More Simmi cattle

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

Thought I would share some pics of why we do what we do:
This first photo is an October born purebred simmental bull calf sired by Rendition. He is a twin, and I have pictured him with his brother nursing on their dam several times. They weaned off, NO CREEP, at 576 and 566 pounds, and their dam is just 1230 pounds herself. He was Champion Simmental bull today, with his twin brother winning Reserve Champion Bull. The judge was very impressed with both bulls! We had a friend showing him in this pic because we had TWO bulls in the Supreme Champion bull drive (the Angus bull won).

This next bull calf also did his own winning today, He is also an October born, but he is a 3/4 blood simmental so he showed in the crossbred division. He won Champion Crossbred bull today. He is sired by KLR Make It Rain, and his dam is a half simmental (Macho) 1/4 angus and 1/4 Maine. That is my daughter showing him.

This next heifer is a Feb Grandmaster heifer calf. She won her class and went on to win Reserve Champion Simmental heifer. We really like our Grandmaster calves!

This next heifer is a 3/4 blood Upgrade heifer, March born. She won her class, and is my kind of heifer. She lives on air, and is a chubby type girl. She is smaller in frame size, and will mature at around 1100 pounds. This is my middle daughter showing her, and it is her heifer.

This next heifer is a purebred sired by Cut Above, or also known as Fat Butt. She belongs to my 8 year old son, and he loves her! She is extremely long, but could use some depth. She also won her class.

This last one is our spoils for today, Two chamions and two reserve champions. Not bad for a fair that had over 80 head entered! The kids had a good time, made a few bucks, and took home some honors. This is why we do what we do!

 

[kenny thomas]

Very nice. I like seeing the kids showing but even more important that they are taking care of them themselves.

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

Very nice. I like seeing the kids showing but even more important that they are taking care of them themselves.

Thanks Kenny. My kids do most of it themselves. They clip their own cattle, and work as a team feeding and brushing. The two little ones put in the most work, since my oldest daughter had two part time jobs (vet and dairy) and stays pretty busy until around 6PM. But she makes up for it by doing the fine clipping and helping her siblings at showmanship and all. When one if their heifers or cows come into heat, THEY have to go get them and bring them up to the barn to AI. Sometimes that means they have to get up at 5:30AM to get her up to AI before they head off to the bus and get to school. My middle daughter is also raising a steer for the carcass contest, so she feeds the steer and the three bull calves we just weaned each morning for me. My son has a pig for the fair, so he goes down every morning and feeds them before getting on the bus and lets his chickens out. My oldest does most of the AI work, with my husband and I filling in when she is at contests. She just completed her first group of cows at the dairy she works at, and stuck 13 out of 15 milking cows! I think those are pretty good conception rates, but she had been AIing cattle since she was 13 (she is now 16 1/2).
I think my kids are pretty responsible!

 

[DOC HARRIS]

Fire Sweep-

You bet the kids are responsible! Congratulations on your winning the awards and on raising offspring with determination and judgement in decision-making!

But, the real congratulations are focused on you and your Husband for allowing your kids to learn what life is all about! It is a pity and a crying shame that America has lost the necessary determination and grit to be able to encourage the next generation to continue to do the things that made America into the Nation that is was 60 years ago. It is self-disciplined young people who can have a chance to restore the Pride and Integrity that this country used to have!

God bless you and your Family!

DOC HARRIS

 

[KNERSIE]

Well done!

 

[inyati13]

Fire Sweep-

You bet the kids are responsible! Congratulations on your winning the awards and on raising offspring with determination and judgement in decision-making!

But, the real congratulations are focused on you and your Husband for allowing your kids to learn what life is all about! It is a pity and a crying shame that America has lost the necessary determination and grit to be able to encourage the next generation to continue to do the things that made America into the Nation that is was 60 years ago. It is self-disciplined young people who can have a chance to restore the Pride and Integrity that this country used to have!

God bless you and your Family!

DOC HARRIS

I agree with Doc who did a very nice job saying it. Fire Sweep, I really enjoyed these pictures and descriptions. Doc said what I think too. Congratulations. I want to give those cattle some credit, too. They are wonderful animals.

 

[djinwa]

Great cattle, great kids, great parents!

There are certainly easier ways to raise kids.

 

[djinwa]

You don't realize all the simple skills your kids get by doing actual work. I used to have my kids dig post holes and till the garden with a hand shovel, despite the whining.

Couple years ago was talking to my son stationed in Afghanistan. They had to do some digging, and guys in his unit were amazed with his shoveling skills, asking where he'd learned that. He told them about mean old dad.

So he finally thanked me for having him dig.

Anyway, what used to be basic skills are becoming more scarce.

 

[alisonb]

Well done!! Congrats :tiphat:

 

[lithuanian farmer]

Nice stock. Congrats :clap:

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

Thanks guys. :tiphat: I just hope when the kids get older they appreciate all that their dad and I sacrificed for them. We pray over our children each night, and our cattle, and that has made the difference in our experience and success. We are certainly blessed!
We have two more fairs on Saturday, on in the morning and one in the afternoon. They call them "blow and go" shows, people pull in, unload their cattle, wait for their classes, compete, collect your prizes, then load up and head to the next show! A very long day, since each fair is around 4 hours long, then the drive to and from. But the kids have fun, and get two different opinions from judges in one day. And, of course, premium money for their college funds! We always make them send thank you letters after they get home (to the people who sponsored the shows we attend), since that is a long lost skill in today's day and age.
Our county fair is next Saturday, that is where I will be excited to see how our carcass steer will do in the live portion. They do not get harvested until July, so we will not know the carcass data until then. My middle daughter has done a great job feeding him and keeping up with her records on ADG and such. She has learned so many different skills signing up for this contest. They will follow the steers all the way to the break down, and go into the slaughter facility after the steers have been hanging for a week or so and get to evaluate each one, and then they break one down for the kids to learn where the cuts come from and how the carcass is broken down. Pretty neat experience.