Balancer calf.

[southernultrablack]

I had posted pics of this calf a few months ago, and one of the critiques was that he was pinched in his heart girth. He's now almost 11 months and I'm curious what y'all think of him now? Would you still consider him pinched?

 

[holm25]

Very nice.

 

[Davemk]

Nope. Is he sold?

 

[Bright Raven]

He looks very nice to me!

 

[sim.-ang.king]

Heart girth is fine, he could use some more rib over all, but he's got the bull look so he ought to do fine.

 

[Coosh71]

Good looking guy.

 

[southernultrablack]

Thanks for the compliments!
Dave, he's not sold. He's probably going to go in a sale here in May.

 

[southernultrablack]

It's interesting to me how they change with a bit of age. I don't normally hold onto my calves this long so this is a learning experience for me.

 

[Bright Raven]

It's interesting to me how they change with a bit of age. I don't normally hold onto my calves this long so this is a learning experience for me.

They definitely change with age. I have 7 Cowboy Cut calves. One of the heifers looks like a runt. But that cow's calf always starts out slow and the calf does much better later.

 

[Franke]

Nice looking bull!

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

He looks good now.

 

[Coosh71]

Mine start out slow also, heifers we retain seem small but always end up weighing right and come together by the time we put bulls on. You bull looks good. We have a black balancer bull we raised and he is totally different today vs a year ago. Congrats on your bull.

 

[Lazy M]

Really solid bull

 

[southernultrablack]

Hey thanks for the compliments on the calf. If y'all have any critiques let me have them, just be specific! He's getting about 1.5-2% of Bodyweight of a 12% beef grower and that is broken up into two feedings and free choice grass hay. Would y'all change feed any closer to sale time?

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Depends on your sale. Does the buyer tend to purchase proper conditioned bulls or fat butterballs??
IMO - you want to shoot for a BCS of 6 to 6.5
You can easily feed 3% of their body weight, but I would think 2% should be good. He appears to be gaining well. Do you know what he weighs?

 

[southernultrablack]

Depends on your sale. Does the buyer tend to purchase proper conditioned bulls or fat butterballs??
IMO - you want to shoot for a BCS of 6 to 6.5
You can easily feed 3% of their body weight, but I would think 2% should be good. He appears to be gaining well. Do you know what he weighs?

Jeanne, he's about 1100 pounds now. I really don't want my bulls to be so overconditioned that I have to worry about fat in the wrong places. I would like them to have enough condition that they have a bit of eye appeal though.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

If he is 11 months old weighing 1100#, he is right on track.