've always been really good at showmanship and I've gotten really good at hiding flaws at a stand still but never thought about trying to examine and change the way they move. I will play around with that today.

Chiropractic treatment might help him as well.  PM me if interested

A lot of good advice in this thread...

I was told selenium would help improve joint health. Does anyone have any experience with selenium? Success or failures?

I would not recommend them to anyone.

PinkOil Princess said:

I was told selenium would help improve joint health. Does anyone have any experience with selenium? Success or failures?

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i have not personally used it, and i am actually intertested to hear anyones experience with it, but sullivan's have a product called "anti-pop", it may help, but like i said, i have never personally used it

Sullivan's is super expensive especially for joint supplements

There is a dang good chance that Selenium is your problem. Selenium is a mineral and comes in most feeds (why you wouldnt recommend it is beyond me). Usualy when cattle start to pop slightly in there pasterns it can be related to a lack of selenium in the diet. I would recommend A) go to melatonin implnats website and order their selenium bolus or b) which is what I do, go to your local feed store. My feed store actually carries selenium blocks like a mineral block you put in a stall. I crush my up with a hammer and put it in my creep feed and all my show heifers feed pans!!!! there are like $2.75 a block around here. if your local store dont have it, google it and see if you cant have them shipped

I actually just went and got a selenium block today! Awesome! I feel like I've got a lot more knowledge about joints. Thanks