Some pictures from this weekend...

[kfacres]

Been a while since I was home, got to see our new set of fall borns, think they're the best set of calves yet... didn't take any pictures though.  Did take these pictures of some yearlings, and the old Red Angus bull.  All have been on grass alone basically their entire lives- the yearlings got a little bit of grain after weaning to help calm them down. 

The first two pictures are of a Sept bull calf that we plan to breed with some this fall.  He's in with our 7 fall calving cows as we speak- including his mother.  Hopefully he's mature enough to stick them, and not get too skinny.  He's sired by Dr Feelgood, out of a 9 year old Angus cow.

Blue Roan heifer is a Oct twin.  Sired by Dr. Feelgood, out of a Lutton Angus cow.

Roan bull calf is a Jan, sired by Dr. Feelgood, out of a Double Stuff x WMW x Cunia cow.  Hopefully I can get him sold as a bull or a show steer pretty quickly.  Otherwise, we might breed with him a little.

Light roan heifer, Dr. Feelgood out of our old best shorthorn cow.  Unfortunaely, we lost her this year 2 weeks before calving with twins in her.  Long story, but we got paid on her life insurance policy...  This is her last calf.

 

[kfacres]

More...

Roan Sept heifer sired by the Red Angus bull below, out of a first calf heifer.  Dam is a materal sister to the above heifer.  Side note, this heifer's mother has our best heifer calf nursing this fall, again...

Late Sept Red heifer, also sired by the Red Angus bull, also from a shorthorn first calf heifer.

And last, but not least... two pictures of the red angus bull.  I think he's 4, going on 5 (born in 08), we use him almost 99% strictly on heifers.

Maybe, I can find a few more pics... or a few of baby calves that my mom emailed me a few weeks ago to get a preview of what to expect.  That is, if there's interest to see them...  The black calves are sired by SA Commander 226 (an old bull), or a KKim bred Shorthorn bull that we had walking.  Shorthorn calves are sired by that same bull, plus Misson, and Polar Express.

 

[trevorgreycattleco]

They look good. Looks like alot of fescue on the menu. Is your red angus bull out of Make Mimi?

 

[farmboy]

to clubby for me.

 

[rarebirdz]

Consistent group <beer>.... all lack lower 1/4

 

[kfacres]

They look good. Looks like alot of fescue on the menu. Is your red angus bull out of Make Mimi?

yup, fescue is about 95% of their diet- both fresh, and preserved for winter use...  No, he's a Basin Trendsetter back to Beiber and Glacier.  Here's #- 1271433 Actually, I think we're likely going to sell him pretty quickly- he's developed an attitude; and no one around here cares for that- too many people getting killed by bulls in the last 10 years.  We've had him for 4 years, so it's about time to move him regardless. 

Brock what'a you think of the solid red heifer?  Going to make a cow, or too narrow and tall?  I'd give you one guess of what her mother is...

Consistent group <beer>.... all lack lower 1/4

You know, I don't mind that. 

The top is much better eating than either the air under them, or the ass behind them.
The whale assed ones can't lay down to have a calf without assistance.
The wide ones-- get too coarse. 
and the thick ones-- take up too much space at the bunk when your trying to feed them out, and when you try running them through a chute, or pack them on a trailor.

to clubby for me.

For most... we try to keep that in there for some show ring and general ole eye appeal.  If you'd see the mommas of these, you'd think the opposite...  They're the furthest from clubby.  Personally, I like a balance of the two-

 

[kfacres]

Here is a pic of 3SCC Trend Setter U09, a half brother to our Trend bull.  He was the high selling bull in Sonstegards 2009 bull sale.  He sold for 4900 to Tri-R Cattle in Lanesboro, MN.

 

[rarebirdz]

Thats alot of care for someone who has previously stated he didn't they dont have the quality  of those that strike me as clubby and infact your heifers I would have fed out with steers.They are consistent but they are just common cattle lacking beef character

 

[jaimiediamond]

Is the calf in your avatar the IMG_0322.JPG heifer? If so she really has developed well, deep and broody

 

[kfacres]

Thats alot of care for someone who has previously stated he didn't they dont have the quality  of those that strike me as clubby and infact your heifers I would have fed out with steers.They are consistent but they are just common cattle lacking beef character

I need to go back and reread, but I'm pretty sure I did not state anything about having any great ones- just 4 legged beast roaming pastures and eating grass.

Also, in case you didn't notice- I told some pedigrees (which are clubby bred), that have been on grass alone.  now you take these clubby bred cattle, and starve them on endophyte fescue, and see what they look like.  I'm going to state this right here- Club calf genetics are hard doing, grain requiring, and un-predictable.  I hate them extremely alot, but IMO- if you're selling a few calves to local people for competitive show heifers and steers=-- you need a touch of that stuff in there- if nothing else just for promotion ability.  

No, these cattle aren't the thickest, and arent' the best... but you know what- they haven't had a single $ of input and will generate plenty of $$ back this year.  Isn't that the reason for producing cattle- turning grass into meat?  

I encourage you to take a group of hard doing, worthless ass shorthorns, and turn them into grass consuming beasts... it'll take you a while to make them look respectable.  It's all a work in progress.  

You know, you're comment on "lacking beef charactor", is something that makes me happily smile to.  Why you ask, I'm so grateful that you can spot a beef animal- being the solid red heifer is half dairy.  

I'll give you that the Dr Feelgood calves do not have enough body depth- I don't think they ever have.  That's my single biggest problem with the way he bred.  The only reason we're keeping most of these calves is because that bull died, and the cow family they are out of.  I mainly posted these pics to show our offspring of that bull...  and to post a picture of the old Red Angus bull.  

 

[trevorgreycattleco]

I think your fan club is messing with you. I have no clue about this rarebirdz character. Seems pretty damn smart some days then others, all I can say is "what the hell is he trying to spell?" I see nothing flashy about any animals pictured. They all look just fine to me. Lacking lower 1/4?  Maybe.  I always prefer the cattle that havent had a thing but pasture since the first of April. Im cheap and lazy. Jody, I think I could see the red calf working. She may milk to much to keep good condition on herself but her calf should grow!  I used to run a bunch of half angus half holstein cows bred back to a angus. Cows always looked rough but had a nice fat calf on them. They just ate to much in the winter time for me.

 

[kfacres]

Is the calf in your avatar the IMG_0322.JPG heifer? If so she really has developed well, deep and broody

yes jamie, that is the same heifer calf...  This calf's rough life actually stems back to her mother's problems....  She will be a neat to watch as a mama cow.  I don't care much for her hip/ hind leg, but the front 2/3 is kinda interesting to look at- from a potential cow aspect that will be able to live on nothing, and still create a calf every year- Does the "real world" care about show heifers?  I know that my parents don't- and they're currently in charge.

her mother was a heifer I loaned out to a local kid to show in 4H.  Ended up they foundered her, and it took us over a year to get her feet straightened out.  We should have butchered her, but since her momma was our favorite ole cow- we decided to keep her and give her a shot.  She never did get sound enough again, especially considering what she looked like before she left.

We bred her the first time around to the Red Angus bull, and we didnt' expect anything from that cross.  The RA bull has never been thick enough, but since we've never mated him to a mature cow-- we didn't care.  Just so we get live calves that the heifers can raise.  (Side note, we pull about 1 out of every 75 calves he sires).  She had this roan colored heifer calf, early and only 38 lbs.  Right after she had her, the dam got sicker than snot- and just about kicked the bucket.  She never did milk right.  Ended up we weaned this calf a few months earlier than the rest, to keep her mama alive.  

So, considering the life this heifer has had, I think she looks pretty neat.  By far, our thickest heifer calf, which suprises me considering who she's out of, but she's also the most moderate.  For the most part, the others are all typicall shorthorn cattle- tall, leggy, and not as thick... This heifer is more different though, moderate and fleshy... She's more grassfed, oriented.  I would guess her to be around a 4.8-5 frame, which is midget sized compared to the rest of the cowherd.  My parents are hard core about big framed, fast gaining cattle- and it's like walking uphill snow deep both ways.

I wanted to breed her mother back shorthorn last year, and went ahead and stuck in the Polar Express straw.  It was my last straw from him, and my only other Shorthorn option in the tank was Byland Mission, or Kool...  Neither, would have worked very well.  I stuck in the PE straw, and turned her in with the K-Kim bred bull for cleanup.  She calved right at the first of Sept- to my AI date- with a 50 or 60 lb (I'll have to look that up= not that it really matters) roan heifer calf.  By far and away, I do think it'll be our best heifer calf of this year's fall crop.  I'll see if I can find a picture of her mother as a baby calf, cuz I wouldn't want to put anyone through looking at her now.

My second best heifer calf, I believe to be a solid red Misson out of a double clean Kool who goes back to Improver 57.  I think the best cross heifer is sired by the KKim bull, out of the mother of the black bull at the top of this post...

 

[dimebag]

I'm glad you posted some pictures of your cattle , it tells us all about your operation and the advice you give from time to time !

 

[kfacres]

Jody, I think I could see the red calf working. She may milk to much to keep good condition on herself but her calf should grow!  I used to run a bunch of half angus half holstein cows bred back to a angus. Cows always looked rough but had a nice fat calf on them. They just ate to much in the winter time for me.

You know in this case, I'd more so call her 3/4 beef, being that half is dairy is milking shorthorn...  Eating too much in the winter- that doesn't bother me as much... if we don't have the grass, we'll have the grass hay...  If they get skinny, they'll move on down the road.  She's a trial, so we'll see how that works out.    

The first time around, we'll either just turn her in with her daddy, if he's still around- or I'll stick a straw of Capiche in her when I go home for christmas (if mom and dad get the heifers synch'd)  and then turn her in with the black calf pictured above.  I guess now that I think about it, that's the plan for all 4 of our heifer calves this year...  

 

[kfacres]

I'm glad you posted some pictures of your cattle , it tells us all about your operation and the advice you give from time to time !

you know, I'm glad you said that...  if you really want to know about me, or our operation, you'd be better off getting on our website and reading up on MY true passion of life... www.kfacres.webs.com  Something, I actually give a damn about making better, and doing something with... The cows are there to do 2 things- eat grass- make calves. 

The cows, are over 200 miles away from me, and have been for 4 (going on 5) years now.  I give a little input as to what bulls to buy semen on, and have 2 steer calves at my place to butcher this spring/ winter.  One for us, the other for the neighbor.  But in the long run, my words go in my parents ears, and through grandpas... and off into the wind...  Most of the time the bull gets turned in regardless of what's in the tank... 

Too bad, I didn't post any pics of anything good- just some skinny ole heifer and bull calves eating grass... 

Take it for what it's worth folks, this kid (me) doesn't know anything about cattle, and doesn't know how to raise a good one... Of course, I guess my opinion on what makes up a good one is different than Mr. DBL J1's, as I hate furballs who eat tons of corn. 

 

[clementcattle]

Thats alot of care for someone who has previously stated he didn't they dont have the quality  of those that strike me as clubby and infact your heifers I would have fed out with steers.They are consistent but they are just common cattle lacking beef character

These pictures arent taken in a show ring... know what you are looking at before you comment.

 

[clementcattle]

This is all very real world stuff...thank you for posting your pictures and your knowledge!

 

[rarebirdz]

Funny real world is compared to this. Showing is new for me and it's just for my kids far from my real world experance.My operation is commercial angus we dont buy our females we breed them we dont sell our steers as calves we feed and rail them so I can look at this group and say I wouldnt be making a profit with the cost of corn to finish them as they lack top and 1/4. Finally as a bull buyer when a breeder bashes there program and says they dont care publicly it isnt real world. I dont want to buy a bull have somethin go wrong and the breeder tell me he dont care its just a ------  check this users previous posts and say he has real world opions

 

[jaimiediamond]

Thats alot of care for someone who has previously stated he didn't they dont have the quality  of those that strike me as clubby and infact your heifers I would have fed out with steers.They are consistent but they are just common cattle lacking beef character

I need to go back and reread, but I'm pretty sure I did not state anything about having any great ones- just 4 legged beast roaming pastures and eating grass.

Is the calf in your avatar the IMG_0322.JPG heifer? If so she really has developed well, deep and broody

yes jamie, that is the same heifer calf...

Cool I thought so

 

[kfacres]

maybe I should clarrify....  Earlier in this post, i stated about using some club calf type genetics, and how we gear towards selling a few calves each year to local show kids...

But, the main portion of our income 80-90% comes from the sale of feeder calves to the market place...  We usually keep two for ourselves each year to consume, and keep most of the purebred heifer calves.  we sell almost every cross heifer, and almost every bull every year as feeder calves..

So in terms of you wanting me to promote selling bulls to you, won't happen.  I have  calf right now that I think could have a place, but more than likely he'll go the show steer route.  I think he's neat based off phenotype, being double clean, and clubby bred in the pedigree. 

We have a bull calf that we're breeding with this fall as well, to a few cows.  We'll see how he turns out...

I guess what it boils down to, is that I like to have some feminine fronts, nice toplines, and some eye appeal in them-- if nothing else than just to look good out in the pasture.  I like to breed with some clubby type bulls, just from a marketing standpoint to local kids as they can say their show steer is a son, or grandson of bull xxx. 

I guess I'm guilty of wanting cattle that can do far too many things- look good, perform on grass, and taste right.  Maybe my stones need thrown in less directions?  i can't lie, I hate big, stout, masculine looking females.. To me, the key lies in rocket fronted, flat shouldered, slightly finer boned type of females with big barrels, tons of guts and fleshing ease.  I want my cows thin as a rail at weaning, and fatter than toads at calving.