Like so many other things, easy fleshing can be in the eyes of the beholder. What is easy fleshing enough for one person might not be for someone else. For example, a year or two ago, I saw an advertisement from one of the so-called grass based, easy fleshing, survive on their own herds. The cows they had pictured were thinner than any Trump based cow I've had on the place. Mine get grass, hay, and corn stalk bales, by the way. The fall calvers are getting only corn stalk bales, calves have been weaned, and protein blocks. The spring calvers are getting hay and blocks. I do give the cows close to calving a little grain as I seem to have it in my head that they will be more likely to calve in the day time. The cows I have work for me the way I handle them, but then, they haven't been full fed on a show ration for a year and a half and then turned out cold turkey into the stalk field. If the man says his Trump III cattle were easy fleshing enough for him, then I believe him because he's happy. If someone else wants a fatter cow, great, if that's what he wants. My personal experience, based on nearly 50 years of raising Shorthorns, is that the fatter cows usually don't raise the heavier calves. They spend too much time feeding themselves and not their calf. I like a cow that milks down a little because around here they bring in the most calf. I'm not too picky. I want a cow that stays in reasonably good shape, breeds back, brings in a heavy calf for 10 years, and looks good doing it. Some are advocating a return to 60's genetics to "recapture" that great Shorthorn fleshing ability. That's okay, but during the 60's and 70's, Shorthorns lost favor with feeders and packers because they were "too fat and had small ribeyes." There were exceptions, of course, but that was the accepted rule of thumb. Analyze data from some of those old genetics, when available. Generally speaking, when compared to today's genetics, the old stuff tends to be fatter, have a smaller ribeye, and grow slower. On the flip side, though, they appear to be easier fleshing and have more marbling. There is a fine line between the two sets of genetics. Our responsibility, as true cattle breeders, is to combine the genetics the best we can to benefit OUR herds and not complain when someone does something different than us.
