Maybe This Heifer will turn out OK after all... (pics)

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SRBeef

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I will start with a couple apologies. First to all of you folks with a couple of hundred head and get tired of me carrying on about one heifer. Second, to this "show" heifer who may turn out ok after all.

Maybe she knew we were talking about her, but I was out in the pasture this evening with my cows and heifers. I was checking on them since I put my bull in yesterday and opened up a nice fresh rotation paddock where they'll be real cozy for the first week together...

I was checking them out when I noticed the new heifer with her head down in the grass, grazing aggressively like the others. This is the one that did not gain a pound for 42 days after a 3 week acclimation period. This is the first "show" animal I have purchased so I have no idea what to expect. She did look a lot like what I am aiming for.

It looks like either she finally realized there will be no grain bucket or she got hungry watching the others. she looks like she is getting with the system after all. She still has a lot of her winter coat and has not slicked up like my other cows and heifers but maybe that will come in time also.

As was suggested earlier, maybe she was just pushed hard on grain to make the show circuit and had this lull to get her insides setup for grazing again. While she was ahead of her peer group weight when I bought her, she is now probably right with the others.

Here are some pictures I took of her this evening as the sun was going down in this fresh pasture I've been saving for bull-in week. Next week they go to some over-ripe clover.

All of a sudden this heifer is not looking too bad. The last picture is of a couple of my cows showing their coats for contrast.

IMG_1017_Heifer_91_060710.jpg


IMG_1018_Heifer_91_060710.jpg


IMG_1032_Heifer_91_060710.jpg


IMG_1036_Heifer_91_060710.jpg


Here is what the rest of their coats look like. I like them to slick up quickly in the spring.

IMG_1037_a_couple_slick_coat_cows_0.jpg


Again, apologies for excessive picture posting of one heifer and apologies to the heifer (assuming she continues like this)....

Jim
 
Since your original post I talked to a good friend who buys about 3 show heifers every year. They are from the county fair. He does it mostly for a contribution to the kids. I asked him if he had any trouble with them acclimating or falling apart. His statement was, bring them down slow and give them time. They will do just fine. He doesn,t have a hard keeper in the bunch.
 
Good looking cattle there. I don't have herefords but I know some of my retained heifers don't shed off real slick their first year.

fitz
 
SRBeef

Remember my comment about developing a grass gut? Compare the earlier pics to the current ones and look specifically at the increase in size and drop in her gut. Another 14 days and she will be slick haired. She is just now reaching the place to where she is taking in as much nutrient as the rest of the herd.
 
agmantoo":2vxiij02 said:
SRBeef

Remember my comment about developing a grass gut? Compare the earlier pics to the current ones and look specifically at the increase in size and drop in her gut. Another 14 days and she will be slick haired. She is just now reaching the place to where she is taking in as much nutrient as the rest of the herd.
Not to mention, her rumen bugs should now be adapted to a forage diet.
 
I guess if she can't get right with that buffet of grass I would cull her too.......;)
What is all that " grass" you have there?
 
Thank you for the comments. Yes, I do see the change in her gut/rumen size. I don't have the ability to "ease her down" even if I had known what to expect. She had to make the change herself.

Kingfisher, the grass that's there is a mixture of whatever grows here on its own. I did interseed this paddock with a no till drill and pasture mix a few years ago. What is in the forground of one picture is what I believe to be a wild celery. They just love it. This is a bit over mature as you can see some seed heads. However this spring the grass is growing faster than they can use it. Tough spring to make hay though.

I mowed this pasture to keep the thistles down. There is some clover under the grasses. The next time they rotate through this paddock in about 45 days there should be more clover and less of the cool-season grasses. We have been blessed with timely rains in this particular area. I hesitate to mention that because about 2 years ago we had a spring like this then the faucet just turned off after 4th of July and I really struggled through August.

Jim
 
Good work Mr. SR. The lady looks like she's coming along. She's had time to repopulate the rumen with bacteria that digest and thrive on forage and is about to make her move. :tiphat: is for you.
 
I think you did great buying her. She is really nice.
She may never be a real slick haired cow. Some people really "breed for" lots of hair for show. We don't. It's nice if they have good hair that "pops" but raising Simmental, I never expect good hair :shock: :banana:
 
Jeanne - Simme Valley":1stjt5o2 said:
I think you did great buying her. She is really nice.
She may never be a real slick haired cow. Some people really "breed for" lots of hair for show. We don't. It's nice if they have good hair that "pops" but raising Simmental, I never expect good hair :shock: :banana:

Thanks Jeanne. As I said earlier, this is a learning experience for me. First time I have purchased a "show" animal and did not know what to expect. Maybe it will take her a year or two to get used to my climate and system to lose the hair quicker in the spring. She is from North Dakota - they tend to wear coats a bit later!

There is nothing wrong with "showing" good cattle as I am sure you do. I think the problem occurs when the "show" is more important than the "cattle". I hope my earlier posts are not taken as a criticism of ALL show cattle. In the future I guess I will know more what to expect. It is probably a given that all younger cattle shown will be "pushed" a bit. Maybe sharing my experience with this heifer will help other beginners like me.

Jim
 
Jeanne - Simme Valley":wdrd4w99 said:
Jim, was she actually halter broke & shown - or just fed for a sale?

She was halter broke and shown at a number of shows. I just bought her from walking around the grooming area. She caught my eye and looked like what I want my heifers and cows to look like, long and low and (hopefully) moderate mature weight as a cow.

Jim
 

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