structure

[knabe]

here's some pics of some feet from state fair in CA

first one is a class winner in AOB which NEVER took a step with any flex in the pastern
2nd one was a very lame heifer extremely sore on her hind end
third was a AOB class winner who was described as extemely sound, she wasn't sore, didn't wing much, but very uneven toes even worse in person
nother pic of the straight heifer in pic 1

 

[Jill]

Looks like a market for a good hoof trimmer

 

[AAOK]

As viewed in the still pictures, there is certainly no glaring structural problems.  Nothing a good hoof trimmer couldn't cure in about 30 minutes.

Dan

 

[knabe]

AAOK, so is this just a function of show animals not getting enough access to pasture and perhaps too much feed and or changes in feed?  how long can a cow last in a pasture with pasterns like that? or is it just not a big deal?  recently saw a video of a 100 meter dash of women in pumps.  they actually ran almost as fast as me, 14 something seconds, which is amazing.  but in a pasture, these cows would seem to be the one's lagging.  also seen some references that this could be a mineral ratio issue (straight pasterns), and it will settle out, but i don't have any experience seeing what the stiff pasterns look like in 2 or 3 years.

 

[DLD]

I'd agree that the first and last pics show one that's too straight in it's pasterns. From the pics though, I don't see any apparent problems with the 3rd pic. The 2nd one does toe out a bit up front, but that alone's not a real big issue - it is if it goes along with a straight shoulder, though.  Hoof triming could have caused or at least aggravated the issue on the 1st  and last one, lack of exercise can aggravate it, too. Personally, I prefer to see a relatively sound one with their feet untrimmed (like the 3rd pic) over feet that are trimmed too short.

 

[chambero]

Those animals aren't perfect, but I don't see anything that looks like it wouldn't survive and move around be just fine in the real world.  Your average (or below average) cow that survives to the ripe old age of 10-15 in any old pasture in Texas isn't that  good.  Those animals look to be a long way from what I call too straight.

 

[garybob]

The black one doesn't have enough rear foot to travel on these Ozarks Hills during an ice storm.

 

[Jill]

The black one doesn't have enough rear hoof because (just my guess)  it has been trimmed too short most aren't born with hooves like that a trimmer creates them.  I see the same thing with popping pasterns, most will tell you that it is a structure flaw, but when you look in the pasture they don't do that once they go out to be cows, some are structure, but most are just lack of room to move.

 

[knabe]

the black one was the second least hoof of any animal i saw.  the other one i'll look for the pic as i was kinda shocked it was so short.  here's the pic.  this heifer i thought got kinda buried low.  one of the few that walked in her tracks completely.  i think she got 5th in a class of 9 that included the overall maine champion.  in college, we used to take those hooks off on the end of the toe.  after looking at the pic, it's kinda hard to see really how short this heifers toes are.  her heifer wasn't near as big as the others, but i thought was more sound and had a better hip, back,

and just for laughs, easy cowz, why don't people build up the foot with something so it looks bigger.  i mean, it's just like making the hair stick out.  All in all the show was pretty postive, save for the numbers, which i thought would be a little higher.  no real comments like i heard at the santa clara county fair where i heard "yep, the judge is placing all the cattle by how tight your jeans are, it's just not fair".  i pointed out to that individual his steer had no tuckus, and he kinda shuffled his feet and said, yeah i know, i just can't afford a steer like that."  at state, a few people were going up to each other and congratulating the winners.  didn't really prod for info, other than trying to take cowz advice and extract the positive, as i can get in a negative feedback loop.