Early temperment indicators

[Susie David]

Susie was gabbing with another sale barn widow awhile back while I was talking man-talk (teats and flesh) with her husband. Now my bride wants to gather data on the early temperment indicators in our cows. Seems that folks believe that the lower the swirl on the forehead the more mellow the disposition of the cow...we have a mixed bag when it comes to swirls and all the cows are pretty easy going.
Anybody herd about this or other tells on the disposition before?
Think that input will calm Susie's mind on the subject, not that I mind making notes and taking pictures of cow faces...then I did submit a pic of the south end of the bull.
I think that I'll handle this one and find other projects for the son-in-law.
Appreciate your input....Dave Mc

 

[MikeC]

Susie was gabbing with another sale barn widow awhile back while I was talking man-talk (teats and flesh) with her husband. Now my bride wants to gather data on the early temperment indicators in our cows. Seems that folks believe that the lower the swirl on the forehead the more mellow the disposition of the cow...we have a mixed bag when it comes to swirls and all the cows are pretty easy going.
Anybody herd about this or other tells on the disposition before?
Think that input will calm Susie's mind on the subject, not that I mind making notes and taking pictures of cow faces...then I did submit a pic of the south end of the bull.
I think that I'll handle this one and find other projects for the son-in-law.
Appreciate your input....Dave Mc

I have read this also. Might be something to this "Swirl" thing.
I think? it was Temple Grandin that came up with the theory.

 

[dun]

In theory, the more centered the whorl is between the eyes the better the disposition.
I haven;t found it to be true, but I'm not a PHD either.
What we use for an indicator is their behaviour as calves while still with the cow and when we run them through the chute. If they go nuts in the chute they go to the feedlot, if they're calm they may make it to the potential retention list.
Sold some really nice heifers last year that one of the producers wanted to buy when we dropped them off at the backgrounders. Wouldn;t sell them as anything other then feeders. Goofy as could be and acted up when in the chute. They'll all act up a bit the first time they're caught, but to go totally nuts and be rearing up and falling down, that's too looney for my taste.

dun

dun

 

[MikeC]

The percentage of "Dark Cutters" goes up exponentially with the "Fools" we sometimes raise too! Or so I have read.

They also gain at a much slower pace than the calm ones.

 

[joe]

we go with Dun's cull predictors. It they come out of that chute and go 6 feet high, and don't touch the ground for 30 feet, bye bye at weaning time. Worst trouble we have is with red calves. I get very few out of the f-1's but they are always nuts! Bull, steer, or heifer, and the Mrs. has tried hard to find a nice one, so she can get a little color in the all black/white herd, but no go. I think we have weeded out the crazies, and have a few poor weaners/low milkers to leave this year. Tried looking atthe whirl, but haven't found anything definite at all.

 

[Beefy]

the whorl is bullcrap.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

Its a tradeoff if i raised straight british cattle i would be more inclined to cull a shoot runner. but raising brahman cross cause alot of my replacement heifers are a little hot but turn out gentle as cows as brammers go that is and im glad i kept um. its alot in how you handle them.after fooling with them for awhile you figure out the do's & dont's.

 

[Beefy]

this is true, a lot of times a flighty heifer will simmer down with age.

 

[skyeagle]

JUST LIKE THE REST OF US

 

[Aaron]

That's all crap. Another suggestion to that theory is that bulls with smooth hair on their head are more aggresive than bulls with curly heads. I been around bulls that are teddy bears with and without the curls and bulls that would like to rip your limbs off one at a time with both types of hair as well.