Cattle then and now

[dun]

I just saw a picture of the MO State Fair FFA champion Angus bull. From what I could tell he was a short legged squarry little thing but with a tremendous amout of depth, length and width on him. Next to that picture was a current bull. Didn't show the thickness or depth and had a lot more leg. That's the history, now the question.
Does any one have records or data showing what kind of weights those squatty little cattle (my preferred type) had in comparison to todays cattle?

dun

 

[la4angus]

I just saw a picture of the MO State Fair FFA champion Angus bull. From what I could tell he was a short legged squarry little thing but with a tremendous amout of depth, length and width on him. Next to that picture was a current bull. Didn't show the thickness or depth and had a lot more leg. That's the history, now the question.
Does any one have records or data showing what kind of weights those squatty little cattle (my preferred type) had in comparison to todays cattle?

dun

What year was the MO. State FFA champion Angus bull from.

 

[dun]

What year was the MO. State FFA champion Angus bull from.

Knew I had forgotten something.

The year was 1956

dun

 

[hillbilly]

No offical records, but...
My dad had a grand champion yearling bull in Iowa in 1947.[4H thing I think]
He has a picture, a ribbon and a copy of a check.
My dad was a late bloomer, he wasn't more than 5'10" in the picture.
You can see the bottom line of his chest over the bulls back.
The bull looked very long, he only has about 10" [if that] of ground clearance in front.
He weighed 1250 lbs and brought $1 per pound in 1947.


Hillbilly

 

[dun]

I hadn't meant to make it sound like a strictly Angus thing, I'm curious about all of the british breeds. They were the most common in the 50's & 60s so figured there would be more data/information available.

dun

 

[la4angus]

I hadn't meant to make it sound like a strictly Angus thing, I'm curious about all of the british breeds. They were the most common in the 50's & 60s so figured there would be more data/information available.

dun

I have some old Angus Journals, some from in the 40's and 50's. I can scan some of the pics and post them or let someone that is better than me at posting pics do it.
All the British were about the same as far as size goes, except for the Red Angus. They had more frame than the others.

 

[dun]

All the British were about the same as far as size goes, except for the Red Angus. They had more frame than the others.

But how did they stack up against todays animals of the same breeds? Lighter in butcher weight, or have we pretty much traded shorter legged animals for longer legged ones that fill the same niche?

dun

 

[txshowmom]

Dun here is a neat website. It gives the weight on some of them but the pictures are really cool to look at. Enjoy

http://www.msu.edu/~ritchieh/historical/cattletype.html

 

[Cattle Rack Rancher]

Boy those cattle from the 50's and sixties are sure strange looking by today's standards. That"Paulinemere T." is sure a funny looking thing. Excellent web page, I'll add it to my favorites list.

 

[TLCfromARK]

Dun here is a neat website. It gives the weight on some of them but the pictures are really cool to look at. Enjoy

http://www.msu.edu/~ritchieh/historical/cattletype.html

Thanks for the link, looks like a good place to look around.
;-)

 

[Craig-TX]

Interesting link. I've always liked the look of those "blocky" calves. They just look like the kind of animal you could get some great steaks out of.

Craig-TX

 

[Cattle Rack Rancher]

http://www.msu.edu/~ritchieh/historical/cattletype.html

So when you lokk at those animals from the late 1800's, the 1930's etc. Do you really think we've improved the breeds that much?

 

[SPRINGER FARMS MURRAY GRE]

Dun Here is a picture of my bull.My neighbor has been in the business for many years.He thinks my bull is too short, but remarked that
" I remember 50 years ago,all cattle looked like that". :cboy:

 

[Lost Hope Ranch]

Common Springer
You can't remember 50 yrs ago. You're to young.

 

[certherfbeef]

In my opinion, it is not weather the animal it's self is too short, but rather does that animal produce the type of stock you prefer. Springer Farm's bull may be too short for the neighbor's program, but obviosly works great for Springer Farms.

There are Herefords that are too tall for my program, I have some pretty frammy cattle. So something shorter works for me as far as a bull goes in order to get the type of cattle I like.

 

[SPRINGER FARMS MURRAY GRE]

Common Springer
You can't remember 50 yrs ago. You're to young.

I am 55,but it was my neighbor (75) that was reminiscing. Reread my post! ;-) :lol: :cboy:

 

[SPRINGER FARMS MURRAY GRE]

By the way, what does everyone think of the bull?

 

[dd]

Dun,
My dad left several old college books from the 50's that show several pictures of that style animal.

 

[OldTex]

By the way, what does everyone think of the bull?

Pretty good looking bull. He has a straight back and looks like good hind quarters on him. Can't really see from the profile but I would be willing to bet he is a pretty thick individual.
How old is he and what's he weigh.

 

[bward]

In a fairly recent cattlemens magazine ( oh about 5 years ago) There was an Ad for Shorthorn cattle. on one page they had a pic from the 50's and like you describe, the cattle were short, and extremely deep and thick. On the following page was modern Shorthorn and they had a heck of a lot of air under them, besides being pencil gutted. I honestly don't think they could have found a worse " modern" example.
The message to the Ad was about how the shorthorn has change to be better than ever....

I kept looking back to the old pictures and I couldn't help think.... " What a shame" That may be why the Ad was only run once.