Interested in opinions

[vontrapp1]

I am interested in the opinions of others with respect to this bull. He is L1 if you could not guess by looking at him.

I know this is common thing to put up but it can be helpful to get others opinions.

 

[KNERSIE]

Since there are no other takers...

pros:
very good length
good long hip
decent balance
long muscle
decent looking eye
good width between the pins
looks like he can be structurally sound

cons:
not masculine enough
head lacks character
doesn't carry the width down through the lower quarter
light boned
looks a "soft" bull

what I can't see enough of:
I'd like to see his feet, rear pasterns looks like it could be bordering on the long and low side.

I believe the breed needs a bit more and harder muscle than this bull has, he looks a decent bull or at least a bull that can be used as a tool to address certain issues within a herd, but he isn't enough bull for me to consider him as a stud sire.

 

[vontrapp1]

I would basically agree with your pros and cons. He does walk well and doesn't have any mobility issues. The good thing is that he has added significant style and muscle to the calves he has sired. His head really is what I would call a typical L1 head. I also would like him to carry more weight in the lower quarter myself. In general he is a good bull not the end all bull for sure but he does the job. My concern for L1 cattle is that it is hard sometimes to find a bull that tracks wide from behind a deep quartered animal in the breed though available from time to time is not as common as it used to be especially when you want it to come as a total package with other necessary traits.

Thanks for your comments.

 

[2/B or not 2/B]

I look at a bull like that and at first I only see a long, deep, good looking animal. It's very instructional to read a thorough assessment like Knersie's.

 

[Rustler9]

What is an L1? Sorry not a Hereford breeder-although I truly like Horned Herefords, was reading the thread and jsut wondering what L1 meant. Thanks.

 

[KNERSIE]

Line 1, originally developed at MSU

 

[Rustler9]

Ok thanks, are they purebred Hereford, just another line?

 

[vontrapp1]

L1 Herefords are a purebred hereford. They are a straight horned line that has been closed at least at the Mile City Research station since the mid 1930's. They were part of a larger research program on beef cattle and they are the longest continuously studied population in the US. The program created a few other lines like L12 which had some following for a while but the L1 has survived the test of time. For the horned breeder they are the primarly genepool today to pull from from a performance point of view in the U.S. at least.

Actually if you want to read more about L1 Hereford Cattle here is a link to the Research station and some information about how it all began.

http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/m ... rd0310.htm

 

[Rustler9]

Thanks, I will read about them. Always liked the Horned Herefords. Don't see many around here anymore.

 

[Rustler9]

Read it-very interesting. I do some line breeding in my herd and have had some great results but nothing to this extent and of course don't have a closed herd.

 

[Australian]

One of the better Hereford bulls I've seen posted.