Rat tail or not??

[cgcowgirl]

I have this heifer calf first two pictures are about 2.5 months old and up to now just turned 6 months old. She has always had plenty of hair all over her body she is shedding baby hair currently. I live in Deep South Texas by the border so it's very hot here already. She has a very thin short switch wondering if y'all consider her a true rat tail or just minimal switch. She has great conformation and has gained weight great actually almost getting too fleshy I'm fixing to wean her. Her mom is a cross with Sim Angus/ char cross bull and this calfs father is a pure bred Maine Anjou bull from one of Griswald's bulls. I appreciate all input, thanks

 

[Brute 23]

I would say yes and not because I can see it's genetic make up but because a buyer will dock you for it no matter if it is one not. LoL

Butcher it or keep it or some thing like that if you want "full value", IMO. I hauled one just like it and took a beating despite it being a good calf and plenty of documentation showing it doesn't effect any thing. I won't haul one again like that.

How far south if you don't mind me asking? I'm assuming by the pics Riviera, Fal, Raymondville, area?

 

[cgcowgirl]

I would say yes and not because I can see it's genetic make up but because a buyer will dock you for it no matter if it is one not. LoL

Butcher it or keep it or some thing like that if you want "full value", IMO. I hauled one just like it and took a beating despite it being a good calf and plenty of documentation showing it doesn't effect any thing. I won't haul one again like that.

How far south if you don't mind me asking? I'm assuming by the pics Riviera, Fal, Raymondville, area?

I live in Harlingen about 20 miles south of Raymondville. I was actually planning on keeping her. I was going to let a kid maybe show her in the commercial heifer classes here locally. I don't have a lot of cattle it's really just for fun. They are my sons ex show cows I just tinker with. I appreciate your comments and advice.

 

[Brute 23]

I live in Harlingen about 20 miles south of Raymondville. I was actually planning on keeping her. I was going to let a kid maybe show her in the commercial heifer classes here locally. I don't have a lot of cattle it's really just for fun. They are my sons ex show cows I just tinker with. I appreciate your comments and advice.

Nice area. I live a couple hours north of there but go do that way as often as I can to fish and hunt.

Not sure what the shows will think. Hopefully some one else can help you with that.

Welcome to the board

 

[cgcowgirl]

Nice area. I live a couple hours north of there but go do that way as often as I can to fish and hunt.

Not sure what the shows will think. Hopefully some one else can help you with that.

Welcome to the board

Thanks I appreciate it. I have some friends that do a lil judging I'll see if they can give me an honest opinion. Lol

 

[Travlr]

Thanks I appreciate it. I have some friends that do a lil judging I'll see if they can give me an honest opinion. Lol

Send her to the show ring with some fluffed up wool superglued to the end of her tail. It's not like show people don't do that kind of thing anyways...

 

[cgcowgirl]

Send her to the show ring with some fluffed up wool superglued to the end of her tail. It's not like show people don't do that kind of thing anyways...

Lol I was actually looking into this yesterday. I'm not taking her to major shows or anything just local stuff. I appreciate your advice. Thanks

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

Look at the tails on these honeys. Think they are real?

 

[TCRanch]

Hard to tell, but in the first pic it looks like a stump at the end, like it was ripped off. I'm assuming you never saw any blood? And I doubt it was frostbitten in your area. You'll take a doc when you sell her, regardless of the reason.

 

[bird dog]

In my experience. rat tails have different degrees of rat tailiness that buyers don't like. Some are very obvious, some are just sutble. The obvious ones with a bull whip tail, and no switch, will have no respectable calf buyers making a bid. Smaller calves seem to be discounted the most. A 800 lb rat tail steer in the right market will not see much of anything of a discount. Group one together with a bunch of other big calves that sell in a lot and it may not be even noticed. The animal pictured sold alone would probably be discounted considerably.

I have bought a few over the years when no one else will bid. They are good cheap animals that will gain similar to others. You buy them cheap, you sell them cheap at a heavier weight. Your cost of gain is similar to #1 calves but you are in at a lower cost.

 

[BFE]

Hard to tell, but in the first pic it looks like a stump at the end, like it was ripped off. I'm assuming you never saw any blood? And I doubt it was frostbitten in your area. You'll take a doc when you sell her, regardless of the reason.

I had a calf that got the tip of her tail stepped on by her momma, it was her first one. She was so excited she accidentally stomped baby's tail as she was dancing around licking and bellering. Baby never did have a good switch.

 

[greybeard]

I haven't seen anyone mention what effect the absence of it's tail switch is going to have on a lifetime of trying to keep flies and skeeters away..and I know they have flying bugs down on the border..

 

[TCRanch]

I haven't seen anyone mention what effect the absence of it's tail switch is going to have on a lifetime of trying to keep flies and skeeters away..and I know they have flying bugs down on the border..

My cow that lost her switch last year does have more flies and I have to spray her twice as often as the others.

Bless her heart, I found it wrapped around a tree; she must have been scratching her butt and ripped it clean off. I talked to my vet about trying to sew it back on, but it would have been just a temporary fix.

 

[greybeard]

I found more than one Char tail switch on a barb wire fence where the whole lot of them had to cross the pond dam and the fence was on the back of the dam. Not just hair, the whole switch.

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

Bulls are great big guys
They have many flies
They whap 'em with their tails
Bout 50 of 'em die

 

[NewRenoFarmsInKY]

I know I don't post on here much, but I read it every day to keep up with the goings on. Had a first for me yesterday-a tail injury that's in line with the post. Checked the cows about 10am, all was well. Got home from a Dr.'s appointment, and the cattle were up front getting water and my bull was a bloody mess! From the window I assumed it somehow injured both back legs-but there was no limping to be seen. Ran outside and immediately administered Draxxin via darts to stave off any infection. Didn't see any obvious wounds, no problems with his hair either. Came back-gave some extra heavy fly spray to the bloody area. A little while later there looked to be more fresh blood, so I moved the cows to the pasture with my working facilities and got him in the chute. As I was cleaning the blood it all sluffed off-no obvious injury-but it didn't take long to see a tail bleed.

Somehow my "prize" bull lost the end of his tail

Had my wife (who is fortunately a wound care nurse) help me stop the bleeding and get him doctored up.

I swear these cows are driving me nuts! It's always something…

 

[TCRanch]

I know I don't post on here much, but I read it every day to keep up with the goings on. Had a first for me yesterday-a tail injury that's in line with the post. Checked the cows about 10am, all was well. Got home from a Dr.'s appointment, and the cattle were up front getting water and my bull was a bloody mess! From the window I assumed it somehow injured both back legs-but there was no limping to be seen. Ran outside and immediately administered Draxxin via darts to stave off any infection. Didn't see any obvious wounds, no problems with his hair either. Came back-gave some extra heavy fly spray to the bloody area. A little while later there looked to be more fresh blood, so I moved the cows to the pasture with my working facilities and got him in the chute. As I was cleaning the blood it all sluffed off-no obvious injury-but it didn't take long to see a tail bleed.

Somehow my "prize" bull lost the end of his tail

Had my wife (who is fortunately a wound care nurse) help me stop the bleeding and get him doctored up.

I swear these cows are driving me nuts! It's always something…

Holy cow!!! Stepped on? He should be fine but dayum!

First time it happened here, I went out to feed in the afternoon and saw blood all over cows & calves. Minor heart failure. What happened???? And then I finally saw the cow. Lucky for her it was just the bottom part of her tail, but you can see she was covered in blood. And every time she flicked her tail, she sprayed everything around her (including me).

 

[NewRenoFarmsInKY]

Yes Sir, that's a scary sight indeed!

 

[TCRanch]

Yes Sir

Nope! Not "woke" or transitioned