Why don't you see any horned cattle with intact horns in the show ring?

shorthorn boy · Nov 24, 2009

These questions are just out of curiosity, but why don' t you see many show cattle with horns anymore? Actually the only show cattle that I have ever seen with horns are the horned herefords. Is is mostly because the animal looks better or is it for safety reasons or both. I was told for the heifers, it somewhat has to do with femininity reasons as well which I can understand. You also never see a horned shorthorn, maine or simmis with horns (or I never have) in the show ring anymore. Personally, I like seeing the herefords with horns at shows but that is just my opinion. Just Curious (pop)

farmboy · Nov 24, 2009

safety issues i'd imagine.

plus no horns > horns

knabe · Nov 24, 2009

for my money, it displays proper management to remove them.

shorthorn boy · Nov 24, 2009

knabe said:
for my money, it displays proper management to remove them.

That makes sense

Dale · Nov 25, 2009

My late father told about a very rich man who was confined to a wheel chair because he was horned in the spine by a white bull (fancy show animal--maybe reserve champion in Chicago before the NAILE).

aj · Nov 25, 2009

Excellent question. I do think there are enviroments where it doesn't hurt for mamma cows to have horns. If man disapeared from the face of the earth there is no doubt in my mind the surviving cattle 100 years from now would be mostly horned.

vc · Nov 25, 2009

I know that our county fairs requires the cattle to be dehorned, for safety reasons, they can have scurs or nubs but nothing over an inch, I believe.
Again Horned Hereford breeding cattle can have horns.

oakview · Nov 25, 2009

Horns were left intact on Shorthorns when we started showing in the mid 60s. What a pain in the #$%! Horns weights, sanding, lacquer, not to mention that the calves learned how to use them to their advantage on a 10 year old. Later on, the horns might curl too much and start growing into the cow's cheek. Try to get a cow with a 2 foot horn span in your headgate. Safety and convenience would be enough reason in my book to get rid of the horns.

sue · Nov 25, 2009

We still have th e horn weights ??? Anyone want to try it? Just about every herd I hav e visited has a female with horns or a horn.
I think a bull horned bull show would be cool. Maybe in 3 years somebody could host it? Illinois still seperates horns from polled cattle at the show???

shorthorn boy · Nov 25, 2009

sue said:
Illinois still seperates horns from polled cattle at the show???

Yes here in Illinois we separated the horned shorthorns from the polleds. I think that it is really cool that we still do that and hopefully we wont stop, but the shorthorns dont show with intact horns. Ive always thought that it would be cool to show the shorthorn bulls with intact horns kinda like the herefords. Actually I believe the Illinois State fair is the only show in the country that does this (corect me if Im wrong).

oakview · Nov 25, 2009

Years ago the International in Chicago had separate shows. Anybody remember Glatwyn Regime x or Melbourne Augustine? I always liked the picture of the best 10 head winners fastened to what looked like a chain, all head up with horns glistening. Hard to believe there used to be a class for best 10 head from one exhibitor while today you see very few constestants in the best six head class. Interesting how in less than 50 years cattle shows have changed from breeders with a string of 10 head sired by their own bull to exhibitors with 2 or 3 cattle they have purchased, almost all of which trace back to the same bull.

forbes family farms · Nov 25, 2009

They take off horns for safety reasons and to make the calf appear better.

sue · Nov 25, 2009

oakview said:
Years ago the International in Chicago had separate shows. Anybody remember Glatwyn Regime x or Melbourne Augustine? I always liked the picture of the best 10 head winners fastened to what looked like a chain, all head up with horns glistening. Hard to believe there used to be a class for best 10 head from one exhibitor while today you see very few constestants in the best six head class. Interesting how in less than 50 years cattle shows have changed from breeders with a string of 10 head sired by their own bull to exhibitors with 2 or 3 cattle they have purchased, almost all of which trace back to the same bull.

My dad used to show 20 hd all out of one bull with a FAt steer at the end. I think Illinois should have one last go at a real horned show- I will bring dad and a horned bull or female. We could dig out the old scotch halters too.
There was a Max Juggler that won Chicago after serving 90 head- I have heard this story a 100 times, not sure if he is remembering the right bull??

shorthorn boy · Nov 25, 2009

It would be realy cool if people started showing their horned shorthorn bulls with intact horns at our state fair. I have friends that show horned herefords and are always asking me why we dont show our bulls with horns so I tell them that one of these years if I get a realy nice horned shorthorn bull calf Ill leave the horns in tact and take care of them and take him to the state fair and show him that way, I may just start a new trend haha. O0 Although I dont think this will ever happen ;D

aj · Nov 26, 2009

Right.......sure.......cattle having horns.....next you will be claiming Maines were red,simmis were yellow, and chi's were white. ;D

Why don't you see any horned cattle with intact horns in the show ring?

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