Club calf. Added new one, Plus one more

[Cowboy 2.0]

That I did. I'm not going to buy a calf with a structural problem because it is a SHOW steer. Your real world cattle can look how they want, I mean I hear CAB is taking anything black so what does it matter. A show steer is a reflection of the breeder and their program. A structual defect in an animal only gets worse with weight, so why shouldn't they be docked in the ring for it when they have another 30-90 days on those wheels before they are killed?

[aussie_cowgirl]

That I did. I'm not going to buy a calf with a structural problem because it is a SHOW steer. Your real world cattle can look how they want, I mean I hear CAB is taking anything black so what does it matter. A show steer is a reflection of the breeder and their program. A structual defect in an animal only gets worse with weight, so why shouldn't they be docked in the ring for it when they have another 30-90 days on those wheels before they are killed?

Because it isn't important, it's a steer that only has to make it to about 18mths old. If you have a steer that comes in with awesome muscle, awesome finish but has a few minor structural faults he should still be viable for the top spot because he's done his job. By all means, if you have 2 steers that are equal on all levels of muscle, finish, growth etc and one has a structural fault, I suppose you have to split the two and that's ok. Most minor faults don't get that much worse with the amount of weight that goes on. If we're talking about a bull that goes from a weaning weight of say 350kg to 900kg then yeah, but a show steer that goes from 350kg to say 600kg maximum isn't going to show that much change in a minor fault. Structural integrity in a steer should not be a priority in the show ring unless it is a fault that is severe and will cause issues. Structure in a steer is a tick the box thing "is his structure OK?" not necessarily perfect, just ok is fine. I thought you would understand this coming from an operation with a commercial side to it.

[aussie_cowgirl]

Wait so you wouldn't buy a steer with say slight cow hocks?

[Cowboy 2.0]

I understand what you are saying but I don't put my commercials and show cattle on the same level. If a calf has a fault, he is sent packing. As to your question, depends. Is he destined to a hair show that I can hide that fault with or is he going to a slick show where I can do nothing to hide it?

[aussie_cowgirl]

And this is where we go full circle to the argument in the clubby bull thread Actually someone showed me the other day how to clip a cow hocked animal and it was amazing how convincing it was, and that was on just an Australian terminal steer so he wasn't that hairy. Like you would honestly have to be looking at it to notice.

[VCC]

Why would someone want to buy a calf to show that had structural problems, most terminal operations castrate everything, they are not culls they are terminal. The ranch we buys are calves from send all the culls to the sale yard prior to selling the main group. Why? It is their name going above that calf at the shows, you do not want people to think that you raise crap, sell your best cull the rest. It is a lot like selling bulls when it comes to selling show steers.

The structure problems you run into especially with club calves is too straight in the front or on the pasterns, toed out to the point the feet are heading east and west, these are structure problems that should be culled out, big shoulders week top lines and cow hocked aren’t going to prevent the calf from finishing out but they are not attractive in the show ring.

I know it is hard to believe but when some one spends $20,000 on a steer I don’t think it is going to be a cull. (I know, don’t ask me why someone would spend that much on a steer) To see more ridiculous steer prices try this site.
http://www.lautnerfarms.com/highsellers.html
I am sure that these were not culls, they can make easier money selling them as steers than they can if they where bulls.

[Cowboy 2.0]

And this is where we go full circle to the argument in the clubby bull thread Actually someone showed me the other day how to clip a cow hocked animal and it was amazing how convincing it was, and that was on just an Australian terminal steer so he wasn't that hairy. Like you would honestly have to be looking at it to notice.

Now think of that leg with four inches of hair on it and there ya go.

[show time]

I didn't read through all the bull, but anyhow it's my turn. I really like the white steer. The topline does worry me, but it could be the way he is standing. You feed that calf out and he is going to be great for county! Color doesn't matter at our shows anymore, so I wouldn't worry about that at all. The trick to making a good calf great is feed, feed, feed.