Soundness of bulls

[BroncoFan]

I think too many bulls especially clubbies are too small and have small feet. Besides a mature photo, I would like to see bulls on the move. Sound enough just isn’t good enough.

 

[Shorthorn-Fed]

Soundness is so overlooked in the show ring that people forget most cattle need to walk for nourishment and soundness is necessary for longevity. Hoof size is something people seem to have forget about unfortunately. As long as poor skeletal structure and poor walking is being traded for puff and fancy, the mainstream view points won’t change but I hope I’m wrong.
I’m not saying everything is as such but it is visible in the show ring.


Russ

 

[BroncoFan]

I agree with all that you said. I’m trying to improve my genetics but I want to see one move and it’s hard to see them all in person.

 

[knabe]

i wish judges would pick winners on the move instead of standing still.


80-90% of the show should be walking.


heck, i would like to see them trot.

 

[Shorthorn-Fed]

Call me crazy but the beef world could use a shot of horned blood. With the shorthorns for years only the best of the best horned animals  have been kept as bulls ( for the most part)  instead of nutted. The horned genetics just seem to have that hoof size, nuts, skeleton, ruggedness and hardiness. I don’t know what they are referred to in the states but in Canada I know multiple PFRA pasture riders that said the horned animals seemed overall healthier and treated less. Personally I like having a horned bull thrown in every few years and nothing wrong with having horned cows with a homo polled bull over them. Strictly personal opinion here though.


Russ

 

[mark tenenbaum]

Amen-I like horned cattle especially Shorthorns and Herefords O0

 

[BroncoFan]

Call me crazy but the beef world could use a shot of horned blood. With the shorthorns for years only the best of the best horned animals  have been kept as bulls ( for the most part)  instead of nutted. The horned genetics just seem to have that hoof size, nuts, skeleton, ruggedness and hardiness. I don’t know what they are referred to in the states but in Canada I know multiple PFRA pasture riders that said the horned animals seemed overall healthier and treated less. Personally I like having a horned bull thrown in every few years and nothing wrong with having horned cows with a homo polled bull over them. Strictly personal opinion here though.


Russ
What bulls would you suggest? Young Money worked well for us for a while.

 

[oakview]

Most of the show cattle I see anymore do not walk, they waddle.  They are so fat and over conditioned they jiggle, yet the judges continue to compliment them on their freedom of movement.?  There's a reason so many show cattle feed additives are used that "encourage free movement."   

 

[Shorthorn-Fed]

What bulls would you suggest? Young Money worked well for us for a while.

I am not really involved in the club calf game, a bull I was going to try a few years back was a young money son Renegade Blues but didn’t end up using him. We had great luck years ago with BK Power Plus and Gigalo Joe over purebred Shorthorns. Had and still have some of the original ALI but I think the semen is poor quality I think because we never got a calf. Thought a lot of CCR Cowboy Cut but the birthweights were horrendous.

Russ

 

[Go Green]

The judges seam to all have the same rehearsed speech when they start a show, it goes something like this.

"i'm going to hard on structure, i'm not into extremes, cattle need to be able to walk"

Then when they start sorting they forget all that and pick the one with the biggest butt thats dragging one leg and say "his structures good enough"

I heard it at every show we went to this year. My daughters steer had really good structure/moved like a cat but lacked power (the wide hips), she was always 2nd or 3rd behind a couple crippled steers that were as wide as a house. This thread struck a nerve. <beer>

 

[BroncoFan]

What I also have a hard time with is seeing a very flat frail heifer win a breeding class and show. I question what her steer calves will look like and some say she’s a heifer maker. Problem is she’s making more cattle just like her. Plus she’s getting fed the best she’ll ever get fed and way better than any sisters that are just out on summer pasture with a mineral tub.