dun":3a2tonno said:
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The first picture was not large enough to make a good evaluation, but this one is a little more easily seen. I am assuming that this cow is a Brangus. She is a good representative example, and should be an outstanding momma cow. Strong, level topline, Good depth of hindquarter, great capacity deep rear flank. I would criticise her, as I do most cows of this breed and genetic percentage, for having too light a bone structure, sloping rump and post-legged front legs and too narrow in the hindquarters.
But the operative question is, - - does she have adequate spring of rib? In judging this cow on an
individual basis and comparing her traits to what SHE should be, she is pinched in the heart girth! Having said that, I accede to the fact that she has a
deep chest, but she is narrowed behind her shoulders and dipped-in just behind the withers. Her "
spring of rib IS restricted in proportion to her own body size and structure.
But - - I think that she is a great momma cow! She is an example of a breeder having to prioritize the good - with the not so good, and selecting a bull with adequate enough rib arc and depth to compensate for this cow's faults. And isn't that what most breeder's do with every mating?
Another technic of analysing structure is to take a piece of paper and cover the front half of the cow (picture) and observe the rear half of the picture, and then flip the paper over and cover the rear half of the picture and observe the front half. It looks like a completely different individual!
If she were structuraly well balanced, she would be an outstanding individual!
DOC HARRIS