Some old show heifers

[Anonymous]

Here are some of my old show heifers. Tell me what you think of our Aussie stock. Happy to answer any questions you may have.

The first is of two heifers I showed some years back... they did quite well at the few shows we took them to, their best results being Champion and Res. Champion British Females at one show. I won't list the other placings as it will take up too much space. These girls are now 4yrs and had their first calves last November- both heifer calves but unfortunately the heifer on the left lost hers... the owners used the wrong bull for heifers much to my disappointment.

This is the heifer I showed for my boss at last years Heifer Expo, the biggest of its kind in Australia for All Breeds. This little girl placed second in her class behind another Shorty, who was much taller and rougher on the eye (personally I didn't like it). Pictured here in my Parader's class where I placed second... please don't judge the clip job too harshly, she wasn't the most co-operative animal and unfortunately I couldn't finish it (as seniors at the expo we are allotted a time to clip our raw heifers... thank god I'd worked her hair a bit before hand).At the Royal Show two months later she placed 3rd in one of the biggest turnouts ever... behind another of our heifers. I think Daisy (as I call her much to my boss's disgust!) is a pretty handy little package... but I can't seem to offer enough money for her!

 

[warpaint]

Are the white lab coats a standard part of dress when showing in your country?
Congrats on some fine looking animals.

 

[WarriorPatriot]

I think they look nice, bottom heifers tail maybe couldve been a bit cleaner ;-)

 

[jaydill]

Nice heifers there. I like the looks of them. Are a lot of you shows fitted? Or sort of blow-and-gos, as we call them down here? It's interesting how you show in white lab coats! You look very neat. In that last picture you posted, what kind of heifer is that being led in the background, to the right? I don't think I've ever seen that color on a Shorthorn. (unless it's a roan and just looks a little lighter in the pic)

 

[-bherefords]

WOW those white coat things would be way way to hot to show in down here, nice calf's

 

[Ryan]

do you always hold your show females to calve at 3 1/2 or 4 years old? just wondering...

Ryan

 

[Rustler9]

Those are nice looking Shorthorns. The cream colored heifer in the back ground looks like either a Simmental or Hereford/Char cross.

 

[AAOK]

do you always hold your show females to calve at 3 1/2 or 4 years old? just wondering...

Ryan

I was wondering the same thing. Most major shows here require heifers over 17 months to be bred by proof of a Veterinary statement. Many have their first calf on the ground before they turn two.

The girls on top are really nice looking heifers, but appear to be rather small for four year old high percentage shorthorns. It may just be the distance, but the show heifer(which also looks very good) in the ring looks bigger than the full grown cows.

 

[Anonymous]

do you always hold your show females to calve at 3 1/2 or 4 years old? just wondering...

Ryan

I was wondering the same thing. Most major shows here require heifers over 17 months to be bred by proof of a Veterinary statement. Many have their first calf on the ground before they turn two.

The girls on top are really nice looking heifers, but appear to be rather small for four year old high percentage shorthorns. It may just be the distance, but the show heifer(which also looks very good) in the ring looks bigger than the full grown cows.

The picture of the two girls was taken when they were roughly 19mths.... trust me, they're much bigger now! And the red one at bottom is just 12 months at the time.

AAOK
Ryan wrote:
I was wondering the same thing. Most major shows here require heifers over 17 months to be bred by proof of a Veterinary statement. Many have their first calf on the ground before they turn two.

The girls on top are really nice looking heifers, but appear to be rather small for four year old high percentage shorthorns. It may just be the distance, but the show heifer(which also looks very good) in the ring looks bigger than the full grown cows.

A lot of good stud breeders tend to aim for having their heifers calving down at about 2 1/2 to 3 yrs... these heifers were joined later than usual because of their show career. This isn't to say that this is the usual calving age, I know a lot of other breeds have different ideas and aim to have heifers calving at 2. There are also a few Shorty breeders who do the same.Once heifers are being shown in cow classes (usually 20 months and over), they are expected to be either PTIC or have a calf at foot. I personally prefer to aim for 2 1/2 to 3yrs age gap, as I feel it gives them a bit of extra time to mature, and having seen animals who have calved younger and never reached their full potential see it as the better option.

 

[Anonymous]

Are the white lab coats a standard part of dress when showing in your country?
Congrats on some fine looking animals.

Thanks. Yeah, the coats are standard in South Australia, to give uniformity especially when showing at an Interbreed show.
They ARE hot, and really uncomfortable, especially when showing under lights or at a country show in the summer. In the eastern states they've discarded the coats in favour of vests, which each breed has a different colour for and are far more practical! It's very difficult to keep a lab coat clean.

WarriorPatriot : I think they look nice, bottom heifers tail maybe couldve been a bit cleaner

The tail is clean, what you see is the red coming thru from the centre of her brush. It's quite common for shorthorns to have tails this colour, which can make their tail look dirty. However we have pretty good judges in general who are aware of this.

jaydill: Nice heifers there. I like the looks of them. Are a lot of you shows fitted? Or sort of blow-and-gos, as we call them down here? It's interesting how you show in white lab coats! You look very neat. In that last picture you posted, what kind of heifer is that being led in the background, to the right? I don't think I've ever seen that color on a Shorthorn. (unless it's a roan and just looks a little lighter in the pic)

The heifer in the background is a cream Simmental.. pretty handy little thing too. Most of our shows are fitted... tho I must admit I do get a little lazy sometimes and use what you call as the blow and go approach. When you've got a few head to get ready sometimes there just ain't time! At local country shows it's a bit more relaxed tho you tend to get the small breeders who only attend this one show a year, and they go the whole way.

Any more questions???!!!

 

[Anonymous]

Those are nice looking Shorthorns. The cream colored heifer in the back ground looks like either a Simmental or Hereford/Char cross.

This reminded me of something else... we don't show cross bred's. In the eastern states they do show cross bred steers, but generally a show animal is purebred.

 

[Australian Cattleman]

Yes we are supposed to wear white dust coats (lab coats as you call them) They do look neat but are quite hot. At some of the hotter area shows just tidy clothes are allowed. I say in the background is a lighter coloured Simmental heifer.
Nice Shorthorn heifers.
Colin

 

[Anonymous]

Yes we are supposed to wear white dust coats (lab coats as you call them) They do look neat but are quite hot. At some of the hotter area shows just tidy clothes are allowed. I say in the background is a lighter coloured Simmental heifer.
Nice Shorthorn heifers.
Colin

I think it's about time they got rid of the coats here. And yes, the heifer in the background is a Simmy, as I mentioned above.
Thanks. Love my girls!

 

[cattlemom]

Killala,

I like your Shorthorns!!! It's really cool to see what people in other countries are showing. I posted one of our now retired Shorthorn - take a look & tell me what you think!!!

She looks much different now that she's a cow & not a show heifer but we still adore her just the same!!!

 

[Australian Cattleman]

Yes Killala,I wish they would get rid of dustcoats they are antiquated and very outdated. The persons who make decisions on showring attire most have never lead a beast. I have been showing for 30 years and got into strife for not having one on at a hot show last year. The chief steward said that on this occasion he wouldn't disqualify me. I said it would be in his interest not to as I had a team of 15 head at the show. There were only 45 head of other breeds so a whole in his cattle display would have happened had I taken my cattle home.
I used to be the chief steward a few years back at that show. We used to have 300 to 350 head at that show, now it has fallen to a dismal 60 odd head. It was dissappointing when I took over the CS job there were 12 head only at that show.
Enough griping about past events. Was to have gone to Beef 2006 in Rockhampton next week with a team of 7 South Devons but not going because of an unknown judge and the smaller numbered breeds have been included in an interbreed format. 900+ ks too far to go to be judged like that.
Colin

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, we've had the same issues. Fortunately at country show the numbers are small enough to form a sort of strike and, well, they're not going to send everyone home now are they?!
Would've loved to go up to Rocky to watch... unfortunately uni gets in the way of a lot of things!
Cheers,
Carla.