Why Shorthorns ?!?

[ALTSIMMY 79]

Okay I understand the shorthorn breed has a long history in the show ring, but what good are the rest of them and why do all these people breed them ? I know for a fact that the big feedyards and buyers don't care for them. I have hauled livestock for years all over the states and not once , anywhere , hauled in or out a load of shorties ? Am I missing something somewhere ? I've seen a few sell here and there and they fall way short of the other breeds of cattle ? 

 

[knabe]

black hides everything, even quality.

 

[Bradenh]

u may get an earfull off of this topic. i dont know anythin about a shorty whatso ever. but there is more shory fans on here than anywhere else

 

[shortdawg]

IMO they get docked for color instead of quality

 

[showsteerdlux]

In reality the feedyards actually do like them (hanging upside down they look pretty good), it is just the current market allows for a system of grading and buying in which severe discounts are put on. They typically will grade better than the angus x cattle that the market is demanding.

 

[ALTSIMMY 79]

Yes sir I expected an earful on this topic ! I understand they are decent cattle but still the facts are the facts so why raise them if you know your going to take a beating on the ones that don't hit the show string ???

 

[kfacres]

b/c we as shorthorn breeders are dumb, and get obsessed with producing crazy and beautiful color, with a ton of hair.  and b/c a huge % of shorthorns produced in IL IN IA OH...  we have plenty of CORN to feed.

 

[ALTSIMMY 79]

Ill give ya the hair , cool colors , and the the bone but dumb ??? And at 6 dollar corn ???

 

[katie_k]

their personallities are what i enjoy about them.  they are also, from my opinion, the base of most breeds we have today.  they can gain weight on just basic feed and are good mothers and are easily crossed with other breeds.  we hardly ever pull calves. no one in 5 years. they are just good cattle

 

[knabe]

red and white, inside and out

on the other hand, shorthorns should have a higher % of retained ownership

 

[mark tenenbaum]

I remember why I like em every time some black cow gets stupid. As far as the whole feedlot deal-most purebred breeders are small enough to retain ownership-and get paid how they grade-and there are a smaller but growing group of higher end beef buyers that understand this.I remember when alot of people in Va would ask-Who in thier right mind would raise those huge hayburning vile tempered Simmis? O0

 

[fryguy]

A black cow get stupid, Never! LOL

 

[ALTSIMMY 79]

Hmmm , I'm not trying to pick them apart , just in todays world it seems like a tough market to be raising and trying to market spotted cattle . 

 

[knabe]

the overall market seems slow.  niche markets are sporadic, but have the support of chefs, small business etc as they try and prove to themselves, americans want something different.  it appears to me the only thing one needs to do to guarantee tender steaks regardless of "quality" is to age them and the only grocery store that i know of that does it is safeway.  people like to buy things that are different and hence are susceptible to the placebo effect, not so much the blind taste test.

 

[CWshorthorns]

I dont know about every were else in the market world but our shorthorns are not bring that much less at the salebarns. I can take the difference in price for the dispostion on the shorthorns any day and i can tell you it is sure nice to look out in the field from the barn and be able to tell each cow from the other with out having to walk up to them. Also i think that shorthorns make some of the best calf raisers.i would say that if you did a lot if looking alot of the black cattle in the feed lot are some % of shorthorn.

 

[Bradenh]

.  they are also, from my opinion, the base of most breeds we have today.  we hardly ever pull calves. no one in 5 years. \


everything here is logical exept these, they are not the base of very many breeds, no where near 'most', also if you breed her to the right bull you WILL pull a calf eventually, the cow has no conrol over that so it is no plus for the breed. and do you work on a ranch?or were you reffering to the farmer who lent you some cattle  that you show for, just wanting to clarify

 

[Doc]

.  they are also, from my opinion, the base of most breeds we have today.   we hardly ever pull calves. no one in 5 years. \


everything here is logical exept these, they are not the base of very many breeds, no where near 'most',Yoy said you don't know much about Shorties, & if you research it you will see a lot of breeds trace back to Shorties also if you breed her to the right bull you WILL pull a calf eventually,You sound like you are trying to breed her to a certain bull so you will have to pull the calf the cow has no conrol over that so it is no plus for the breedcalving ease is a plus for the breed. and do you work on a ranch?or were you reffering to the farmer who lent you some cattle  that you show for, just wanting to clarifywhat difference does it make

 

[Doc]

I started in 1972 with Shorties as my 4h project. My dad chose them for their docility & mothering ability , even thou he was raised with Herefords. Now that I do everything by myself , the docility factor is a major plus. I do sell some freezer beef each year & I sure have happy customers eating Shorthorn beef.

 

[Bradenh]

what im saying is if you breed a cow to a bull like heatwave, she can be shorty brahman charolais whatever and eventually you will pull one. the cow cant help that? i dont know shorties but i know that much and that does not add or take away from shorthorn cattle. . . and what difference does it make, its a difference because she has no cattle and is getting this from a farmer who raises her calves, thats the difference,

 

[Bradenh]

and the reason i dont know much about them is because they cannot survive down here, they make great barn cattle, but not always good real world cattle down here south. there is hardly any shorhorns down here because they just cant live, so i have nothing for or against the breed fyi im just doing like you are, keeping the storys straight