Here is the May 1 Shorty Plus heifer we currently have for sale. To this point, I have had lots of interest but no real bites. I am not sure what the problem is, I know I must be patient and that it takes time. I thought maybe it was the price, but I am not sure that is the issue considering I have not priced her to half of the people I never hear back from. I just wanted to get some opinions from the crowd. She is out of our herd bull (TRUMP X AGUSTA PRIDE 3127 grandson) and our best Angus cow. She is pictured at about 100 days old and was only weaned for a little over a week at the time of the picture.
Opinons on a Shorty Plus heifer
- Thread starter ShowmanQ
- Start date
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Hoof Hearted
Well-known member
redwingfarm
Well-known member
The first thing i noticed is that your heifer looks like it has more set to the rear legs than I like, it also look a little pinched in the heart girth especially behind the elbow, depthof body and rib looks good, however front end in this pic looks a little coarse. Somtimes profile pics don't do justice to calves, however based on what i see I think your calf might make a decent commercial cow but probably not much of a show heifer. However remember this is one man's opinion based on one pic good luck
jeffb1
Well-known member
ShowmanQ , you might try retaking the photo, this time with her front end elevated somewhat. I believe this will help the appearance of her topline and don't be afraid to use a show stick to "set" her rear legs where they look their best before taking the next one. JB
BIGTEX
Well-known member
Nice animal. I agree you should have her on a little incline and set her up a little better.
She's just not as fat as most calves people are used to looking at in a picture. Personally, I don't think you want her any straighter legged for a cow. I bet her topline would look just fine if she was just walking out in the pasture.
knabe
Well-known member
with leg and pastern set like that, you have a lot of room to breed her to something posty.
if more cattle had their picture taken on level ground......
if more cattle had their picture taken on level ground......
I may try to get a new pic if i get a chance. She is as level topped as they come when she is walkng through the pasture, she likes to sag or hunch a little when you make her stand still, but hey she's still a baby with lots of quirk to get worked out. She is also no where near show conditioned she was only on grain for about 7 or 8 days when the picture was taken. As far as her ability to "maybe make a good commmercial cow" I am super excited to see her as a cow, as she is out of a cow that I absolutely love for the fact that she breeds the first time every year, never seen her have a calf, and she is an absolute milk truck.
Thanks for the opinions so far!!!
Thanks for the opinions so far!!!
i wouldn't worry too bad about the topline at this point in time. it kind of looks like she has shifted her weight back on her back legs and this causes them to get weak behind the shoulders. i've seen a few steers get surprised in the ring and they have pulled back on the halter and that makes them look weak topped. other than that i think she has tons of potential. don't count out a calf too early. they can change for the better and for the worse. my bet is she changes for the better but she looks good now.
oakbar
Well-known member
Showman Q,
I think you've recieved some pretty good advice on this post so far. She would look a little different if she was a little uphill rather than down--almost all calves at that age kind of look like they're running down hill. Also, she looks really green, not surprising since you just started her on feed and I assume she's going to lose any baby fat that she had from momma's milk. Its really hard to do justice to your calves in pictures for 5-6 weeks after you wean them. First they go through the stress of weaning, lose their baby fat, and probably if they ever get a cough, etc. in their life it will be right now. Then they need some time to get their "bloom" from the what is now a totally dry diet. Like I said, in our case at least, it usually takes 5-6 weeks for most calves to really start looking good again. If she isn't looking the way you think she should in a few weeks then the toughest thing to do is admit it to yourself and move on. I don't think you're quite there yet, she needs some time to show you what she really is. She'll change a lot in the next few weeks--make your honest judgement then!!
While I'm on my soapbox, I'll give my opinion on what I see as far as how much hock "set" is ideal. She does have a little extra set to the hocks but I think todays "show oriented" cattle crowd probably criticizes that too much. I'd much rather have a little more set compared to the ideal rather than not enough. IMHO too many show calves in breeding shows today are too straight in the hock to allow them to stay sound as mature cattle or at least may limit the time they will be functional breeding cattle. I see way too many heifers in showrings today that have hocks that might allow them to stay sound up to market weight or even for a year or two as a cow but will never be a long term producer for their owners. Ther should absolutely be a difference between the way market and breeding heifers are judged and too many times there is not!! Perhaps everyone thinks they can flush these cattle and only keep them around for a year or two but I still think we are setting ourselves up for trouble in the long run. Just the humble opinion of a cattlecrazed Iowegian!!
Showman Q---IMHO---Take your advice from those who want to help you and have enough tact to not destroy your confidence and you'll be all right. Looks to me like you're learning and heading in the right direction--what more can any of us ask for??
I think you've recieved some pretty good advice on this post so far. She would look a little different if she was a little uphill rather than down--almost all calves at that age kind of look like they're running down hill. Also, she looks really green, not surprising since you just started her on feed and I assume she's going to lose any baby fat that she had from momma's milk. Its really hard to do justice to your calves in pictures for 5-6 weeks after you wean them. First they go through the stress of weaning, lose their baby fat, and probably if they ever get a cough, etc. in their life it will be right now. Then they need some time to get their "bloom" from the what is now a totally dry diet. Like I said, in our case at least, it usually takes 5-6 weeks for most calves to really start looking good again. If she isn't looking the way you think she should in a few weeks then the toughest thing to do is admit it to yourself and move on. I don't think you're quite there yet, she needs some time to show you what she really is. She'll change a lot in the next few weeks--make your honest judgement then!!
While I'm on my soapbox, I'll give my opinion on what I see as far as how much hock "set" is ideal. She does have a little extra set to the hocks but I think todays "show oriented" cattle crowd probably criticizes that too much. I'd much rather have a little more set compared to the ideal rather than not enough. IMHO too many show calves in breeding shows today are too straight in the hock to allow them to stay sound as mature cattle or at least may limit the time they will be functional breeding cattle. I see way too many heifers in showrings today that have hocks that might allow them to stay sound up to market weight or even for a year or two as a cow but will never be a long term producer for their owners. Ther should absolutely be a difference between the way market and breeding heifers are judged and too many times there is not!! Perhaps everyone thinks they can flush these cattle and only keep them around for a year or two but I still think we are setting ourselves up for trouble in the long run. Just the humble opinion of a cattlecrazed Iowegian!!
Showman Q---IMHO---Take your advice from those who want to help you and have enough tact to not destroy your confidence and you'll be all right. Looks to me like you're learning and heading in the right direction--what more can any of us ask for??
Thanks Oakbar.
She will be shown by my younger brother at our county fair in October, so I can get more pics then when she has a little more condition. I am extremely guilty of getting an early start on calves, I try to get them weaned, halter broke, clipped, and pictured as early as possible to make it easier on us. Time will tell, but if I cannot get her sold I will be keeping her for sure to keep as a cow. Never turn down a "free" recip (lol) if nothing else.
She will be shown by my younger brother at our county fair in October, so I can get more pics then when she has a little more condition. I am extremely guilty of getting an early start on calves, I try to get them weaned, halter broke, clipped, and pictured as early as possible to make it easier on us. Time will tell, but if I cannot get her sold I will be keeping her for sure to keep as a cow. Never turn down a "free" recip (lol) if nothing else.
