Fall Optimizer Calves

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

BTW: I have two fall Upgrade heifers, man, I like them. I know some elite breeders in my area who like everything except his feet.

Guess I am elite now ;-)

Any reason to use Upgrade rather than Top Grade ?

I think I can answer that question, since I have at least 20 Upgrade influenced females in my herd. First, Upgrade has BETTER performance, period! His EPD's prove that (and the accuracy):
https://herdbook.org/simmapp/action/ani ... er=2474338
This is Top Grade's EPD's:
https://herdbook.org/simmapp/action/ani ... er=2540315

I can attest to those performance EPD's. His calves wean off huge, and keep on gaining! I have raised many Upgrade sired bull calves, and I can guarantee you, they are the FIRST bulls to be picked out of the group and sold! They look as good as they do on paper. The females are outstanding too, so if you keep the heifer mates back, you will not be disappointed! They have nice, tidy udders and produce milk. They breed back quickly too. At least, in my herd, they do.
I have never had a foot problem, or structure problem. My oldest Upgrade female is 7 years old, in fact Margonme has one of her daughters, and Stocker (on here, raises White Park cattle) runs one of her bulls on his Parks. We are raising her bull calf from the spring last year (April) as our steer for the carcass contest this year (he tested carrier for NH, she is a carrier because of the Angus in her).
I use Upgrade because he flat out works. Our income is made on selling seed stock, not showing cattle. Upgrade produces great seed stock cattle.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Great! So my bull is a runt?

 

[Margonme]

Great! So my bull is a runt?

Not a runt. He would not stand like I wanted yesterday so the picture is not as good. He still has that wheeze. Kenley Conner, Select Sires, was here a few days ago, he said that wheeze is no big deal but I don't like it. As you can see, the Optimizer is right behind him.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Why are you torturing him?

 

[Margonme]

Why are you torturing him?

TT. No. Not torturing. He is actually one of the very calm ones. The Grandmaster calves I have had are easy to break to the halter and are born to lead. I have a few that are docile, handle being haltered but don't want to lead. Takes a lot of effort.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Why are you torturing him?

TT. No. Not torturing. He is actually one of the very calm ones. The Grandmaster calves I have had are easy to break to the halter and are born to lead. I have a few that are docile, handle being haltered but don't want to lead. Takes a lot of effort.

He looks uncomfortable.

 

[Margonme]

Why are you torturing him?

TT. No. Not torturing. He is actually one of the very calm ones. The Grandmaster calves I have had are easy to break to the halter and are born to lead. I have a few that are docile, handle being haltered but don't want to lead. Takes a lot of effort.

He looks uncomfortable.

They surrender to it. Takes training. It is not cruel and they get lots of grooming and attention. I notice the ones that get halter training like to come to me in the pasture for personal attention.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

TT. No. Not torturing. He is actually one of the very calm ones. The Grandmaster calves I have had are easy to break to the halter and are born to lead. I have a few that are docile, handle being haltered but don't want to lead. Takes a lot of effort.

He looks uncomfortable.

They surrender to it. Takes training. It is not cruel and they get lots of grooming and attention. I notice the ones that get halter training like to come to me in the pasture for personal attention.

I'm just messing with you Ron but in all seriousness I prefer my cattle to be slightly "standoffish" and respect my space. We have a couple that enjoy extra attention at times but I don't promote the behavior.

 

[Margonme]

He looks uncomfortable.

They surrender to it. Takes training. It is not cruel and they get lots of grooming and attention. I notice the ones that get halter training like to come to me in the pasture for personal attention.

I'm just messing with you Ron but in all seriousness I prefer my cattle to be slightly "standoffish" and respect my space. We have a couple that enjoy extra attention at times but I don't promote the behavior.

Man, I enjoy my cows. My cows are pets. They are akin to having a pasture full of gigantic dogs. Gratification like Liebfrauenmilch (German for Beloved lady's milk or milk of the virgin).

Margo who is my user name sake does not think she is a cow. She has the most difficult estrus cycle to calculate because her behavior is not bovine. I have coined a name for it - anthropobovine. Meaning mankind cow. She does not exhibit normal herd behavior. Often, when the other cows are far off in the pasture, she stays up here at the headquarters to be close to me.

MARGONME

 

[Bigfoot]

They must be gentle. They're standing there tied off hard and fast to Tarter panel. It'd be a wreck to remember, if they were to sit back on that.

 

[Margonme]

They must be gentle. They're standing there tied off hard and fast to Tarter panel. It'd be a wreck to remember, if they were to sit back on that.

Exactly.

 

[True Grit Farms]

Great! So my bull is a runt?

Not a runt. He would not stand like I wanted yesterday so the picture is not as good. He still has that wheeze. Kenley Conner, Select Sires, was here a few days ago, he said that wheeze is no big deal but I don't like it. As you can see, the Optimizer is right behind him.

I would like to try halter breaking a heifer calf someday. The kids at the school farm days we do would love to pet or brush a calf or cow. I'm going to try and pen a cow and calf up in panels this year so the kids can get closer. The liability just scares the want to out of me.

 

[Margonme]

Great! So my bull is a runt?

Not a runt. He would not stand like I wanted yesterday so the picture is not as good. He still has that wheeze. Kenley Conner, Select Sires, was here a few days ago, he said that wheeze is no big deal but I don't like it. As you can see, the Optimizer is right behind him.

I would like to try halter breaking a heifer calf someday. The kids at the school farm days we do would love to pet or brush a calf or cow. I'm going to try and pen a cow and calf up in panels this year so the kids can get closer. The liability just scares the want to out of me.

I enjoy working with the calves. Everyone loves a baby. There is not much risk with calves. You should try it.

 

[SIMMGAL]

Looking good so far!

How are your Optimizer calves looking compared to your others, body depth wise?

 

[Margonme]

Looking good so far!

How are your Optimizer calves looking compared to your others, body depth wise?

In comparison, they seem to grow faster but I must caution that I have few data points. Fire Sweep Simmental Ranch has several Optimizer calves and they have excelled in growth. Body depth is good. I will have more experience with Optimizer next fall - I have to check but I have about 5 Optimizer calves due in Sept/Oct 2017.