Some mixed age bulls to evaluate

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Here's a few bulls, from different studs, to evaluate. None of these bulls has had any extra feeding (the two older ones have just gone onto a ration now).

6-month-old bull calf
newgate_and_fergus_006.jpg


12-month-old bull
fergus.jpg


16-month-old bull (sorry this is all I have now)
Cyto.JPG


30-month-old bull (Shocking picture but best I could get)
P1031155.JPG


I will try and post more pics as they grow.
 
KMacGinley":3byiax9x said:
They are a little too non-gutty to suit me. :)

Don't worry, once they get some decent tucker into 'em they'll be fine :)
There's gutty and there's gutty- they gotta have depth but a bulbous looking gut isn't helping anything is it?
This is good depth... (though photo is not very good)
linchpin.jpg
 
In my opinion/ that bulbous gut is very important for everything in real life; maybe not in the showring but that is not my bag. The depth on the above bull really would not cut it with me; but maybe that is just me. I am not sure what more feed would have to do with it as well. They either have it or they do not. But to each his/her own. :)
 
Nice! Can't wait to see how that one in the second picture turns out, lookin good.
 
KMacGinley":7zt2pyd1 said:
In my opinion/ that bulbous gut is very important for everything in real life; maybe not in the showring but that is not my bag. The depth on the above bull really would not cut it with me; but maybe that is just me. I am not sure what more feed would have to do with it as well. They either have it or they do not. But to each his/her own. :)

how is that big gut important? When it comes down to it, it all get's cut out anyway.
I'm not interested in what is 'show' appeal, I'm after functional cattle, and all I see when I look at a gut like the one in the other post is a heap of waste, IMO.
 
Killala-

[how is that big gut important? When it comes down to it, it all get's cut out anyway.
I'm not interested in what is 'show' appeal, I'm after functional cattle, and all I see when I look at a gut like the one in the other post is a heap of waste, IMO.]

I do see your point, however If one is concerned with building a herd with Replacement Heifers and tending toward gluttonism (Terminal traits), the "big gut", as you put it, is indicative of a large enough capacity for the female to be able to produce a reasonably sturdy healthy calf, over and over and over, for several years. THAT tips the scale toward PROFIT, and producing a marketable calf earlier rather than later. The important factor here is not the "Big Gut", per se, but the volume of space in the producing cow to be able to produce a good sized, healthy calf, AND stay healthy herself so that she will cycle quickly, conceive immediately and produce another PROFIT making calf with no skips, misses or Veterinary bills to cut into that PROFIT. It is a narrow window at which to aim to hit a Moderate sized brood cow which won't eat away at your PROFIT, and at the same time produce a calf every year of her life! The ability to do those deeds is what determines a successful breeder of beef cattle.

DOC HARRIS
 
how is that big gut important? When it comes down to it, it all get's cut out anyway.
I'm not interested in what is 'show' appeal, I'm after functional cattle, and all I see when I look at a gut like the one in the other post is a heap of waste, IMO.

I'll put it differently...

The big gut isn't really the factor, its the gut capacity, or more specifically the rumen capacity. This is extremely important when your environment isn't always ideal like it would be for the showstring.

Lower quality forage can support a lower quantity of rumen microbes, hence the rumenation and digestive processes are slower in the case of lower quality forage high in cellulose. This means that the animal not only don't get as much nutrients as it needs because of the lower feed value of the forage, but the animal are also limited in the amount of the lower quality forage it can consume because of the slower rate it passes through the digestive system. Obviously the more the rumen capacity the less the animal is affected by lower quality forage as it can consume more at a time and its nutritional needs are met better because of this.

In the real world the pencil gutted animals are the first to struggle in a drought or on acidic pasture or even when fed lower quality hay. They typically can't handle straw as a maintenance feed at all. High capacity cattle fare a lot better as soon as the environment gets tough, that is a proven fact over the centuries, hopefully my explanation above cleared the reason for this up for you.
 
KNERSIE":tss8u6vc said:
In the real world the pencil gutted animals are the first to struggle in a drought or on acidic pasture or even when fed lower quality hay. They typically can't handle straw as a maintenance feed at all. High capacity cattle fare a lot better as soon as the environment gets tough, that is a proven fact over the centuries, hopefully my explanation above cleared the reason for this up for you.

I agree whole heartedly.
BUT I don't think any of these bulls is 'pencil gutted'. Two of them are certainly lacking a bit of tucker but I'm confident they will only get better once they do get something in their bellies (well, one of them at least).
Given the dirt most of them have been living on I think they're doing pretty well. Not to say I think they're all you-beaut stud sire potential, but certainly each has a place in the market and should do their job well enough.
 
When I get more adept at understanding "AUSSIE LINGO", I will be able to 'flow through' your commentaries with a little more ease! :lol2: :help: :tiphat:

DOC HARRIS
 
DOC HARRIS":uirkplk8 said:
When I get more adept at understanding "AUSSIE LINGO", I will be able to 'flow through' your commentaries with a little more ease! :lol2: :help: :tiphat:

DOC HARRIS

:lol: Makes perfect sense to me... mate :cboy:
 
Australian":2qhke0k8 said:
Won't know these fellows once they have some feed in them.

That's my opinion Colin. As I said, I know they're not all the next Royal Show champions... but feed makes a heck of a difference. Only one of them is questionable in my opinion.

But, each to their own. These bulls should suit the environment they're intended for.
 

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