coachg
Well-known member
I see length , volume and femininity. Anyway that's what I look for in mine .
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OP
OP
I like her head, length, straight back, butt. And I love her lineage and personality. She's been a hand-feeder for a while but if I don't have cubes, she's happy with a back scratch. Super docile, not flighty.
MurraysMutts
Well-known member
I know she's still a baby. But she appears to have good bone. Wide fronted. Should be a good large cow. Time will tell, but she's out of great stock! She should be every bit as good as her momma
Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
I would like to see another picture. But, heritage/longevity in the herd trumps a lot of things.
simme
Old Dumb Guy
When we get a very big calf, it is natural to look for the cause and a solution. Genetics from sire or dam? Environment? Nutrition? I think sometimes it just happens as a random event. Not due to the usual suspects. If you have used the same bulls previously with no giant calves, dam is from a known cow family with no giant calves, nutrition and environment not much different than previous years - then how does a calf happen that is 20 to 30 pounds heavier than previous years or other calves that year. I believe just a random natural occurrence.
I had a huge (for me) calf last fall. Dam was a 3 year old. So this was her second calf. Dam was born here with around a 60# bw. Her first calf (heifer) was around 75 pounds. This second calf's sire was not calving ease, but sired other calves in the herd with bw in the 85 to 90 range. Dam was a big frame cow. Calf was AI sired with a 282 day gestation. When I checked the cows that morning, she was in labor with front feet out. BIG feet. Progress seemed to be slow and I did not know how long she had been in labor. So put chains on and hand pulled the bull calf. She got up and started cleaning him off. Hoof tape estimated bw at 132 pounds. I thought that was too much, so weighed him on scales at 119#. So about 30 pounds heavier than other calves out of the sire. About 40 pounds heavier than the dam's first (heifer) calf. Genetic issue from the mating of this sire to this dam resulted in that many pounds? I don't see that. Nutrition/environment issue that caused this cow to produce that heavy calf when she had the same nutrition and pasture as the other cows (fescue pasture with no additional feed)? I don't see that. I am going with random occurrence.
The steer calf grew like a weed. Had to get him cut before the temptation to leave him as a bull grew too strong.
I had a huge (for me) calf last fall. Dam was a 3 year old. So this was her second calf. Dam was born here with around a 60# bw. Her first calf (heifer) was around 75 pounds. This second calf's sire was not calving ease, but sired other calves in the herd with bw in the 85 to 90 range. Dam was a big frame cow. Calf was AI sired with a 282 day gestation. When I checked the cows that morning, she was in labor with front feet out. BIG feet. Progress seemed to be slow and I did not know how long she had been in labor. So put chains on and hand pulled the bull calf. She got up and started cleaning him off. Hoof tape estimated bw at 132 pounds. I thought that was too much, so weighed him on scales at 119#. So about 30 pounds heavier than other calves out of the sire. About 40 pounds heavier than the dam's first (heifer) calf. Genetic issue from the mating of this sire to this dam resulted in that many pounds? I don't see that. Nutrition/environment issue that caused this cow to produce that heavy calf when she had the same nutrition and pasture as the other cows (fescue pasture with no additional feed)? I don't see that. I am going with random occurrence.
The steer calf grew like a weed. Had to get him cut before the temptation to leave him as a bull grew too strong.
OP
OP
Definitely not a good pic, just grabbed the opportunity. She's generally in my face & licking my phone when I try to capture the moment. Fail! I'll have to get one when she doesn't see me.
Yup, it's the lineage. And I have yet to be disappointed.
kenny thomas
Well-known member
Good move because i probably would have tried to buy him next trip down.
