shortyisqueen
Well-known member
I think this topic was to bait me to say what I was thinking for most of Denver. The commercial-oriented Shorthorn breeder may look down on a crossbred of undesirable heritage winning the Louisville show but I am sure the adage "Those in glass houses shouldn't throw stones" applies. If those showring bloodlines are the downfall of the Shorthorn breed, do YOU have what it takes to take us the other direction? Are you sure all those outcross bloodlines have exactly the right product to gain us commercial acceptance?
I am appalled at the number of flat-sided, flat-footed, short-strided, short-necked, low-performance, bad-headed, unsound PUDS that are being promoted as "the commercial answer" because they are not Trump influence. Really? THAT'S what the commercial cattleman wants? I beg to differ. Some of these bulls couldn't make it to the feed trough, nevermind chase down a cow.
The commercial man already has a frame 5 Angus-based cow herd. Shorthorn breeders planning on replacing the Angus have an impossible task in front of them. Whether true or not, Angus are perceived as providing good maternal traits on a moderate frame, adding good carcass characteristics, and being low-maintenance. We ARE NOT going to change this perception, and unless the goal of a commercial cowherd changes, we are banging our heads against the wall trying to provide what the Angus are already doing. In my mind, any breed which compliments Angus (Simmental, Charolais, Hereford) is our competition and we need to address producing Shorthorns that will compete with what these breeds can do. Having a low-birthweight Shorthorn bull is all fine and dandy - but until that bull can provide the power to give Commercial breeders payweight, they are going to buy a Simmental bull – and we are going to miss the boat.
I am disappointed to say I have used some of these 'commercially-oriented' genetics with sorry results: cows that were open by the time they were four, no milk, bad udders, and poor production. I am afraid the 'showring backlash' is creating an artificial market for some genetics that are no more commercially acceptable than some of the bloodlines that are winning the shows. Sure, other 'commercially-oriented' producers can't wait to snap up those genetics and pay a premium, but are these genetics really producing pens full of good-performing, rugged, easy-doing, sound-structured, fluid-moving, big-nutted bulls with 80# birthweights? Is the commercial man who makes his living off his cowherd really getting in on the action? How many of the people at these so-called commercial sales are ACTUALLY commercial cattlemen? I think there are a few Shorthorn breeders who will do what it takes to build these cattle - and there are a few more out to make a quick buck selling "outcross genetics" to anyone willing to jump on that train. The right bloodlines do not a scrupulous breeder make.
In my mind, the Shorthorn breed has a long way to go before we have the kind of cattle that will produce the right commercial results - and frankly, looking through the slim-pickings of Shorthorn genetics in the yards and on the hill, I'm not sure that we have many bulls that will do it – Just my humble opinion.
I am appalled at the number of flat-sided, flat-footed, short-strided, short-necked, low-performance, bad-headed, unsound PUDS that are being promoted as "the commercial answer" because they are not Trump influence. Really? THAT'S what the commercial cattleman wants? I beg to differ. Some of these bulls couldn't make it to the feed trough, nevermind chase down a cow.
The commercial man already has a frame 5 Angus-based cow herd. Shorthorn breeders planning on replacing the Angus have an impossible task in front of them. Whether true or not, Angus are perceived as providing good maternal traits on a moderate frame, adding good carcass characteristics, and being low-maintenance. We ARE NOT going to change this perception, and unless the goal of a commercial cowherd changes, we are banging our heads against the wall trying to provide what the Angus are already doing. In my mind, any breed which compliments Angus (Simmental, Charolais, Hereford) is our competition and we need to address producing Shorthorns that will compete with what these breeds can do. Having a low-birthweight Shorthorn bull is all fine and dandy - but until that bull can provide the power to give Commercial breeders payweight, they are going to buy a Simmental bull – and we are going to miss the boat.
I am disappointed to say I have used some of these 'commercially-oriented' genetics with sorry results: cows that were open by the time they were four, no milk, bad udders, and poor production. I am afraid the 'showring backlash' is creating an artificial market for some genetics that are no more commercially acceptable than some of the bloodlines that are winning the shows. Sure, other 'commercially-oriented' producers can't wait to snap up those genetics and pay a premium, but are these genetics really producing pens full of good-performing, rugged, easy-doing, sound-structured, fluid-moving, big-nutted bulls with 80# birthweights? Is the commercial man who makes his living off his cowherd really getting in on the action? How many of the people at these so-called commercial sales are ACTUALLY commercial cattlemen? I think there are a few Shorthorn breeders who will do what it takes to build these cattle - and there are a few more out to make a quick buck selling "outcross genetics" to anyone willing to jump on that train. The right bloodlines do not a scrupulous breeder make.
In my mind, the Shorthorn breed has a long way to go before we have the kind of cattle that will produce the right commercial results - and frankly, looking through the slim-pickings of Shorthorn genetics in the yards and on the hill, I'm not sure that we have many bulls that will do it – Just my humble opinion.
