more structural issues this year?

[red]

has anyone noticed more structural issues this year? I seem to have had more problems this year than ever before. I only used 1 clubby bull so can't say that's the problem. Anyone else have any feedback? What are you seeing if you are & any idea why? 

Red

 

[Telos]

Red, I don't think it's just clubby bulls. IMO, I don't think we are paying enough attention to structure. I always like to look at the feet and legs on breeding bulls. They should have a nice size hoof with some heel. Also the hock set need to have some angle to it. The front legs and shoulder are too steep. I have seen too many cattle were the cannon does not appear to come out of the knee correctly. When you add extreme muscle to too straight of a structure is when you get into a mess.

 

[red]

Red, I don't think it's just clubby bulls. IMO, I don't think we are paying enough attention to structure. I always like to look at the feet and legs on breeding bulls. They should have a nice size hoof with some heel. Also the hock set need to have some angle to it. The front legs and shoulder are too steep. I have seen too many cattle were the cannon does not appear to come out of the knee correctly. When you add extreme muscle to too straight of a structure is when you get into a mess.

Telos I think you're right. Another problem is that we see bulls that are so photoshopped or leg hair is so built up we can't see the flaws. I guess that's why I've had sucess w/ Rowe's bulls because I've seen all of them in their working clothes. Same goes for Money Man, the pictures of him in the field shows what he really looks like.


Red

 

[justintime]

When I was a kid, we were taught that "quality starts from the ground up".  Today very few consider this as being issues of quality. It used to be that if an animal did not have sturcturally sound feet and legs, it didn't matter how good they were in other places. Today, many do not even understand what structural soundness is supposed to look like.

 

[red]

Aren't we due for part 2 of your article on the topic?

Red

 

[kanshow]

When I was on the judging team way back when, they used to tell us to assume all the breeding hogs were sound..  because most were not.   However, the other species - cattle & sheep - we considered soundness in our decisions.    Now it would appear almost the reverse is true.   I have seen some cattle being shown that wouldn't last a week in our Flint Hills pastures.  

I see what you mean about the pictures, etc...    It is hard to tell when they have them all fit up.  I myself like to see the mature working clothes pictures of the bulls as well.   I usually try to watch the videos of the bulls - when available.    

 

[red]

When I was on the judging team way back when, they used to tell us to assume all the breeding hogs were sound..  because most were not.   However, the other species - cattle & sheep - we considered soundness in our decisions.    Now it would appear almost the reverse is true.   I have seen some cattle being shown that wouldn't last a week in our Flint Hills pastures.  

I see what you mean about the pictures, etc...    It is hard to tell when they have them all fit up.  I myself like to see the mature working clothes pictures of the bulls as well.   I usually try to watch the videos of the bulls - when available.    

our daughter showed a heifer that one judge said would fall down a hill. We have flat ground here so I was confuesd. Now after visiting w/ cattle people from all over I know what he's talking about.

Red

 

[kanshow]

One thing that concerns me are the feet I see.   Our pastures are not only hilly but rocky as well.   The cattle have to have good hooves to be able to thrive.  Granted, 99% of the show heifers in the show ring are never going to be turned out in the Flint Hills pastures so it probable doesn't really matter in the big scheme of things.