Balancer Bull..You folks tell me..UPDATE

[3waycross]

He's out of my best Gelbvieh hiefer and a real nice Angus Bull. Right at 5 months old. BW 72 lbs

I think he even started out kinda classy lookin. Baby picture!

 

[Keren]

I'm gonna be honest, when the picture first popped up I thought WOW, thats a gorgeous heifer.

Thats usually not a good sign.

I like every thing else about him except ... he doesnt look like a bull.

 

[3waycross]

I'm gonna be honest, when the picture first popped up I thought WOW, thats a gorgeous heifer.

Thats usually not a good sign.

I like every thing else about him except ... he doesnt look like a bull.

Keren thanks for your honesty. If I have a concern about him it is that also. He does look more masculine in person and definately a a heckofa a set of nuts on him. I also like the fact that he drives my Bull nuts mounting everything in sight , including the bull. I will leave him intact thru the fall and if he matures right will put him on test. If not, I know a little girl who needs a club calf.

 

[mnmtranching]

Got potential, The calf is 5 months old a little young to take on a masculine look. Give us another pic at 7 months.

 

[alacattleman]

ive had em that had the masculine look younger than 5 months, ive also been able too tell if they were a bull or heifer by the head at birth not often but ive done it,,,,,,,but any way he's a good looking calf..

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

He is a good looking calf. I would question his rear legs. They "appear" too posty for me in the 1st & 3rd pic - but we all know what pics can do. Something you should really look closely at in person.

 

[aussie_cowgirl]

He is a good looking calf. I would question his rear legs. They "appear" too posty for me in the 1st & 3rd pic - but we all know what pics can do. Something you should really look closely at in person.

Well picked. I didn't notice till you mentioned it.

 

[alacattleman]

ive seen alot of gelvieh that have a posty look, they seem too have a certain stance about em

 

[Keren]

I noticed the leg thing also, but didnt mention it because I wasnt sure if it was the lighting of the pics or not.

Its not that I want him hugely masculine at 5 mths old, but I can usually pick from a few weeks old bull or heifer just by the head. Aussie's santa cross bull calf she posted the pic of for example, has a bull head on him at only 1.5 mths.

3way, honestly if he were mine and I knew someone looking for a club calf, I'd steer him. I think he'd make a helluva show steer. I'm not convinced he's a bull prospect.

 

[3waycross]

I noticed the leg thing also, but didnt mention it because I wasnt sure if it was the lighting of the pics or not.

Its not that I want him hugely masculine at 5 mths old, but I can usually pick from a few weeks old bull or heifer just by the head. Aussie's santa cross bull calf she posted the pic of for example, has a bull head on him at only 1.5 mths.

3way, honestly if he were mine and I knew someone looking for a club calf, I'd steer him. I think he'd make a helluva show steer. I'm not convinced he's a bull prospect.

Keren
I'm not convinced either but I can always wait a bit to find out. right now it's way too hot and too many flies to cut or band him. By oct he will either need to go on test or loose the family jewels and go to show school. I just hate to be hasty, like some one said yesterday you can glue em back on but they very rarely work.

 

[Keren]

lol too true

I forgot you guys are in summer over there. I'm freezing my butt off here.

Hey, keep us updated on him, whatever you decide

 

[3waycross]

Well here we are a month later. I got a lot of feedback on this calf including he wasn't masculine enuf and he was posty. Keren thinks he would make a good show steer.

So I went out and took some new pics. What do we think now. These pics are not all the best cuz I had to use my phone

 

[Keren]

Keren thinks he would make a good show steer.

I'll change my opinion a little

He will make a GREAT show steer :mrgreen:

 

[3waycross]

Keren thinks he would make a good show steer.

I'll change my opinion a little

He will make a GREAT show steer :mrgreen:

Thanks Keren. At least you stick to your guns. Doesn't mean you're right, but you don't back down.

I will ask you to be more specific, though. Cuz he for sure is not gonna lose his nuts.

 

[Keren]

3way, I'm not afraid to change my opinion but in this case I wont.

I stand by what I said, he doesnt look like a BULL.Granted he has filled out somer but he doesnt display the masculinity I am looking for by 6 mths. Coupled with the fact that his back leg structure is questionable, personally if he was mine I'd steer him.

He is far and away a better calf than the prospects you have posted on the show board. He will make an outstanding steer, he is such an improvement on the prospects as well as the winner you posted.

 

[aussie_cowgirl]

Hmm, I have to agree with Keren. I'm being pedantic but I'm pretty strict on selection of bulls and females, Keren is the same. I'd still want him to be showing more masculinity. If you had told me it was a steer I would have said "Oh ok." And this shouldn't be the reply you get to this question. I think its the last pic where he is kind of off side on where you can see this well developed body and a thin neck and head. Often our gut feelings are wrong, which is why I try to include outside knowledgeable input to my decisions.

 

[chippie]

I would not be too quick to judge based on these pictures. Namely because the angle of the pictures can change the appearance of an animal's conformation greatly. In one of the 3/4 rear pic, he does have some set to his hocks.

I say this because there have been times that I've seen pictures and think Yuk!. Then see the critter in person and discover that the pictures did not do it justice.

Personally, I like him. If you are not in a hurry, I wait and see what he looks like when he is a bit older. He really does not have a feminine head IMO.

It would be nice to see profile pictures with the camera lens held level with his body, and the same for front and rear views. You usually need to squat down to do that. However, when you are trying to take pictures out in the pasture, that is easier said than done (unless you have a good camera with a telephoto lens

 

[3waycross]

I would not be too quick to judge based on these pictures. Namely because the angle of the pictures can change the appearance of an animal's conformation greatly. In one of the 3/4 rear pic, he does have some set to his hocks.

I say this because there have been times that I've seen pictures and think Yuk!. Then see the critter in person and discover that the pictures did not do it justice.

Personally, I like him. If you are not in a hurry, I wait and see what he looks like when he is a bit older. He really does not have a feminine head IMO.

It would be nice to see profile pictures with the camera lens held level with his body, and the same for front and rear views. You usually need to squat down to do that. However, when you are trying to take pictures out in the pasture, that is easier said than done (unless you have a good camera with a telephoto lens

I was using my phone and they were in a 30 acre pasture. The really good side views were so far away that they fell apart when I photoshopped them to blow them up. What is not coming thru in these pictures is that he has started to develope a nice neck crest. Personally I like his head a lot. I have kinda had it with big ole palletheaded bulls. I am now on a mission to get really great pictures of him if it takes the rest of the summer. One thing is for sure i will take the already heavily developed rearend on this calf over a more "masculine" looking calf with no butt, any day of the week. I have no doubt he will develop those traits with age. To be frank I am a lot more worried about his height than his lack of masculinity.

 

[Keren]

how bout breeding for both? granted this calf is a touch older than yours

 

[3waycross]

how bout breeding for both? granted this calf is a touch older than yours

Keren I just wrote a long and terse reply but I decided to just limit my remarks to this. That calf is more than a little older and if that's what you want in a bull we are for sure worlds apart.