All the people that show cattle, help

[plumber_greg]

I want to do an experiment. Here are four steers that I will own all the way to harvest, out of 3 different bulls. What I want help with is, I am asking the showring people to give me their opinions on how these calves carcasses will turn out. I know very little about showing cattle, so bear with me. They were born in the month of Feb., will be weaned last of Sept. At weaning I will take pictures again of the same calves and let you comment on them again. They will go to the feedlot 30 days after weaning, and if I can make it to them just before harvest, I'll take some more pics. I am asking for your opinion, you can't hurt my feelings, but I will defend your right to your opinion.
There are about 55 head in two groups, and these calves have eaten about 400lbs. of a complete creep feed since April 14th. Grass is a crown vetch, brome and clover mix. 5 acre paddoks, rotated about every 4 days, depending on grass condition. Any other info you need, just ask.
#91

#16

#3

#118

 

[VanC]

Why just the show people?

 

[plumber_greg]

I'll edit that to mean everyone. I don't know much about showing cattle, and kind of wondered what correct phenotype carried over to carcass values. I will supply the carcass info when I get it, probably about this time next year. Give me your opinion, I really am interested.

Why just the show people?

 

[Avalon]

Need better pics frfont and rear if you want anything at all. However, my assumtion is that the 91 calf is going to be a problem on the rail or in the ring.

 

[VanC]

I'll edit that to mean everyone. I don't know much about showing cattle, and kind of wondered what correct phenotype carried over to carcass values. I will supply the carcass info when I get it, probably about this time next year. Give me your opinion, I really am interested.

Why just the show people?

Shoot, Greg, you're barking up the wrong tree!! I've never bought or sold a head of cattle in my life. Most of my cattle experience was many years ago and most of that was with Holsteins. A good deal of what I do know is because of reading this forum, and since you can usually get a dozen answers to the same question, in the end it probably means that I don't know much. Because of poor decisions made at a young age I'll likely never put what little I do know to good use. Hopefully, I'll continue to have fun and give a little insight from a non cattle person's point of view once in awhile. Some may have a problem with that and some won't. Doesn't matter much to me either way.

As for your calves, all I can say is they look good to me. I would even go so far as to say they're very nice. ;-) If I had to rank them from most liked to least I would go 118, 16, 3, 91. Don't ask me for details because I can't give them. I'll leave that to others. That's just my general impression based on the pictures. Good luck with them. It'll be interesting to see how they turn out.

 

[aussie_cowgirl]

#3 has got the best topline so far and by the looks seems to be the most muscled all over. Will be interesting to see where he goes on feed but I think he will come up the best providing he gets the fat cover. #16 shows a lot of potential and will be a beauty if he grows out how I think he will, he looks like the softer type of steer I see around. #118 is a little lighter by the looks. He'll grow out fine but I don't think muscling wise he will be up to the other 2. #91 is light all over, I don't think he's come up the way the other 3 will. Ultimately my top 3 I think will grow out nice, 91 I don't think will be as good as the other. I've looked at them from an entirely carcass view, they all have little structural faults but for steers they are fine (IMO). Our show circuit is a bit different here for steers though as our steers get judged on carcass qualities and then sold to butchers and judged as a carcass. I could be entirely wrong as to how they grow out, but hey, worth a shot. I've been surprised plenty of times by steers as they grow.

 

[agmantoo]

If I were buying I would buy #16

 

[Aero]

talk to people who work in the feedlot; they know what cattle look like when they get there and how they do when they leave. the show ring has little to do with actual beef merit.

 

[Herefords.US]

118, 16, 91, 3

George

 

[Australian]

no 16 and no 18 forget about the other two

 

[Keren]

I'm really interested to see where these calves are going to end up. For what its worth, this is the way I see them.

#1 is the steer I like the least, having the least natural muscle expression of all four calves, and appearing to be built both narrow and fine. I just dont see this steer growing out with any degree of muscling to get excited about. I'm sure he will still taste great

#2 is an interesting steet and I think definitely one to watch. Looks to be the biggest and the deepest calf out of the four, with a good degree of natural fleshing. This is a very soft and sappy type of calf and very much my 'style' of animal when you are talking about breeding stock. However as a steer he looks to be the type which will grow very big, and being very soft and easy keeping, if you arent careful he might end up 'wastey'. But that being said, your feed period is remarkably short so I dont think you will have that problem. The more I look at this steer the more I think he might have more muscle over the top than is first indicated, I think he is hiding some of his true merit in all that soft hair. I'd love to get a hand on these steers to accurately assess them.

#3 again a steer to keep an eye on. The shining characteristic of this calf is his huge eye muscle - this calf displays the most muscle and the hardest muscle of the four, naturally a lean steer carrying a lot of red meat. He's going to be an interesting one - while he is probably not as pleasing to the eye as the guy above, he isnt as soft, and doesnt have that depth, and he may not grow out as big, he is a trim and clean type of steer which tends towards being an optimal meat animal. My biggest concern with this guy is whether or not he will finish - your feed time is very short and he is the type that will not fatten as easily as the one above. Adequate finish is going to be the biggest challenge with this steer.

#4 - this calf I am a little apathetic about. He is not a bad steer, and not an outstanding one. A good honest, solid, middle of the road type calf. He shows us good length and muscling without being extreme.

Very interested to see the photos as they continue to grow

 

[plumber_greg]

Thanks Keren, That is the kind of comments I'm lookin' for. Your comments about the first and last pics were interesting. Out of different bulls, but the same bull bloodline( is that paternal?). The middle two pics are half brothers.
Aero, that is what I thought also. However, as I learn more about things and listen, I'm starting to wonder if I'm wrong. There has to be a reason why they show cattle, other than braggin' rights.
Thanks, I'd like to hear more comments. gs

 

[Angus Cowman]

Greg
after careful deliberation on these calves and lots of genetic research from my geneticist and computing the nutrient reguirements with my nutritionist I am of the conclusion that I need to come pick these calves up and bring them down to the southern part of the state so I can get valuable Ultrasound data on them and not until then can we fully realize the potential shortcomings of these specimens
actually I don't think just these 4 will give us accurate data so therefore I will send a pot to pick up the whole crop of calves and I will get back to you on what the outcome was so that you can change your genetics to be the best
as you know it will take time to see if you are actually improving your cattle so I would say for the next 3 or 4 yrs you will need to send these calves to me so we will have data to know if you are actually heading in the right direction
So what day is good for you for me to have the truck arrive
PS I will be billing you on a monthly basis for all this info so a credit card # would be the easiest so the check doesn't get lost in the mail you know how them Postal employees are
also just give the driver a signed blank check for the frieght

Thanks will be looking forward to doing business with you

 

[plumber_greg]

Greg
after careful deliberation on these calves and lots of genetic research from my geneticist and computing the nutrient reguirements with my nutritionist I am of the conclusion that I need to come pick these calves up and bring them down to the southern part of the state so I can get valuable Ultrasound data on them and not until then can we fully realize the potential shortcomings of these specimens
actually I don't think just these 4 will give us accurate data so therefore I will send a pot to pick up the whole crop of calves and I will get back to you on what the outcome was so that you can change your genetics to be the best
as you know it will take time to see if you are actually improving your cattle so I would say for the next 3 or 4 yrs you will need to send these calves to me so we will have data to know if you are actually heading in the right direction
So what day is good for you for me to have the truck arrive
PS I will be billing you on a monthly basis for all this info so a credit card # would be the easiest so the check doesn't get lost in the mail you know how them Postal employees are
also just give the driver a signed blank check for the frieght

Thanks will be looking forward to doing business with you

Just be sure the pot has a place for bird cages in the front. Send the pot as soon as you get the chicken house built. Do your genetic specialist also grade very small birds? gs

 

[Angus Cowman]

Just be sure the pot has a place for bird cages in the front. Send the pot as soon as you get the chicken house built. Do your genetic specialist also grade very small birds? gs

Greg
I have talked to my geneticist and he said he will do small birds but there will be an extra fee as the he will have to sort thru the feathers as it is hard to see thru all that FLUFF
The aviary will be built by tuesday so I will be sending the truck on that day

thanks again for your business

AC

 

[gabbyellepaige]

some rump and front shots would be nice
#3
has nice some nice muscling. moderate depth.
#16
very nice muscling all the way through. nice width of loin. nice depth.
#91
nice muscling in the rear quarter, but not much depth.
#118
has very nice muscling in the shoulders and rump. nice width of loin. moderate depth.
so if i had to put them in order from favorite to least.
16, 118, 91, 3.
i think #16 and #118 will make great steers and #3 has potential but i feel #91 is too light.

 

[Angus Cowman]

Greg
I just talked to the driver of the pot He would like to load out about 5:30 in the morning so you had better stay home from work today and get them calves gathered and sorted
and don't forget the birds

 

[VCC]

Without different views and just going off the pictures you have, I would pick them this way.

#16 is the only steer I would consider for a show type steer, balanced, fresh, has eye appeal and hair.

#118 looks coarse (could be the photo); I do like his length and bone. There is the chance that once he sheds out he may have more eye appeal. Should be a meat wagon.

# 3 I think he may be the narrowest based of the four steer and looks finer boned.

# 91 No guts no glory, like his topline and neck extinction but just not near deep enough.

If you had all 4 in a pen and could see the move I am guessing the order would change