What do you think of this heifer?

[Iowa-angus]

I was walking around the lot of out weaned calves and she just caught my eye.. Thought i would see what you guys think before i started to work with her. Oh and sorry about the poor lighting in the pics, it was dark out but i really wanted to get it done..

IMG]http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll317/Iowaparanormalresearchsociety/cattle/DSC02773.jpg[/IMG]

Thanks for the reply's in advance! :tiphat: :compute:

 

[blackcowz]

I'm not one to swear, but that's a helluva lot better female than those underfed bucket calves you posted. Not really big hipped, but a good baldie female that has some guts. You want to talk "real world" or "practical" cattle, there she is. Not a show heifer, but she'll make a cow.

 

[showing71]

I'm not one to swear, but that's a helluva lot better female than those underfed bucket calves you posted. Not really big hipped, but a good baldie female that has some guts. You want to talk "real world" or "practical" cattle, there she is. Not a show heifer, but she'll make a cow.

I'm gonna agree with you that that heifer is way better than those other ones posted. She doesn't look real thick, and from the pictures I can't really comment on anything else.

 

[Anonymous]

Getting better...your pics are also out of focus...makes it even harder to judge. Try to get some of that hay belly off of her.

 

[Keren]

Getting better...your pics are also out of focus...makes it even harder to judge. Try to get some of that hay belly off of her.

Oh good grief.

The kid noticed the heifer in amongst the group of weaners, and posted a picture ... which is exactly the way I and many other breeders pick out their show stock.

Learn to select an animal in paddock condition! Not fed up, fluffed up, clipped and on a halter!

 

[Jovid]

Getting better...your pics are also out of focus...makes it even harder to judge. Try to get some of that hay belly off of her.

Hay belly?

 

[Iowa-angus]

Thanks for the comments!

And for you older folk, here are some pics i took in the daytime today:

There ya go, hope thats better!

 

[VCC]

She does look better than the heifer you had last year, she looks to have more depth, deeper flank and will look more like a beef cow when she matures. She has some holes but all in all she looks like she would make you a decent cow.
I think the best thing for you is that she appears to have a very good disposition. I you decide to buy and show her, start working with her, feed her right. You do not want her fat but you want her to get the nutrition she needs to grow and produce for you later.
Good luck

 

[Chi496]

Well first of all her rump looks like a ski slope and her front feet go east and west and to top all of that off she's very narrow in her pins. This heifer probably wouldn't make the cut as a repacement heifer for me much less a show heifer. Why don't you insted of puting all this time and feed into average to below average animals find, beg, borrow, lease a calf if you have such a desire to exhibit livestock. Or another option would be to purchase an animal that has the potential to at least place above last.

 

[Iowa-angus]

Well first of all her rump looks like a ski slope and her front feet go east and west and to top all of that off she's very narrow in her pins. This heifer probably wouldn't make the cut as a repacement heifer for me much less a show heifer. Why don't you insted of puting all this time and feed into average to below average animals find, beg, borrow, lease a calf if you have such a desire to exhibit livestock. Or another option would be to purchase an animal that has the potential to at least place above last.

1. I would show her as a market heifer because my dad already implanted her.
2. My show isn't very competitive. They don't have to be perfect. But, thank you for pointing out her problems.

 

[aussie_cowgirl]

How old is she Iowa?

 

[Iowa-angus]

don't know, she would have been born in 09. I will have to get my dad to get last years records to see when she was born.

 

[aussie_cowgirl]

She does look to be a little splay and in turn a little cow hocked but it's not that bad. If she's just going to be a market heifer I reckon put her on some feed and see how she goes. She's nice and deep right through, decent length, she looks like she'd thicken up. If you compare her to the heifer next to her you can see the one you have picked has a wider stance than the one standing next to her. I think the main point is she's better than last years :nod:

 

[Keren]

Well first of all her rump looks like a ski slope and her front feet go east and west and to top all of that off she's very narrow in her pins. This heifer probably wouldn't make the cut as a repacement heifer for me much less a show heifer. Why don't you insted of puting all this time and feed into average to below average animals find, beg, borrow, lease a calf if you have such a desire to exhibit livestock. Or another option would be to purchase an animal that has the potential to at least place above last.

Hmm ... perhaps ... just a thought here ...

Maybe Iowa enjoys the satisfaction of showing HIS OWN animals that he has bred HIMSELF, rather than showing those that he has bought??

For goodness sake, let up a bit.

Iowa is showing improvement in his breeding/selection program. His show team this year is better than the last. Which is exactly what we should be doing as cattle breeders, striving to improve our herd continually.

 

[Chi496]

MAybe you need to be honest with your self as well. And on a side not 8 of the 9 in my string I have bred and 4 of them I am the breeder of their dams. If this kid is serious at some point he is either going to have to make a decision to buy some females or take the long road and actually plan some matings for what he is wanting to do.

 

[Chi496]

And I might add that I have paid plenty of dues and have been showing cattle on a national level for 25+ years. So at this point as I'm looking at no less than 6 Premier Breeder banners in 3 breeds I to take alot of pride in exhibiting my OWN stock.

 

[VCC]

Chi, I think we need to remember you're talking to a young man; I would venture to guess he is between 10 and 13 years old, he has time to improve his calves from within. It sounds like the calves are from his dads cattle, so with beef prices what they are there is probably not allot of money to spend on some extra high dollar cows.
I would suggest he work with his dad, select a few of their better cows, breed them with a maternal sire, like one of the Meyer sons, or something along that line.
Take the best heifers from those cows and start breeding for heifers and steers. Steers will be of better quality than the steers he is getting now. He can use those to show and sell, take that money and purchase some embryos or heifers of better quality.
You have to make the money to purchase animals to up grade, before you can upgrade.
My kids purchase higher quality animals to show now. They started with hogs, made enough money from the hogs to buy a steer, they continued to work their way towards competitive animals. It takes time but it works.

It is like your first car, it is usually a used car that serves its purpose and you work towards the car you really want, with upgrades along the way.

 

[Chi496]

When I was 10 I applied for my first yout loan through ASCS or what ever the name is today, but anyhow that is where I started building my cow herd. Were any of thoese original purchases show quality hell no. But after two generations was there a dramitic change in the quality of my herd yes. My point is that someone needs to be honest with these youngsters before they come to the conclusion that the cattle thay are posting all over the net are quality when in actuallity these cattle need to go to the feed yard and hope that they grade well.

 

[Anonymous]

When I was 10 I applied for my first yout loan through ASCS or what ever the name is today, but anyhow that is where I started building my cow herd. Were any of thoese original purchases show quality be nice no. But after two generations was there a dramitic change in the quality of my herd yes. My point is that someone needs to be honest with these youngsters before they come to the conclusion that the cattle thay are posting all over the net are quality when in actuallity these cattle need to go to the feed yard and hope that they grade well.

I don't know if the ASCS has youth ag loans, but I do know that Farm Credit Services offers youth ag loans. All the money for this progam needs to be loaned out or they lose funding for the program. Loans can be for lawn mowers, tractors, livestock, showing equipment, etc. It's really a good deal if parents are there to encourage and offer guidence with paper work and general understanding. I also believe that this young man can begin to build and better his herd if his parent (or whomever) is willing to back him up. Without support he is pretty much standing on one leg here.

 

[Iowa-angus]

She does look to be a little splay and in turn a little cow hocked but it's not that bad. If she's just going to be a market heifer I reckon put her on some feed and see how she goes. She's nice and deep right through, decent length, she looks like she'd thicken up. If you compare her to the heifer next to her you can see the one you have picked has a wider stance than the one standing next to her. I think the main point is she's better than last years :nod:

Thanks! :tiphat:

MAybe you need to be honest with your self as well. And on a side not 8 of the 9 in my string I have bred and 4 of them I am the breeder of their dams. If this kid is serious at some point he is either going to have to make a decision to buy some females or take the long road and actually plan some matings for what he is wanting to do.

Actually i have a plan. I am saving money for bull semen or maybe even a full flush. I have heard that if you can get a nice long cow out of the heard and some bull semen and your in business. Thats *pretty* close to what i'm planning.

Chi, I think we need to remember you're talking to a young man; I would venture to guess he is between 10 and 13 years old, he has time to improve his calves from within. It sounds like the calves are from his dads cattle, so with beef prices what they are there is probably not allot of money to spend on some extra high dollar cows.
I would suggest he work with his dad, select a few of their better cows, breed them with a maternal sire, like one of the Meyer sons, or something along that line.
Take the best heifers from those cows and start breeding for heifers and steers. Steers will be of better quality than the steers he is getting now. He can use those to show and sell, take that money and purchase some embryos or heifers of better quality.
You have to make the money to purchase animals to up grade, before you can upgrade.
My kids purchase higher quality animals to show now. They started with hogs, made enough money from the hogs to buy a steer, they continued to work their way towards competitive animals. It takes time but it works.

It is like your first car, it is usually a used car that serves its purpose and you work towards the car you really want, with upgrades along the way.

1. Your age guess is correct.
2. You are again correct.
3. That is what i want to do. (and i was thinking about going with WMW)
4. Its like your reciting my whole plan!
5. Thats basicly what i'm doing right now. Saving my money from my market animals that i sell to put towards semen and/or embryo's.

When I was 10 I applied for my first yout loan through ASCS or what ever the name is today, but anyhow that is where I started building my cow herd. Were any of thoese original purchases show quality be nice no. But after two generations was there a dramitic change in the quality of my herd yes. My point is that someone needs to be honest with these youngsters before they come to the conclusion that the cattle thay are posting all over the net are quality when in actuallity these cattle need to go to the feed yard and hope that they grade well.

I don't know if the ASCS has youth ag loans, but I do know that Farm Credit Services offers youth ag loans. All the money for this progam needs to be loaned out or they lose funding for the program. Loans can be for lawn mowers, tractors, livestock, showing equipment, etc. It's really a good deal if parents are there to encourage and offer guidence with paper work and general understanding. I also believe that this young man can begin to build and better his herd if his parent (or whomever) is willing to back him up. Without support he is pretty much standing on one leg here.

Hm.. I never knew there were such things as Youth Loans. I'll have to look into that.......