What do you think of this calf? I need a critique.

[SDM]

This is the first heifer born here that I've kept and I'd like some input from the group. A Comrade daughter out of a cow I bought as a 400# heifer in the first group of calves I brought here. I took the first picture yesterday evening with this thread in mind. Went out this morning and she's a few pounds lighter, about 20' away. She's 3 this fall and that's her second calf. So, what do you think? You can't hurt my feelings. Sorry about the quality of the first one. I didn't realize it was so poor.

 

[Travlr]

Better than average...

Looks like she's been eating well. If she raised a 600# calf at 7 months, she's a keeper.

 

[SDM]

Better than average...

Looks like she's been eating well. If she raised a 600# calf at 7 months, she's a keeper.

Actually, the grass is short. We've been dry this fall and I'm overstocked. Nothing but high test fescue, Johnsongrass, and crabgrass through the summer. Not what the forage experts recommend in this area. First calf (borrowed bull with some Knoll Crest breeding) was 716 at 8 months so probably made 600 at 7. If you read some of my other posts, I wish it had been 675#. Or just maybe I should have sold it sooner...just maybe.

 

[puzzled in oregon]

Actually, the grass is short. We've been dry this fall and I'm overstocked. Nothing but high test fescue, Johnsongrass, and crabgrass through the summer. Not what the forage experts recommend in this area. First calf (borrowed bull with some Knoll Crest breeding) was 716 at 8 months so probably made 600 at 7. If you read some of my other posts, I wish it had been 675#. Or just maybe I should have sold it sooner...just maybe.

Easy keeper, raises a nice calf. What could be wrong about her.

 

[coachg]

2nd calf by 3 , she looks like a money maker to me . Definitely the right color !

 

[SDM]

They have to be that color here or its $0.20 dock (or whatever you want to call it). Maybe only 0.10 if its an excellent smokey Charolais calf.

Thank you all, she is a good calf, but what could be better confirmation wise? I know there's room for improvement and I want to learn where that is. I'll try to get picture of her feet later today. I can't get but so close right now before she heads the other direction.

 

[Travlr]

Thank you all, she is a good calf, but what could be better confirmation wise? I know there's room for improvement and I want to learn where that is.

Proportionally I'd say she's pretty good. Nice topline, decent muscle, deep. Might be a little narrow in the girth, but better than average, and she might have some excess fat in the brisket. Her teats are close together and like many Angus the udder doesn't have the volume that would give the udder a flat bottom with wide spacing. Her better features make up for anything that might be detrimental. One of the downsides of black cows is that it's harder to get good pics.

I'll try to get picture of her feet later today. I can't get but so close right now before she heads the other direction.

Some good shots of her feet would be good to look at.

 

[MurraysMutts]

That's a dang nice cow.
In the pics her tail head looks huge tho.

 

[Rancher]

above average I'd say

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Cow is nice. Yes she has a fat tail head. and a little fine bone....typical for Angus. But, great top line and good rib shape. Really nice cow.

 

[greybeard]

Cow is nice. Yes she has a fat tail head. and a little fine bone....typical for Angus. But, great top line and good rib shape. Really nice cow.

Isn't that to be expected this soon (approx 12-14 hrs) after calving? Even easy calvers swell up a little.

 

[jltrent]

I'd take a field full like her. The calf looks good too.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Isn't that to be expected this soon (approx 12-14 hrs) after calving? Even easy calvers swell up a little.

I've never seen their tail head get thicker. They do get higher with the ligaments loosening up.

 

[SDM]

I've never noticed it but in those pictures it does look prominent. I've learned the folks who photograph livestock (at least cattle) have to earn their money. I'll look later today. She's not the worst of the bunch here for sure. There's one I think has to adjust for the wind when she walks. No foot pictures yet, she's still heading away when I get close.

It's funny you are correctly calling her a cow. She's still a calf in my mind.

As far as the calf in the picture, like I said the bull I borrow is a grandson of KCF something or other. I had a copy of his pedigree, I'll share his AAA number if I can find it. He has the skinny leg gene, but not as bad as some. His calves are born strong. They get up and are nursing well within an hour for me and the owner. The owner bred some 1 year old heifers with him and no issues. They are born small, but seem to make up for it.

 

[SDM]

Proportionally I'd say she's pretty good. Nice topline, decent muscle, deep. Might be a little narrow in the girth, but better than average, and she might have some excess fat in the brisket. Her teats are close together and like many Angus the udder doesn't have the volume that would give the udder a flat bottom with wide spacing. Her better features make up for anything that might be detrimental. One of the downsides of black cows is that it's harder to get good pics.



Some good shots of her feet would be good to look at.

I'm a little late in getting these pictures. Hasn't been too many opportunities since then where she would cooperate, I remembered, and I had my phone with me. I tried to get one from the side but I couldn't get her to move from the outside and when I went in with them they went back out of the pen.

 

[Nesikep]

If you're going for shows I'm sure there's things to improve, but for a working beef cow, she seems to have all the necessities.. Does her temperament suit you?

 

[Hereford2]

Very nice cow!!

 

[SDM]

If you're going for shows I'm sure there's things to improve, but for a working beef cow, she seems to have all the necessities.. Does her temperament suit you?

Temperament is great. I don't have many and I'm around them generally a couple times a day. I can go up to her in the field and she'll tolerate a couple scratches as will most of them. But they're not pets so you can get through a gate or work on the fence without them crowding you. I've been very fortunate in that regard.

 

[SDM]

Very nice cow!!

Thank you

 

[farmerjan]

If she doesn't suit you well enough, and need to cull her, I am sure we can work something out and I can come take her off your hands