Rat tails

[Ky hills]

These are the two calves by our neighbors presumed Charolais cross bull.
I can definitely see the rat tail look especially on the bull ( soon to be steer ).
If there's going to be much dock on him, I'll just feed him out, he should be fine for a beef.
If we keep the heifer will her calves be ok from a Angus or Hereford bull?

 

[SBMF 2015]

They're thick. I'd feed out both. Not sure if she would pass it on but I wouldn't keep her to find out.

 

[farmerjan]

Agree with them being thick... I don't see much of a rat tail on the bull calf... usually there is no switch....
Never let that stop us from keeping a heifer if I liked her... didn't see many in future generations with our cattle... I have several smokey cows and like the combination and it does not hurt them too much at the sales here.... especially not lately.

 

[Dave]

I have been told that you buy rat tail cows at a discount and breed them to a Red Angus which will eliminate the rat tail in their calves. Never tried it myself but the person who told me should know.

 

[MurraysMutts]

The steer has quite the messy butt probably contributing to his hair loss on the tail and his behind. But, I could be wrong too

That heifer with the black nose and ears should be a nice looking cow one day!

 

[GoWyo]

Does the heifer have a tail switch? Breed her red and should have some nice calves.

 

[ClinchValley86]

Doesn't look as rat tailed as I'd expect.

That heifer is sharp. She'd be getting bred here if she continues to do well.

 

[Ky hills]

Does the heifer have a tail switch? Breed her red and should have some nice calves.

Here's one of her with her tail visible, looks like to me she's got a bit of tail switch.

 

[Ky hills]

The steer has quite the messy butt probably contributing to his hair loss on the tail and his behind. But, I could be wrong too

That heifer with the black nose and ears should be a nice looking cow one day!

Yeah he's kinda dirty back there. He's got just thin strip of hair down his tail starting at his tail head. Then he's got a bare spot on top of his shoulders too.

 

[Bob Kinford]

These are the two calves by our neighbors presumed Charolais cross bull.
I can definitely see the rat tail look especially on the bull ( soon to be steer ).
If there's going to be much dock on him, I'll just feed him out, he should be fine for a beef.
If we keep the heifer will her calves be ok from a Angus or Hereford bull?
View attachment 44741View attachment 44742

I've know cattle buyers to put together entire pens of rat tails, then feed them out and sell across the grid. Said they made more money off of them because they were cheap to buy, cheap to feed, and brought a premium across the grid.

 

[kenny thomas]

Yes you will take a discount but this year they will still sell good. I never keep or buy a rat tail.

 

[moses388]

Tails...


white heifer photo {click here}
This white heifer is a product of brown/smokey cattle. Should be British blood, but looks Charolais. For those not familiar with the saying - "There are only 2 colors of cattle: Red & Black..." the pink nose would classify her as red-hided. The dark nose in the upper right would classify her as black-hided. Ky hills, your brown heifer could have a calf like this.
___
The photos above are not recent. The photos below were taken this morning, May 15 2024.
Brown cow 69 photo {click here}

Calf of brown cow 69 {click here}
You can see the tail on 69. Something there, but not big & bushy. And certainly won't drag around on the ground like the black tail pictured above. You can see the tail on the bull calf which 69 had this year. There's a small hair ball there and it will probably grow into something like his mom's.

Updated photo of red {click here}
Some have seen this red female before. She is out of a black cow and a home-raised Murray Grey bull. Again, should be British blood. She should have her first calf this year. Then I'm planning to mate her to a red Gelbvieh bull.

I agree with previous comments that all cattle, regardless of color, are bringing good money right now. It could be another story in 2 years, when your brown heifer is having her first calf.

 

[sunnyblueskies]

Personally I don't consider those rat tails. They both have long hair/switch. The rat tail, as I know it, has no switch at all and is more a result of external forces, froze off, bit off, tore off.
All these have nothing to do with future genetics, ie. passing a short tail on to their calves.
Educate me if there is a genetic rat tail, I've never seen one here.

 

[puzzled in oregon]

I had a heifer one time that had a very slender tail compared to the rest of the herd, but she had a normal switch.
I thought that was what people referred to as a rat tail. So now I'm thinking that's not what a rat tail is.