Angus Heifer...what do ya think of her? (pics)

[LimousinGirl]

First off, this girl is a little over 18 months old, do you think she is small for her age? And yeah, I know she is a little fat...but thats mostly all from grass But I am tryin to get some of that off her before I breed her in a few weeks.

Anyway, what do you like/not like about her? I think in this picture she DOES look a little disproportioned, but hey, its hard to get pictures where they look just perfect, right? Her back feet are on a little "hump" making her back look like it slants up though.I want to know all you've got to say about her! Her sire is EXG New Frontier 41175, grand sire is B/R New Frontier 095, great-grand sire is B/R New Design 036. Dam is EXG Blackbird N527 R3 and Dam's sire is EXAR New Formula 0834 and Dam's grand sire Bon View New Design 1407.

-LG

 

[bigbull338]

she is a goodlooking heifers.if she has any falts i cant see them right off.an she is a pretty big heifer.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

that's is a fine looking heifer... short necked though

 

[bandit80]

I can't find much fault in her. Looks like the type of easy fleshing female that will make a purty good cow. Her pedigree is absolutley stacked. Now just breed her to an easy calving Gelbvieh bull. ;-)

 

[ROB]

LimousinGirl- you have a nice looking heifer there. i'd be careful though in her mating plan and look for a bull with really good front shoulders.

ROB

 

[alabama]

Nice looking cow. But she is way too fat. It is not good for her to be that fat and in fact she mey not bred beeing that fat.
She is a nice looking girl though.

 

[KNERSIE]

Nice looking cow. But she is way too fat. It is not good for her to be that fat and in fact she mey not bred beeing that fat.
She is a nice looking girl though.

I agree that she is too fat and that may affect her ability to conceive, but I dare say if she is put on a diet and on a negative plane of condition she is even less likely to breed.

 

[3waycross]

She's sure enough a nice heifer. I agree with Bandit that shameless
gelbvieh promoter she would throw some real nice Balancer heifers

Rather than trying to not feed the weight off her, maybe you can get her some exersize. Like having to walk a long way to feed, water and back. Just a thought, the exersize sure won't hurt her.

 

[K2011]

I agree she does look pretty fat and short necked too.....but over all looks like a good heifer

 

[LimousinGirl]

Thanks for all the input guys! I totally agree with ya'll that she is WAY to fat and I think she is a bit short necked too. I was almost embarrassed to put her on here 'cause she is so fat. They do have to walk a long ways to water, not getting any feed right now. The other cows are in no way fat like she is, they look great. Thing is, last year we had a Lim. heifer that got so fat like this in the summer, maybe it's our grass or something! Man, maybe I need to invent some "weight loss" pills for cows! :lol: Anyway, I guess there's not a whole lot else I can do to get her to burn some of that fat is there?

-LG

 

[mnmtranching]

Seems a little strange to put a heifer on a weight loss program. Maybe feed her another 60 days and sell her as a fat. On the other hand, if the weight is put on with grass, not all that bad. She is a nice looking heifer.

 

[LimousinGirl]

Seems a little strange to put a heifer on a weight loss program. Maybe feed her another 60 days and sell her as a fat. On the other hand, if the weight is put on with grass, not all that bad. She is a nice looking heifer.

Yeah, strange! But I don't ever plan on selling her unless something majorly wrong happens. She's my first Angus and I'm in love with her. I'm thinking I'm just gonna leave her and keep her off grain for right now, breed her and I really think she'll be fine. After all, most of it IS just from grass.
Thanks again!
-LG

 

[Frankie]

So who are you beeding her to?

 

[Limomike]

Good looking heifer.... I wouldnt worry too much about her breeding because of her weight, unless she was a LOW weight. Otherwise... she will do fine.

 

[DOC HARRIS]

First off, this girl is a little over 18 months old, do you think she is small for her age? And yeah, I know she is a little fat...but thats mostly all from grass But I am tryin to get some of that off her before I breed her in a few weeks.

Anyway, what do you like/not like about her? I think in this picture she DOES look a little disproportioned, but hey, its hard to get pictures where they look just perfect, right? Her back feet are on a little "hump" making her back look like it slants up though.I want to know all you've got to say about her! Her sire is EXG New Frontier 41175, grand sire is B/R New Frontier 095, great-grand sire is B/R New Design 036. Dam is EXG Blackbird N527 R3 and Dam's sire is EXAR New Formula 0834 and Dam's grand sire Bon View New Design 1407.

-LG

LimousinGirl-

You have introduced a "Pandora's Box" subject with this heifer! You asked ..."what do you think of her?" - AND - ..."what do you like/not like about her?" You said, "I want to know all you've got to say about her!"

Well, - to begin with - this is a SINGLE, SIDE VIEW PICTURE of an Angus Heifer which exhibits an obviously well fed, well cared-for black female. That is a given. You inquired whether she was "...small for her age (18 months old)" By comparing her apparent height with the panel behind her, I would say she is within the average frame size for her breeding. That covers a lot of area, and doesn't really make a positive comment about her size (or lack of it). But for this discussion at this time, that is sufficient.

I think that our next discussion point should be, "What are your GOALS for this heifer?" And these questions are appropriate for ANY discussion about an individual beef animal - whatever breed they may represent. Do your plans encompass breeding her for Registration purposes? Or crossbreeding purposes? Or her being a Donor for flushing and AI purposes? Or producing Terminal calves for the feedlot?

The answer to your unasked question regarding her Angus Genetics revolves around her concentration of New Frontier and Bon View New Design genetics. This is my Personal Opinion, and explains why she appears to have a disproportional skeletal structure from front to rear ( well balanced front end and shortened hindquarters from the 13th rib back). The particular Angus breeding combinations which she carries is a real "bone of contention" between many producers, but my feelings are that this particular combination of genes produces "Funnel Butts", and/or lack of muscling in hindquarters and other financially critical areas of a carcass. I am not trying to start a war with Angus breeders, but I have very strong convictions about what has happened to the Angus breed that I used to know, and I am also VERY well aware of the fact that a great number of high volume Angus breeder's became aware of that fact two or three cattle generations ago, and are going about changing the genetics which perpetrated those traits.

Crossbreeding is a management technic which can help to overcome those Phenotypic and Genotypic characteristics in seedstock programs, but if your Operation involves Registered Angus Breeding, I would strongly encourage your thorough investigation of ALL genetics as you progress through your breeding programs. The EPD's that this heifer possesses are very commendable for MOST traits, but the Phenotype of her hindquarters, and other cattle with her similar breeding, leave a LOT to be desired! Investigation and thorough study of pedigrees of current Angus cattle being sold, and having been sold this sale season, will reveal how the cattle with heavier hindquarters and overall muscularity, and lower Milk EPD's that has been the fad in recent years, is dominating the future direction (no pun intended) of Angus breeding protocols. And it is past time!

My opinion of this little girl is very positive, in spite of what you may think from what I have just written. But it depends upon your GOALS as to how acceptable she would be in a breeding program, and to which bull (or bulls) to whom she would be bred.

Terminal program - she has a lot to offer.
Maternal program - she probably has a lot to offer - depending on her Growth and Maternal EPD's.

Whatever program you decide to pursue - get some of that fat off of her, and start her on a forced WALKING exercise program before you breed her... and carefully monitor her daily feed intake to modify her Daily Gain.

DOC HARRIS

 

[EAT BEEF]

Boy Doc I find myself thinking along the same lines as you alot lately. That can't be good ;-)

I'm guessing she came from Express? I Think she looks nice for what she is,but I really don't care for the breeding.By the breeding there is not much that tells me she would be easy fleshing so I think she may have been feed hard before you got her?If she came from Ex I know she was,so the real test will be once she is in production if she is still easy fleshing.

 

[SouthrnBlacks]

I'd Take a couple just like her!!! :clap:

 

[LimousinGirl]

LimousinGirl-

You have introduced a "Pandora's Box" subject with this heifer! You asked ..."what do you think of her?" - AND - ..."what do you like/not like about her?" You said, "I want to know all you've got to say about her!"

Well, - to begin with - this is a SINGLE, SIDE VIEW PICTURE of an Angus Heifer which exhibits an obviously well fed, well cared-for black female. That is a given. You inquired whether she was "...small for her age (18 months old)" By comparing her apparent height with the panel behind her, I would say she is within the average frame size for her breeding. That covers a lot of area, and doesn't really make a positive comment about her size (or lack of it). But for this discussion at this time, that is sufficient.

I think that our next discussion point should be, "What are your GOALS for this heifer?" And these questions are appropriate for ANY discussion about an individual beef animal - whatever breed they may represent. Do your plans encompass breeding her for Registration purposes? Or crossbreeding purposes? Or her being a Donor for flushing and AI purposes? Or producing Terminal calves for the feedlot?

The answer to your unasked question regarding her Angus Genetics revolves around her concentration of New Frontier and Bon View New Design genetics. This is my Personal Opinion, and explains why she appears to have a disproportional skeletal structure from front to rear ( well balanced front end and shortened hindquarters from the 13th rib back). The particular Angus breeding combinations which she carries is a real "bone of contention" between many producers, but my feelings are that this particular combination of genes produces "Funnel Butts", and/or lack of muscling in hindquarters and other financially critical areas of a carcass. I am not trying to start a war with Angus breeders, but I have very strong convictions about what has happened to the Angus breed that I used to know, and I am also VERY well aware of the fact that a great number of high volume Angus breeder's became aware of that fact two or three cattle generations ago, and are going about changing the genetics which perpetrated those traits.

Crossbreeding is a management technic which can help to overcome those Phenotypic and Genotypic characteristics in seedstock programs, but if your Operation involves Registered Angus Breeding, I would strongly encourage your thorough investigation of ALL genetics as you progress through your breeding programs. The EPD's that this heifer possesses are very commendable for MOST traits, but the Phenotype of her hindquarters, and other cattle with her similar breeding, leave a LOT to be desired! Investigation and thorough study of pedigrees of current Angus cattle being sold, and having been sold this sale season, will reveal how the cattle with heavier hindquarters and overall muscularity, and lower Milk EPD's that has been the fad in recent years, is dominating the future direction (no pun intended) of Angus breeding protocols. And it is past time!

My opinion of this little girl is very positive, in spite of what you may think from what I have just written. But it depends upon your GOALS as to how acceptable she would be in a breeding program, and to which bull (or bulls) to whom she would be bred.

Terminal program - she has a lot to offer.
Maternal program - she probably has a lot to offer - depending on her Growth and Maternal EPD's.

Whatever program you decide to pursue - get some of that fat off of her, and start her on a forced WALKING exercise program before you breed her... and carefully monitor her daily feed intake to modify her Daily Gain.

DOC HARRIS

Wow Doc Harris, thanks alot! Thanks for telling what you REALLY think, thats what I like to hear! I guess my goal for this heifer is, right now I would like to build my herd up a little bit, (I don't think it's all about "the more the better", I'd just like to have a few more to make the farm more productive) so lets say if she has heifers, they will most likely be kept, unless for some reason I decide otherwise, and bulls will most likely be butchered as steers. I am really more interested in crossbreeding over just "registered" breeding, although I don't think Registered is bad, I'd much rather go with crossbreeding, there seems to be so many benefits of it. I definitely understand what you mean by "lack of muscling in hindquarters and other financially critical areas of a carcass". I have noticed this problem in my heifer, hopefully we will be able to improve this in her calves by choosing a bull to help with that. Thanks alot for your honest opinion and for taking the time to post all that--great help! I've read your post several time to make sure I understand all you said!

Eat Beef, I got her from Express , although they aren't the ones that actually bred her. Rolling R3 did. When I bought her, she definitely wasn't not too "fat". Oh, and Frankie, I have 2 options to breed her to, I have not decided on one yet. Will let you know what I do though.

Thanks folks for ALL the input!

-LG

 

[RD-Sam]

How has this heifer turned out?