Ohio B here is a pic

[itk]

County fairs should be about learning and the kids and not about wether or not little Jacks dad is mad about the placing of cattle. 80 % of Shorthorn cattle are a fraternity of breeders with white painted fences that trade cattle to each other. 80 % of Shorthorns that are to big and to hard keeping and they weigh 110# when they are born. I'm not criticizing these people or cattle but a fact is a fact. I think there is alot of this in any breed. The average lifespan of a purebred herd is around 7 years. People usually get in ..spend alot of money and then get out. There are no better show cattle then the shorthorns and I say have at it. If you take a 900$ cow and you sell the calf for 2000$ that is great. If you buy a 4000 cow and you sell the calf for 1500$ whats up with that.Just trying to stir up trouble.

I agree that county fairs should be about learning, but the lesson should be that if you work hard and have a good animal you will be rewarded. Not sometimes life is unfair because the judge thinks just because your calf has alot of hair he won't grade so you get rolled. We have been raising shorthorns for 10 years now and have made a effort to buy animals we like no matter if it was a $1,200 cow from Marty Loving or a $10,000 cow from Cagwin. We have flushed and made money off of both. When we first started buying cows Twig told us it was easier to make money off of more expensive cows. I have found this to be true especially if you sell a flush or embryos along with natural calves. If you buy a cow for $5,000 sell a flush right away for $2,500 and sell her natural calf that fall for $2,500 or more the expensive cows get cheap real quick, if $5,000 is even an expensive cow anymore.

 

[knabe]

I have to tell you where we show, there is no disgrace in a show heifer being a Shorthorn!  I can say without any bias that Kansas has some of the best Shorthorn heifers in the world,

doesn't kansas have a historical advantage with shorthorns?

 

[itk]

I don't know if we have a historical advantage in shorthorns but we do have a very rich history. There is a old book by G.A Laude called The History of Kansas Shorthorns or something to that extent that is very interesting if you ever get a chance to read it. Clint Tomson and his family were very influential breeders and he later went on to start Harding & Harding. K-State also had an outstanding set of shorthorn cows decades ago. Many of the influential imported sires spent some time in our state. Most of the cattle Jill is thinking about don't get bought in Kansas but us instate breeders can kick out a few that can hang with the high rollers. I think the advantage that Kansas breeders have is that for the most part we don't chase fads. Programs like Lauers and Elbee have been breeding for the same type of cattle for decades. I don't know if this comment will make sense or not but here it is; Kansas breeders don't breed many showring champions but we breed alot of dams of showring champions. I am also interested to see what effect Tim Ohlde will have on shorthorns. I wonder how different the breed would be now if they would have let him register those first imported animals and he would have stayed active as a ASA member.

 

[Jill]

Meant no disrespect to the Shorthorn breeders in Kansas, I was actually just responding to the line of thinking that there is something wrong with the Shorthorn breed being thought of as a show breed.  I was just pointing out that the breeders that have focused on that niche market have done extremely well in the cattle business.
I know exactly what you mean when you say "Kansas breeders don't breed many showring champions but we breed alot of dams of showring champions" most of the donor cows in my herd are that way. 
If you look at the influence that Tim Ohlde had in the tight knit Angus world, I think bringing those same principle to the Shorthorn breed would be a win win situation, will everyone embrace his style, no, but there aren't many that are better at producing good, sound, functional cattle that perform in the real world than Tim Ohlde.

 

[itk]

None taken, we know our role in the breed and embrace it. We also know what is going on with the juniors and when those cattle go to far in any direction the people that breed them will come back to Kansas to fix their problems.

 

[shorthorns r us]

None taken, we know our role in the breed and embrace it. We also know what is going on with the juniors and when those cattle go to far in any direction the people that breed them will come back to Kansas to fix their problems.

 

i've been thinking that for a while now.  look at the popularity of JPJ.  How much Gizmo semen would be used if it was only 1/3 of the current price.  the KL prefix may be instrumental in beating the BW issue.

 

[showsteerdlux]

How much is Gizmo semen?

 

[KDSC]

$100 a unit

 

[showsteerdlux]

That aint horrible.

 

[Malinda]

I agree with itk about where some of the show cattle are taking us.

I would not wish all of my grey hair on anyone, but those of you that are getting long in the tooth can remember a lot of changes in beef cattle.

I have pictures of my 4-H calves taken with them standing in straw almost to their navel. Legs were bad.

I remember going to Louisville years ago and wondering how they ever clipped the tops on some of the heifers. They were so tall the fitters must have had to get on ladders. But, those cattle did not have extreme hair either.

We keep talking bone and muscle and how nice and big and hairy the calves were when they were born. I have a calf jack, chain and handles but I strive to never use them.

I guess what I am rambling about is extremes. Fads come along all the time; freaky fronts are freaky,  nice clean fronts please my eye. I try to never choose genetics I think are extreme. I like sitting in the middle. I figure if I just stay there eventually the extreme will come back to where I am. Yes, some of my cows are  bigger but that pleases my eye too. I know what works for me and I strive to stay there. I am very happy sitting back and watching everyone chase the next great one with the biggest butt and most bone and hair.

When people come to look at my cattle and the first thing they look at is too see how big the butt is, I feel  they do not have a clue.

The things I work the hardest on are sound feet, good udders, disposition, calving ease, fleshing ability, fertility and no cattle butcher ready over 13 1/2 months old. (not is any specific order) One of my Dad's favorite words was 'cull'.

It's fun showing and meeting people from all over the country and I do let the shows set some guidlines for me, but not many.

I bet one thing we could all agree upon is we want next year's calf crop or next year's steer to be better than this year's. Good luck to us ALL.

Have a nice day and remember that eventually most things come back to the middle.

Malinda

 

[Malinda]

Loss of memory goes along with the grey hair.

I want to address what aj said about big birth weights.

Not all Shorthorns have big calves. We used to be known as an easy calving breed until we started chasing things in the wrong way. I do not want big calves, I want calves that put on the weight AFTER they are born. Pounds per day is calculated AFTER birth and should not try to be jump started by a big birth weight.

The truth is I have only had one calf that weighed 100# at birth. He was born in Nov of 2006, came backwards on his due day, lived half an hour and died. Nothing to take to the bank there.

I have a bull I raised that has about 15 calves on the ground; the biggest one to date weighed 91# One was born a few weeks ago that the folks that had her said they had not weighed her yet (she was just born) and they thought she weighed in the 60 some pounds range. The cow was a first calf heifer.

I have two fall born bull calves that I call keepres. One weighed 78# (DZ/Tonic) and the other one weighed 83# (out of the above mentioned bull and one my Louise 69 donor cow). Am watching that AFTER birth weight daily gain to see which one will be my next herd bull. (among other things!!) One of my big 'pick a bull criteria' is the bull's shoulder. Those shoulders can sure affect easy calving.

But, Shorthorn breeders need to get back to the middle on calving ease or one of the things that got us here will be gone.

JMHO, which isn't worth the price of a Pepsi!!

Malinda

 

[Shebet21]

Malinda,
Those two posts are right on. I like your way of thinking.

 

[showsteerdlux]

I agree with you to.

 

[itk]

Here is a picture of the dam of the DV steer. Her name is Little Cedar Quantum Gal, She is a Trump out of an Equity daughter. That makes 3 really nice females and a darn good steer out of one cow family on one post. Anybody care to guess why I really like this cow family.

 

[knabe]

heel volume.

seriously, consistency of type when compared with mother?

 

[itk]

Forgot to mention ours and the roan cow are 3/4 sisters in blood. The roan is out of Sonny and is or was owned by Duis.

 

[OH Breeder]

ITK
Thanks for putting a picture of her up. I am excited to see what I have coming. Much apprecaited.

 

[Malinda]

In defense of garybob,

garybob did send me some pics of  his cows/calves. We also had a couple phone conversations over the phone last weekend.

His cows work for him in his situation and that is all you can ask a cow to do. Good for him.

Malinda