Well, here we go again with the same old bit of rhetoric regarding analysis, judging, assessment, ( meaning determining the value, significance, or importance of a person, place or thing) for the purpose of LEARNING some very critical details of the Beef BU$INE$$. In this particular instance, it is pertaining to and is in connection with determining, discovering and acquiring knowledge and skills for the successful breeding of beef cattle. Any breeder who has been in the business of producing PROFITABLE beef cattle for even a few years knows how complex and intricate the management of Genetics, Phenotype, and the balancing of traits and characteristics is in arriving at a satisfactory conclusion in selecting a bull (or cow) to maintain or, hopefully, enhance the ultimate quality of one's herd for the purpose of improving the quality of the breeding herd and, therefore, the expected PROFIT at the end of the year!
Those are lots of words to say - KNOWLEDGE is necessary for SUCCESS!
In the tough business of preparing a young person (or an older person for that matter) to be successful in the beef business, sentimental feelings, soft-heartedness and pity must take a back door to reality. In describing the optimal good points and obvious negative factors of an animal should be done in a straight-forward manner - not cruelly done, or with disregard for the feelings of another, but with an honest appraisal of the animal in question. To impart a "mis-interpreted" opinion to one seeking information because you don't wish to "hurt their feelings" is doing them an injustice. Tell them the truth! Just be darn sure that you know what you are talking about!
Learning is ". . the acquiring of knowledge or skills. . ", and the learning curve is the time required to learn certain information and/or skills, That "learning curve" is different for each individual, and some require a longer period of time than others to become comfortable with those skills. To be reluctant to "lay it on the line", so to speak, just extends that Learning Curve longer than should be optimal. Learning this Beef Business is tough enough without having to "dance around" a batch of "feel good" blather to avoid hurt feelings. As President Harry Truman once said, "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!".
DOC HARRIS
