Some random thoughts for new cattle breeders

[garybob]

Constant bashing of the shorthorn breed.....  I would say as a breeder of shorthorn cattle my entire life that if we bash the show side of the shorthorn breed and want it gone, then the breed will follow!  Gone!!  There is no reason for a profit minded comercial cattleman to raise shorthorns.  Sorry, thats just the way it is.  Packers want black hides, and those saying we need solid red cattle are just trying to masquerade as red angus.  Not that I like the situation, but just the truth.....

Btw,who was bashing the Shorthorn breed, as a whole, anyway?Nobody!

GB

 

[paj315]

I showed cattle for about 12 years when I was younger, now my children are starting to show. It is the same now as it was 15 years ago, there are those that produce very nice cattle, do the work at home ,and go out and win by playing fair and there are those that don't. I'm trying to teach my kids that the banners and trophies I have from my show career don't really mean that much to me now but the friends I have made and people I have met do. In the end I want my kids to learn responsibility and how to raise good, functional,and hopefully profitable cattle. My main vision for them and myself is to raise cattle that work both in the show ring and in the pasture and feedlot. For example we bred an About Time heifer to Purple Milsap sounded like a good idea at the time but had an 115 pound calf we had to crank out. While the calf looked great for me a 115 pound birth weight is unacceptable . Now that being said the people that bought her were looking for a clubby hereford heifer and didn't care a thing about EPD's. When its all said and done find what works for you and also fits in well in the show ring HAVE FUN with your family doing something we all like.

 

[garybob]

Constant bashing of the shorthorn breed.....  I would say as a breeder of shorthorn cattle my entire life that if we bash the show side of the shorthorn breed and want it gone, then the breed will follow!  Gone!!  There is no reason for a profit minded comercial cattleman to raise shorthorns.  Sorry, thats just the way it is.  Packers want black hides, and those saying we need solid red cattle are just trying to masquerade as red angus.  Not that I like the situation, but just the truth.....

Are you saying guys like Tom McMillan and Dover Sindelar are in error??????Go to www.yydurhamcattle.com, and have a look at what Ralph's been doing.Click on the Article about McMillan's sale of 50 head of Shorthorns to South America.

: GB

 

[lcattleco.]

Yeah, it just poked me in A$$ and woke me up to a realization.  Must be a lot of dumb ranchers that have been in business for generations.  How many commercial shorthorn bull sales are there in the country that sell more than ten bulls in a day. maybe 5.  How about angus sales..... probably 50 a day that sell a 100 in the season....

 

[garybob]

Yeah, it just poked me in A$$ and woke me up to a realization.  Must be a lot of dumb ranchers that have been in business for generations.  How many commercial shorthorn bull sales are there in the country that sell more than ten bulls in a day. maybe 5.   How about angus sales..... probably 50 a day that sell a 100 in the season....

Are you old-enough to remember how the industry bred itself into a hole, when straight-bred Herefords were everywhere?

GB

 

[lcattleco.]

no, Im not.  But I am old enough to no that times change and the shorthorn bull is not going to be the savior of the beef business.  Just ask the chichen and hog producers....

 

[J2F]

Constant bashing of the shorthorn breed.....  I would say as a breeder of shorthorn cattle my entire life that if we bash the show side of the shorthorn breed and want it gone, then the breed will follow!  Gone!!  There is no reason for a profit minded comercial cattleman to raise shorthorns.  Sorry, thats just the way it is.  Packers want black hides, and those saying we need solid red cattle are just trying to masquerade as red angus.  Not that I like the situation, but just the truth.....

Who said shorthorns? The problems I see listed here are opinions I hear from many people for many breeds and club calf?

 

[trevorgreycattleco]

Constant bashing of the shorthorn breed.....  I would say as a breeder of shorthorn cattle my entire life that if we bash the show side of the shorthorn breed and want it gone, then the breed will follow!  Gone!!  There is no reason for a profit minded comercial cattleman to raise shorthorns.  Sorry, thats just the way it is.  Packers want black hides, and those saying we need solid red cattle are just trying to masquerade as red angus.  Not that I like the situation, but just the truth.....

That's one of the silliest statements I have read on here in awhile. First nobody wants the showering gone. How about judges focus on sound functional cattle? It's just a bad reputation that follows a lot of the big time shorthorn genetics. That's a fact. Have angus always been as dominate as they are now? Herefords? Trends always change. If you have spent your whole life with shorthorns and you honestly think a shorthorn bill has no place in the commercial industry , you sir are flat wrong IMO. I have been around a lot of angus. I love em. I also love the calves you get when crossed on a shorthorn bull. It works if you match it up correctly. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but I couldn't disagree with you more. I think what GB just said is spot on.


Why can't there be two classes for each breed? You can have a maternal class and a terminal class? Who knows if that's even possible. Just a thought.

 

[lcattleco.]

Sorry, just a realization, cause its the same group of people on here bashing shorthorn show cattle and show steers in general.  I guess u can try to beat people down who do what they love and get to stand in a backdrop.  If you are not willing to do the work and put your checkbook behind doing what you love then don't trash people who are succesful at what they do.  I constantly see the same people on here complaining about heatwave, monopoly, and the big three in the shorthorn business.  Have a little pride in yourselves and give them credit, they are good at what they do.  As far as heatwave and monopoly, if you don't like them than don't use them.  As far as me, I will use continue to use them as they are the only bulls that will repeatedly raise cattle the customers want to buy.

 

[J2F]

no, Im not.  But I am old enough to no that times change and the shorthorn bull is not going to be the savior of the beef business.  Just ask the chichen and hog producers....

You are completely wrong about the shorthorn breed and it's potential when people realize how polluted the black hide has gotten and realize what a lot of the shorthorns herds have to offer but I believe in giving credit where credit is due! you are spot on about the pigs and chickens. Shorthorns won't help them a bit.  (clapping)

 

[lcattleco.]

they do....  Steer shows and hiefer shows

 

[lcattleco.]

Yeah, thats why the other meat industries are a two way cross, and the shorthorn is no more than a niche than raising polands, spots, and berks.

 

[J2F]

Sorry, just a realization, cause its the same group of people on here bashing shorthorn show cattle and show steers in general.  I guess u can try to beat people down who do what they love and get to stand in a backdrop.  If you are not willing to do the work and put your checkbook behind doing what you love then don't trash people who are succesful at what they do.  I constantly see the same people on here complaining about heatwave, monopoly, and the big three in the shorthorn business.  Have a little pride in yourselves and give them credit, they are good at what they do.  As far as heatwave and monopoly, if you don't like them than don't use them.  As far as me, I will use continue to use them as they are the only bulls that will repeatedly raise cattle the customers want to buy.

????Where are any of these topics in this thread?????? :-\

 

[frostback]

I just think it's funny that the whole motivation for writing this topic was to warn new comers to the show cattle scene and help them understand some things but it's almost like some people have a problem with that. I pointed out some things that are undisputable facts within the show cattle scene. Is part of it me venting a little bit? Sure it is. Not because I'm tired of losing or nobody showed up to a sale I had, but because I sincerely think that it's wrong. I'm not trying to tell people what to breed or that they shouldn't show cattle. I am just laying out some good information that they should know going in that will help them make decisions about how they are going to conduct their program. If this hurts somebody's feelings or gets them defensive I am not going to apologize for speaking the truth. You can either fall in line, play the game and shush your mouth, or do like I am doing, breeding what I want, taking the liberty to share with others my experiences, and feeling good about it.

I would love some PROOF of your truth. Do you have photos with a daily newspaper in front of a heifer that was born before Christmas but is in a april class. How about  a weigh ticket of a newborn clubby bull calf  that says 140 but they advertise 88. You have no proof you have a opinion. Or at least show me your PROOF.

 

[obie105]

I know several people who have calves in December and even January but come feeder calf class time they are showing March and Aprils. If 2I guys are doing it I am sure there are more out there that do the same thing.

 

[aj]

What always cracks me up is the speech that the judge gives before he slaps the grand champion steer. About these cattle are industry leading cattle........and 85% of them are carriers of a lethal genetic defect. That these kids will be the leaders of the industry.....half of them are pregnant before they get out of high school and the other half will do something completely different than production agriculture. It always gets me.....then grandmama is always up by the grand champion steer that she financed and paid the fitters 7,000 dollars to fit for Lucy May.

 

[Doc]

What always cracks me up is the speech that the judge gives before he slaps the grand champion steer. About these cattle are industry leading cattle........and 85% of them are carriers of a lethal genetic defect. That these kids will be the leaders of the industry.....half of them are pregnant before they get out of high school and the other half will do something completely different than production agriculture. It always gets me.....then grandmama is always up by the grand champion steer that she financed and paid the fitters 7,000 dollars to fit for Lucy May.

What difference does it make if they have a defect if they are a terminal calf? You paint with a pretty broad stroke AJ. 1st of all I want to see the boys that are showing steers get pregnant. 2nd , I think by being involved in something like showing steers, hfrs, pigs , goats , rabbits ,etc I sure think there is a lot less of a chance of that teenage pregnancy. Fact is, around here I can't think of 1 girl that was showing and got pregnant while showing age. When the kids see what it's like to have to be responsible for something , then they think twice about something like that. I also think that they come from a more ethical background. Maybe I'm just naive. As far as Grandma goes, what difference does it matter if it's Grandma, Dad or who buys it. There isn't many kids that can buy a steer of any price that they can pay for with money they earned 100% by themselves.

 

[aj]

Doc.....I know that is always the rationalized canned come back but that speech still cracks me up.

 

[trevorgreycattleco]

Yeah, thats why the other meat industries are a two way cross, and the shorthorn is no more than a niche than raising polands, spots, and berks.

Since when does the genetics in other breeds matter? Those are primarily confinement systems. Those animals don't earn a living on there own. My interest in the purebred business is a slight one at best. To many people that have their wallets in mind instead of the betterment of the breed. My interests in shorthorns will go on because they serve a purpose in what I need to do to make grass fed beef. I lost my way many moons ago in this deal. I can see where my profits will be in the future and it's not the show ring but it is with shorthorns.


Frosty, so your saying nobody cheats then if there is no rock solid proof? No rock solid proof Kennedy was assassinated by lee Harvey Oswald either yet it's written in the history books.

 

[Doc]

Yeah, thats why the other meat industries are a two way cross, and the shorthorn is no more than a niche than raising polands, spots, and berks.

Frosty, so your saying nobody cheats then if there is no rock solid proof? No rock solid proof Kennedy was assassinated by lee Harvey Oswald either yet it's written in the history books.

I'm going to jump in here on this. I was taught that if you are going to accuse someone of lying or stealing then you durn sure better have proof. It could be that someone is moving birthdates or it could be someone is showing their best 10 head out of 200 calves. I don't know , have no proof, and not going to change anything that I do.