Be the judge of German animals

[Blonde d'Aquitaine]

Hello:
Beef markets are all different.Genetic design is not the same everywhere. But a functional animal is functional everywhere. For me it is very interesting to know the opinion of farmers around the world about cattle judgement. Consequently I would like to ask you to tell me which of these heifers is the best one for you and why. Thank you very much in advance. Danke! Gracias.

If you want to see more pictures please visit http://www.blonde-d-auarch.de or http://bit.ly/BDA-Español

 

[3waycross]

I'd rate them 30, 31, 29.

I actually like 31 a little better but i am not sure about her tailset.

29 is roofey. ^

 

[gizmom]

I can't see 31 I don't know why on an I pad I only get half a picture, of 29 and 30 I would pick 30 but that was easy 29 to angular, and narrow.

Gizmom

 

[Alan]

Be careful what you ask for! :shock:

 

[Gators Rule]

I'd rate them 30, 31, 29.

I actually like 31 a little better but i am not sure about her tailset.

29 is roofey. ^

I would probably rank them 30, 31, 29 too, but it's hard to make a decision on 1 and 2 with just a butt shot.

3way, would that be a gable roofey, or a dutch hip roofey? :mrgreen:

 

[3waycross]

I'd rate them 30, 31, 29.

I actually like 31 a little better but i am not sure about her tailset.

29 is roofey. ^

I would probably rank them 30, 31, 29 too, but it's hard to make a decision on 1 and 2 with just a butt shot.

3way, would that be a gable roofey, or a dutch hip roofey? :mrgreen:

most likely an old barn roofey............you know i can't spell worth beans

 

[ohiosteve]

I'm far from an expert but I think 29's handler is pulling her head to the side right as she's getting ready to poop and making her look worse than she is. It's hard to judge from 1 photo.

 

[ohiosteve]

I'm far from an expert but I think 29's handler is pulling her head to the side right as she's getting ready to poop and making her look worse than she is. It's hard to judge from 1 photo.

Her front legs do look toed out though.

 

[lithuanian farmer]

I'd choose 30 or 31.

 

[3waycross]

I'm far from an expert but I think 29's handler is pulling her head to the side right as she's getting ready to poop and making her look worse than she is. It's hard to judge from 1 photo.

Her front legs do look toed out though.

So what's your point. She's at least 2 frame scores taller, and narrow a$$ed, and appears to have less capacity. I don't think the handler did that to her.

 

[MO_cows]

I never heard Blondes were later maturing, but the photo header says all these are 24 to 30 months old. Kind of disappointing they aren't in the cow/calf class by that age.

But based on that one picture, I would pick 30, then 31, then 29 dead last, too.

 

[Taurus]

30,31 and 29...based on the butts.

 

[glacierridge]

I'd rate them 30, 31, 29.

I actually like 31 a little better but i am not sure about her tailset.

29 is roofey. ^

I would probably rank them 30, 31, 29 too, but it's hard to make a decision on 1 and 2 with just a butt shot

Yep.
30 & 31 are really close from what I can tell.
I'd pass on the middle one tho I know there is worse out there.

 

[Tim/South]

Just from the pictures: 30, 29 and 31.
30 has the best handler hands down. She is the only heifer standing square.
29 has stepped wide with the front right and has her narrow in the hind. Possible prepping to poop may have something to do with that.
31 is set up wide in the front and is off balance. No way her hocks are that bad in real life and be showing. Hocks appear so unbalanced that she looks deformed.
The challenge was to judge by this one picture.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

why are they so close together ???

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

why are they so close together ???

Pens are shown that way. They judge them as a group.

 

[KNERSIE]

If they were steers I'd agree with 30, 31 and 29, 29 being too late maturing and lacks capacity and spring of rib, BUT they are heifers and as much as I like the structural soundness and beef conformation of 30, she shows no sign of udder development, her vulva is completely hidden by her tail, so I have to assume it is very small/underdeveloped. Her widest point is the thurl, which is a good sign for conformation and masculinity in a bull, but not in a heifer. A heifer at this age should show signs of udder development, if there isn't an udder yet, there should be skinfolds and post puberty teats at least. The hocks on 31 isn't bad at all, her left hind leg is just placed quite a bit behind the right one making her one hock look higher than the other. Judging females femininity and reproductive ability (or the promise thereof) should always trump beef conformation when the beefier female lacks female sexual expression.

 

[KNERSIE]

why are they so close together ???

Pens are shown that way. They judge them as a group.

They make a really poor group, no uniformity at all.

 

[cow pollinater]

If they were steers I'd agree with 30, 31 and 29, 29 being too late maturing and lacks capacity and spring of rib, BUT they are heifers and as much as I like the structural soundness and beef conformation of 30, she shows no sign of udder development, her vulva is completely hidden by her tail, so I have to assume it is very small/underdeveloped. Her widest point is the thurl, which is a good sign for conformation and masculinity in a bull, but not in a heifer. A heifer at this age should show signs of udder development, if there isn't an udder yet, there should be skinfolds and post puberty teats at least. The hocks on 31 isn't bad at all, her left hind leg is just placed quite a bit behind the right one making her one hock look higher than the other. Judging females femininity and reproductive ability (or the promise thereof) should always trump beef conformation when the beefier female lacks female sexual expression.

yep

 

[Willow Springs]

I never heard Blondes were later maturing, but the photo header says all these are 24 to 30 months old. Kind of disappointing they aren't in the cow/calf class by that age.

But based on that one picture, I would pick 30, then 31, then 29 dead last, too.

Many of the cattle in Europe don't calve until 30-36 months. I am sure some of them would calve earlier if they wanted them to, but they have a very different market than we do. They want big cows, especially the show herds, and calving them when they are young will slow the curve.