Large boned vs. Small boned

[Chuckie]

I often see comments about cattle being too small boned. I personally don't see a problem with this trait. What about this trait would keep you from purchasing or retaining the animal for breeding purposes?

I have never heard of a cow with bones breaking because they were too small.

I have never heard of a cow having problems giving birth to a calf because his bones were too small.

You can't eat the bone.

Larger boned cattle, like milk breeds, are discounted because of bone size.
What problems have you had to deal with small boned animals?
Chuckie

 

[MikeC]

This will be interesting, I'm sure.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

ive had more feet trouble than any thing. but i woud think that you would'nt want a larger frame to have tooth pick legs too hold up ton of weight and travel on em nor a small framer to have barrel legs.. just in poportion to the animal

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

As ALA said, everything must be in proportion. But fine bones _generally_ means less muscling and less ability to carry weight.

Rod

 

[ALACOWMAN]

As ALA said, everything must be in proportion. But fine bones _generally_ means less muscling and less ability to carry weight.

Rod

I battled with this in my mind last year with a retained heifer. i hated her light bone she was showin at the time. but kept her [mainly for her genetics] and now she's in perfect porportion as a yearlin...

 

[Aero]

i have heard it said that bone density decreases with increased bone size, so it probably isnt a linear proportion of weight vs size. i.e. - a bone with half as much volume doesnt have half as much mass/weight.

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

I battled with this in my mind last year with a retained heifer. i hated her light bone she was showin at the time. but kept her [mainly for her genetics] and now she's in perfect porportion as a yearlin...

It can be tough. I've even had yearlings that looked light to me, but after their first calves, they grew into their frames and are now just fine. In my opinion, a little feminine look for a cow isn't a _real_ bad thing, as long as she carries alot of volume. She may not hold up as long as something with heavier bone, but I only expect my cows to give me 10 or 11 calves in their lives, which really isn't all that difficult to attain.

Rod

 

[TheBullLady]

My heavier boned cattle have more muscling and more body mass than the smaller boned.

 

[KNERSIE]

My heavier boned cattle have more muscling and more body mass than the smaller boned.

I can add to that, my heavier boned cattle tend to get through hard times easier than the lighter boned cattle. Some very heavy boned calves tend to be harder calving though.

 

[Moocow11]

i like smalll frame for feeder calves and larger for show cattle. i dont like beeing docked at the slaugther house for having big cattle. but i like larger framed show cattle, because i can put more weight on them and have better musceling

 

[ALACOWMAN]

i like smalll frame for feeder calves and larger for show cattle. i dont like beeing docked at the slaugther house for having big cattle. but i like larger framed show cattle, because i can put more weight on them and have better musceling

:shock:

 

[MikeC]

i like smalll frame for feeder calves and larger for show cattle. i dont like beeing docked at the slaugther house for having big cattle. but i like larger framed show cattle, because i can put more weight on them and have better musceling

:shock:

:shock: :shock: :stop:

 

[somn]

i like smalll frame for feeder calves and larger for show cattle. i dont like beeing docked at the slaugther house for having big cattle. but i like larger framed show cattle, because i can put more weight on them and have better musceling

Can you please explain what it is your trying to say. How is it you are docked for muscle? I sell to packing plants by the pound so I would want more muscle not less. You must sell by the head or something huh?

 

[Sir Loin]

Re:
small boned cattle

What about this trait would keep you from purchasing or retaining the animal for breeding purposes?

My location, location, location and my goal.
If I were running range cattle, which I'm not, I would purchase or retain them as they are better at sustaining themselves under adverse conditions.
As my goal is to produce the heaviest animal I can in the shortest period of time I can, small bone animals just don't fit my program.

What problems have you had to deal with small boned animals?

1. weight gain. To reach 1,000 Lbs takes longer and costs more.
2. Small bone animals have more runt calves then do large bone animals.
3. And if you run a mix of small and large bone cows you will surly have more birthing problems with the small boned ones if you use a large bone bull. And if you use a small bone bull, well—see 1.
My orphan o9 is a perfect example of what happens when you use a big bone bull on a small bone cow.
See: Deformity. Suggestions wanted (pics)
SL

 

[Chuckie]

Here is a bull we purchased that was labeled small boned. He is definitely an easy keeper. Being a 6 frame with small bones, he shows no potential problems. He just turned 3 years old.

Our small framed cows are the easy keepers. The larger boned cows have bones that you can see even when they are in good shape. The smaller boned cows are just smooth and round, the way I like them. After calving, they retain their condition.
(Don't pay attention to the dates on the picture. I need to correct it, but just haven't taken the time to do it!)
Chuckie

 

[Chuckie]

Here are his first calves of this year. They are growing like Johnson Grass. The little heifer looks smaller boned. Her mother is a big boned cow. The bull calf has larger bones, but I don't consider him big boned either.
Chuckie

 

[Chuckie]

I understand Moocow11. I am not sure where he lives, but if he is a long way from the closest feedyard, and his cattle reach a heavier size, they will dock you for the size of the animal. They like the feeder calves. They also dock you for the heifers. They say that the fat content inside the body cavity is higher than the steers. I suppose he is talking about the fat that connects to the intestines and other body organs.

When we take our cows to the buyer, he gives a better price than the sale barn. We aren't docked for shrinkage, and the animals are weighed as soon as they come off the trailer, not after someone has run them around for hours to get the water and feed out of them.

When the tornado hit two years ago, it destroyed the facilities, fences and knocked our trees down along the fence row, so the calves stayed out in the pasture several months longer. He told us that a few of them were too big and gave less for them. It has to do with the shipping of the animals. Bigger calves means less feeder calves that can be hauled because of the weight. I guess they had rather have 50 feeder calves than 40 older ones after paying to have them shipped in.

Is this how it goes where you are Moocow11?

He does give top prices for the 10 month old calves that have good body condition.
Chuckie

 

[somn]

I understand Moocow11. I am not sure where he lives, but if he is a long way from the closest feedyard, and his cattle reach a heavier size, they will dock you for the size of the animal. They like the feeder calves. They also dock you for the heifers. They say that the fat content inside the body cavity is higher than the steers. I suppose he is talking about the fat that connects to the intestines and other body organs.

When we take our cows to the buyer, he gives a better price than the sale barn. We aren't docked for shrinkage, and the animals are weighed as soon as they come off the trailer, not after someone has run them around for hours to get the water and feed out of them.

When the tornado hit two years ago, it destroyed the facilities, fences and knocked our trees down along the fence row, so the calves stayed out in the pasture several months longer. He told us that a few of them were too big and gave less for them. It has to do with the shipping of the animals. Bigger calves means less feeder calves that can be hauled because of the weight. I guess they had rather have 50 feeder calves than 40 older ones after paying to have them shipped in.

Is this how it goes where you are Moocow11?

He does give top prices for the 10 month old calves that have good body condition.
Chuckie

Do you sell a lot of your feeder calves to packing plants? Maybe that is your problem with the docking of the animals. Generally speaking feeder cattle get sold to feedlots and feedlots then finish the animal and sell them to packing plants. I know a lot of people think if they eliminate the middle man they will make more money but skipping the feedlot might not be the best market plan.

 

[Frankie]

I like your bull, Chuckie. Who's his daddy?

Buyers generally discount heifers to steers. They put on more fat and generally don't gain as fast in the feedlot.

Heavier weight calves usually bring less per pound.

Lighter boned animals tend to have less muscle than heavier boned. But much of the "heavy" and "light" is in the eye of the beholder. It's the buyer's job to pay as little as he can for a set of calves. They'll discount for anything they can get away with.

Thanks for the pics. Those nice black calves made me smile this rainy morning.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

I like your bull, Chuckie. Who's his daddy?

Buyers generally discount heifers to steers. They put on more fat and generally don't gain as fast in the feedlot.

Heavier weight calves usually bring less per pound.

Lighter boned animals tend to have less muscle than heavier boned. But much of the "heavy" and "light" is in the eye of the beholder. It's the buyer's job to pay as little as he can for a set of calves. They'll discount for anything they can get away with.

Thanks for the pics.

• Those nice black calves made me smile this rainy morning.

he11 having a rainy morning would make me smile