Christmas update

[itk]

For those of you who remember I was disappointed last Christmas when our lead donor calved on Christmas Day instead of holding off until the start of the year. Well we got him back for the et center on Thursday where he had been with his mom for the last five months. I guess I think he ended up being a pretty good present. He is sired by Voyager the bull that used to be my picture and is out of the 3112 cow who I have pictured now. He is far from perfect but after having him home for a few days I think he has a world of potential. Tell me what you think. Also just to brag I have added a picture of my son showing his pig and heifer at his first county fair.

(ITK - this might fit under "honey I shrunk the kids" - I hope the size is OK)

 

[OH Breeder]

For 5 months old, I think he is growthy and mature. I like his front end and what looks like length of body. Do you creep ITK?
Great pictures of the kids.

 

[knabe]

i really like his hind end shape and the stifle area.  would like to see how equal his front and rear moved in unison, which is tough for me in cattle this young due to their growth curve.  would like to know how catty he is back there. a little leggy for me and i would like to see more dimension in his heart girth with a little more elevation to his neck on top in front of his shoulder fulcrum, and perhaps behind and perhaps a little smoother on his shoulder point.  he's definately clean up front.  nice belly.  i don't have much experience, but from what i've seen, the longer cattle seem to be a little pinchy in their heart girth.  i have a heifer like that.  can't tell from pic about his sheat, seems scroty enough.  after i've improved looking at feet, i think my next area of interest is the whole shoulder fulcrum, freedom of movement area and the arcs they travel with and if it matches the rear end, and the differences in how the neck and back tie in to this fulcrum on the topline.  i really have trouble evaluating cattle when the front strides differently with the back.

 

[itk]

How he ties into his shoulder is probally my biggest concern, but having the fence in the background makes it look worse then it is I think. It is always nerve racking getting calves back from the et center because you never know what kind of care they got so I was surprised when he got off of the trailer and looked pretty good. I am excited to see how he feeds out. We haven't used the creep feeders very much this year because we have gotten alot of rain so the calves are doing great on just grass. However in the past we have used them more when the rain didn't want to cooperate.