Picking 4-H Steer

[I luv herfrds]

Lord save me!!!

Helping daughter pick her first 4-H steer.
First one we picked is not looking as good as he did a couple months ago. His temperment is leaving alot to be desired too.
So he is out.

Found another one today. He is older and I am concerned about him finishing too much. He is bigger then this other steer in heigth too, but I was able to scratch him on the butt while he was eating the hay I rolled out today.

Our vet is coming out to preg check on the 30th and he has offered to help her out too. He always helped his daughter pick her's too.

Sorry no pics of them yet.

 

[bigbull338]

Lord save me!!!

Helping daughter pick her first 4-H steer.
First one we picked is not looking as good as he did a couple months ago. His temperment is leaving alot to be desired too.
So he is out.

Found another one today. He is older and I am concerned about him finishing too much. He is bigger then this other steer in heigth too, but I was able to scratch him on the butt while he was eating the hay I rolled out today.

Our vet is coming out to preg check on the 30th and he has offered to help her out too. He always helped his daughter pick her's too.

Sorry no pics of them yet.

word of advice enjoy helping your DD pick out her show steer.they only grow up once.if you dont know much about picking show steers get some1 to help.your vet is a good choice for that.if your worried about over finishing a steer dont.thats an easy fix adjust his feed an hay comsumption to control his weight gain or lose if need be.

 

[chippie]

I'm happy that your vet can help you. I agree with bigbull 338 that you can adjust the feeding program as to how fast he finishes.
To me the main goal is having a project that your child can enjoy and learn from. For a first steer, disposition and attitude are very important. It's always nice to get a ribbon, but the experience in training a trainable animal and being able to show it is so important.

We have so many parents here that only have their eye on the prize and to heck with their kid. They act like it is their project and not their child's. Good luck and post pics!

 

[I luv herfrds]

My goal is for her to not fall in the show ring! Like she did these last 3 years with her lambs.

The new 4-H club we are joining one family is really big into showing beef steers and are really helpful too.

Chippie that is why I talked with her about not choosing that first steer. He just kept stickingt his head in the air and running away. Figured there would be problems there.
I hope she just has fun and learns alot.

 

[VCC]

Holding one is much easier than pushing one. Good idea to skip the first one, my first steer was like that, full of muscle best looking calf in a pen of 80, a broken hand and bruises on my back and chest from being penned to the fence, help determine his future as a freezer steer. If all the calves scatter to the far away corner and the one you like stops about 40 from you and just turns and stares you down, scratch him off of your list.
When selecting a show steer:
1. Disposition
2. Feet, they need to point in the same direction.
3. Structure, soundness, covers his tracks when he walks.
4. Big square hip, and muscle down into his lower third.
5. Strait topline, deep bodied.
6. Smooth shouldered and clean necked.
7. Now to upset all the commercial guys: fuzzy ears, indicates the ability to have some hair. (you can't eat hair, but you can't beat hair either, hiar does not need to be long just look well taken care of it, helps keep the fresh look to the steer)

We start by training them to tie; from there we start rinsing and grooming. The rinsing daily really helps calm one down, (Get a blower, it is a blessing to help keep them clean and get the water out of them) if he does not want to lead, tie in one area and make him lead to feed and water.
We just go at a slow pace and take your time, the first week we just put in a small pen, spend allot of time just being around so they figure you do not want to hurt them. Once they calm down and realize your daughter means food to him, he will be happy to see her. I prefer a rope halter over the halter with the chin chain, it always fits right and have seen the chain break at the worst times.
Good luck and enjoy your time with your daughter.

 

[I luv herfrds]

Thanks VCC. That was helpful.

This second steer just looks at us with this really calm look not like the first one.
Not as hairy as the first one either.

Figure he won't win grand but as long as daughter enjoys it that s what matters.
she wants to try pigs too but told no way.

I will try to get some pics soon.

 

[I luv herfrds]

Here is the steer we decided against

 

[I luv herfrds]

Here is the back end of the new one she picked

I think this is his head. Sorry I don't have my glases on or contacts in so I'm half blind

My Rambo Heifer just for the heck of it

 

[chippie]

Oh I do like your Rambo heifer!

I think that your daughter made a good choice and I wish her well. Please keep us posted how things go. : )

 

[Chris H]

The steer looks nice. I'd really like to see that Rambo heifer in person, and probably sneak her home!

 

[I luv herfrds]

Chris gotta get in line behind Grant Hirsey he wanted to buy her sight unseen.

 

[I luv herfrds]

Vet liked 214 but also thought that 237 was pretty good. He just liked 214 better.
Calves are all cut off and eating in the bunks. Got our shipping list done too.
Just got to know which one she really likes and haul him down to the barn to start working with him.

Pretty tired today. Had 6 open cows today. Shipping all but one. Vet thinks we have a couple cows that might be carrying twins. Hope so.

 

[bigbull338]

dont forget to take your cull cow money an buy back replacement cows.

 

[I luv herfrds]

Thanks BB but I think that money is lined up for some upcoming bills.
I would like to buy a couple bred heifers from H'76 if we could.

We kept back 10 of our own heifer calves. Our vet picked 2 heifer calves he wanted to buy from us.
Got my steer calf marked for sale.

 

[Chris H]

Vet liked 214 but also thought that 237 was pretty good. He just liked 214 better.
Calves are all cut off and eating in the bunks. Got our shipping list done too.
Just got to know which one she really likes and haul him down to the barn to start working with him.

Pretty tired today. Had 6 open cows today. Shipping all but one. Vet thinks we have a couple cows that might be carrying twins. Hope so.

Have you considered keeping 2 and raising them together? We usually have a steer or two that we're fattening for ourselves and raise the 4H steer with them. This year Joe had 2 4H steers that he took to the fair and brought one back home that we sold privately. Those were the only fed cattle we had this summer. Anyway, it's a bit more work & time to take care of 2, but it gives you an option if one turns out better than the other. They also seem to do better if raised with a buddy, just be sure to work them apart sometimes.

 

[I luv herfrds]

Thanks Chris that is a good idea. Will talk to her about it. We can always eat the second one ourselves.

Talked with my hubby and if we had had the pasture and hay we would have really thought about keeping back several of our steers and feeding them out to sell as beef.

 

[I luv herfrds]

Going to try to get her steer to the barn this weekend. Hard to get pictures when none of them will stand still.