ismith
Well-known member
Not many here in Montana, but I've picked up a few and they are great looking red cows.
Will be selling beef direct to the consumer, so hide color isn't too important to me.I used to have a bunch of beef shorthorn cows years ago. Good cattle, but the market is tuff especially if they're spotted or roans and I don't like to give the calves away at low prices.
That's a heck of a nice looking pair!Not raising them, but have one Hereford Shorthorn cross cow.View attachment 969
She's prettyNot raising them, but have one Hereford Shorthorn cross cow.View attachment 969
It's shameful they were good cows but the dockage is huge. I've watched a group of chromed up shorthornX calves got sold for only $1.05 per lbs and they were only 550lbs. The solids were bring $1.20-1.30 per lbs in the same weight class. There was another group but with horns only brought for $.85 per lbs....OUCH.Used to be several around years ago but hardly see any now. When you do see them at the stockyards they get docked regardless of quality, even though the cows have always seemed to be regarded as being good calf raisers.
That's how I got the cow I posted a picture of. Bought her at sale as a heifer, she wasn't bringing much in comparison so I thought for that price she might be worth taking a chance on.It's shameful they were good cows but the dockage is huge. I've watched a group of chromed up shorthornX calves got sold for only $1.05 per lbs and they were only 550lbs. The solids were bring $1.20-1.30 per lbs in the same weight class. There was another group but with horns only brought for $.85 per lbs....OUCH.
Up here that's a Speckle Park, a registered breed. They seem to sell well, but they always seem to be small from what I've seen.I would love to find some good beef type Shorthorns. Not these clubby hair balls that you see everywhere, but good solid soggy wide hipped calf raising machines.
If you take a Shorthorn cow and cross her to a good carcass traited angus bull the resulting F1 Shorthorn Plus steers will be some of the best feeding cattle you can raise.
That IF they're black. If they're chromed up....they're cheapest feeders. Best way to not get docked by the feedlot buyers...would be retained ownership on then all way to the slaughter.I would love to find some good beef type Shorthorns. Not these clubby hair balls that you see everywhere, but good solid soggy wide hipped calf raising machines.
If you take a Shorthorn cow and cross her to a good carcass traited angus bull the resulting F1 Shorthorn Plus steers will be some of the best feeding cattle you can raise.
Besides my own cow herd, for the last 20years I've been Herdsmen for a neighbor. We used to feed our around 400 hd a yr. When we were buying feeder cattle my first choice was red and roan (red or blue) Shorthorn crosses, second choice was black nosed Charolais. The packers want good cutting cattle, they can bend the rules to make hide color work the way they want.That IF they're black. If they're chromed up....they're cheapest feeders. Best way to not get docked by the feedlot buyers...would be retained ownership on then all way to the slaughter.
I talked to a breeder in Michigan how told me that they were shipping embryos from Argentina. Supposedly they still have some real good Shorthorns down there.Up here that's a Speckle Park, a registered breed. They seem to sell well, but they always seem to be small from what I've seen.
Edit: Did some Googling and come to find that while Speckle Park did start with Shorthorn and Angus, the breed was actually developed using Teeswater Shorthorn, Aberdeen Angus and a British white
I watched the charX feeder prices getting worse over years and I do not know why. It's a shame that shorthorns and Charolais are good cattle for crossbreeding programs. Not mentioned that club calf industry pretty ruined the shorthorn breed much....it's hard to find commercial type shorthorns nowadays.Besides my own cow herd, for the last 20years I've been Herdsmen for a neighbor. We used to feed our around 400 hd a yr. When we were buying feeder cattle my first choice was red and roan (red or blue) Shorthorn crosses, second choice was black nosed Charolais. The packers want good cutting cattle, they can bend the rules to make hide color work the way they want.
But... Here in the heart of the corn belt the sale barns and order buyers have beat it in to everyone that black hides rule.
The last two years my char cross strs have brought $0.15 less than their black half sibs. It makes me sick, but I just don't have room to feed them out.