swayed back steer

[everybreedcounts]

i just got a new steer and he has a majorly swayed back. is there anything i can do to fix/hide it?

 

[iowabeef]

If it is a major problem, this is NOT something that extra hair can fix.  Your best bet is to either live with it or find another steer. 

 

[everybreedcounts]

If it is a major problem, this is NOT something that extra hair can fix.  Your best bet is to either live with it or find another steer. 

is swayed backness a real downer in the show ring or do judges overlook it?

 

[Cardinal_Crest_Shorthorns]

IMO being swayed back is a pretty major structural flaw, but it will depend on the judge, how bad it is, and how good the rest of the steer is. and if its not too bad you can make it look better with a lot of good hair, its all relative though

 

[everybreedcounts]

IMO being swayed back is a pretty major structural flaw, but it will depend on the judge, how bad it is, and how good the rest of the steer is. and if its not too bad you can make it look better with a lot of good hair, its all relative though

he is awsome otherwise, not much else wrong with him. this picture makes him look really awsome but his back is worse in real life

 

[everybreedcounts]

here is a second picture of him that makes his back look super swayed

 

[GoWyo]

Getting his head too high certainly emphasizes it.  Wouldn't hold it very high in the show ring.  Need to find how high to hold his head to minimize it and show him that way.  He might grow out of it some -- looks like he is in a bit of an awkward stage of development.

 

[everybreedcounts]

Getting his head too high certainly emphasizes it.  Wouldn't hold it very high in the show ring.  Need to find how high to hold his head to minimize it and show him that way.  He might grow out of it some -- looks like he is in a bit of an awkward stage of development.

oh ok! i didnt think of that! thanks!

 

[Dozer45]

encourage him to "hump" his back a bit by pushing the hook of your show stick into his bellybutton. Sometimes can help

 

[simba]

I agree with the above posts. Experiment to find out how high his head can be before it makes his back look bad. Also try running your stick along his back (in between his hips but not into his loin area) to get him to lower them, and/or try poking his belly up. If he doesn't react to the stick, sharpen the point a bit and try again. Good Luck! I really like how he looks in the first picture.

 

[CAB]

I guess that I disagree somewhat with what Iowabeef said about extra hair not helping out. You can clip him out tight both front and rear and leave him longer in the middle and it will make a big difference in his topline appearance. i think overall that you have a nice project to work with.

 

[frostback]

Make sure the front part of where ever you tie him is higher than the back. If you tie him in a cooler or barn for some time make the front higher then the back. It should help strengthen his top.

 

[willow]

Make sure the front part of where ever you tie him is higher than the back. If you tie him in a cooler or barn for some time make the front higher then the back. It should help strengthen his top.

Ditto.  It will help.  Some say it is old school, but we tie ours on two stacked pallets with a piece of sturdy wood secured over all the slats with a piece of rubber floor mat over that.  Works great and they actually enjoy standing like that.  We gradually work up to about two hours a day. 

 

[Freddy]

ALSO  make sure they eat feed out of pan not a feed bunk.....

 

[everybreedcounts]

thanks everybody for your great suggestions it really helps, i am so relieved! im going to try all of your ideas!

 

[Cardinal_Crest_Shorthorns]

Thanks for sharing the pics, he looks like he could be a fun project. Also, be careful when your clipping him tight over his hook bones so as to make sure you don't take much hair off at all over his rump, he is a little steep hipped. In addition to how you hold his head and scratch his back/stomach, play around with how you set his feet. But I definitely wouldn't let these couple of faults ruin my enthusiasm for him, he has a lot of positive parts as well. If you manage him well you will have a lot of fun with him.

 

[HerefordGuy]

When you set him up on the profile you can put the hind foot on the off side (the side away from the judge) under him to help him keep his back from swaying.  I have also had luck with pushing the show stick into belly buttons.

 

[renegadelivestock]

if you ration his water in the mornings before the show, put a bag of ice in his water pail, and let him drink the whole pail just before your class, the cold will make him roach his top for a short time, and being sway backed, roaching will just level him out

 

[knabe]

if you ration his water in the mornings before the show, put a bag of ice in his water pail, and let him drink the whole pail just before your class, the cold will make him roach his top for a short time, and being sway backed, roaching will just level him out

wow.  good tip.  i forgot about that one.