why do "club calf" types get docked at regular sales?

[raykour]

Can someone tell me why the post-legged club calf type of calf gets docked at a regular sale?
I can see the conformational difference, but sometimes around here (colorado) the dock is pretty substantial. Most of the ones I have seen are blacks or maine types...nothing particularly off the beaten patch as far as color.

I sold all of my steers this year with the good prices and thought I might go get a crop eared or crop tailed calf to feed... but I see alot of these going for cheap and wonder the reason.

 

[robert]

cos they don't grow and they don't grade, many end up as cripples before they're done, which doesn't help their grading performance either. Know a guy in IA who always has a pen of WMW (who made who) cripples on feed

 

[Commercialfarmer]

What Robert said, and if you have a post legged lame calf at 800 lbs, he will only be worse at 1200 lbs.

 

[JustSimmental]

The club calf types don't have any growth and don't grade.
No production cattlemen or feeder will pay a premium for a shoebox with legs.

JS

 

[raykour]

Thanks for the answers, that pretty much sums it up. I guess I was thinking that a show calf ought to reflect what a nice market calf should be, that just makes sense to me. But probably like the halter horse industry, the idea has gone astray so that the animal standing in front of you is by no means useful for the intended purpose.

 

[Mid South Guy]

Thanks for the answers, that pretty much sums it up. I guess I was thinking that a show calf ought to reflect what a nice market calf should be, that just makes sense to me...

That's the way it was until the 1970's.

 

[HomePlaceAngus]

Ya that's right Mid South Guy. I raised Reg. Angus back in the 50-60s that were waist high. Used to have a lot of fun showing them. Then in the 70-80s they went hugh. When you see a picture of a Grand Champion of the 70-80s with the people standing behind them you can only see them from the sholders up. Now we are at a moderate size about where they should be, I think.

 

[Keren]

Thanks for the answers, that pretty much sums it up. I guess I was thinking that a show calf ought to reflect what a nice market calf should be, that just makes sense to me...

That's the way it was until the 1970's.

That's the way it still is in Australia