Young Mashona Bull (9mo old)

[WalnutCrest]

Thought you might like to see what a young Mashona bull looks like. Attached are a few photos of Sammy (#22) and his dam (#13), and granddam (#334).

Sammy this morning (9mo, 1 wk):

Sammy a couple of weeks ago:

#13 is on the right and #334 is on the left:

 

[Muddy]

They're quite different.....Sammy seems he's quite short bodied.

 

[WalnutCrest]

Quite different? How so? And vs what?

Re: short bodied ... while he won't win any length of body competitions, he is still growing, and length will come. There was nothing off about the proportions of his sire or dam.

 

[wbvs58]

He has the long legs on him similar to Wagyu cattle.
Ken

 

[Bigfoot]

Not negative, just observation-------------Their legs seem really fine boned. I'm sure that had a reason, during establishment of the breed? I also didn't know they came in black. The way their head, neck, and body join, remind me somewhat of a water buffalo. Interesting cattle to look at, and I'm sure to own as well.

 

[TCRanch]

The dam & granny are beautiful. When did you take the pic? Our cows are already starting to get their winter coats & yours still look shiny & sleek.

 

[WalnutCrest]

He has the long legs on him similar to Wagyu cattle.
Ken

Long legs now, but not when they're older. This picture is of our shallowest Mashona cow (I can't get a good picture of our deepest one to load for some reason). This cow is 4.5yrs old and is late-bred (the photo taken about 5 weeks ago).

 

[WalnutCrest]

Not negative, just observation-------------Their legs seem really fine boned. I'm sure that had a reason, during establishment of the breed? I also didn't know they came in black. The way their head, neck, and body join, remind me somewhat of a water buffalo. Interesting cattle to look at, and I'm sure to own as well.

The fine boned legs lead to highly efficient cattle with very high yield. The Mashona muscle fiber makes for excellent eating.

For me, and to a limit, fine bone is actually a good thing. The customer can't eat bone nearly as well as roast or steak. I'd prefer to put groceries into something our beef buyers can eat (vs. something they can't).

As to colors, there are red and black ... some of the reds are nearly brown ... and some of the 'nearly brown red' have strong red highlights on the end of the hair ... and some of the black have strong red highlights on the ends of the hair. Makes for a very cool look (imo). I wish I could get a picture of our deepest bodied cow to load -- she's black with red highlights.

Oh, and regarding 'interesting to own' ... yes they are. Very calm, easy going cattle. Traditionally, in their home country (Zimbabwe), they are tended by very young boys, so temperament problems were culled early and hard.

 

[WalnutCrest]

The dam & granny are beautiful. When did you take the pic? Our cows are already starting to get their winter coats & yours still look shiny & sleek.

We thought the dam and granny were beautiful, too. The picture of the dam and granny was taken about six or seven weeks ago. In fact, the dam is owned by a partner of mine and was the main reason we ended up with this bull calf (Sammy). There are a couple of people who are wanting pictures and to come by to see him ... he may end up breeding in a pasture near one of you guys next summer.

As to the breed, we're trying them out ... not sure how well they'll do this winter this far north. In fact, I'm not aware of anyone this far north who doesn't use some sort of a wintering structure (we don't) for them. We bought two late-bred cows and two young heifers to see what happens this winter. They are a very hardy breed and have sleek, shiny coats. They don't really hair up in the winter at all (although one of our heifers has added a little bit of length to her coat over the last few weeks ... but, nothing like our Aubracs, though). My hope / belief is that, due to their dense phenotype, they'll be able to get through the winter pretty well...but, we'll see.

One of our two bred cows has calved (the other is due any day). The picture below is of a 1/2 Mashona 1/2 Charolais bull calf right after he was born. We've named him Carlo.

 

[Bigfoot]

The cows look like they'd get out and work for a living. You ever put any other breeds on them, and had some F1 calves?

 

[WalnutCrest]

The cows look like they'd get out and work for a living. You ever put any other breeds on them, and had some F1 calves?

See above ... half Mashona / half Charolais.

We're expecting our first Aubrac / Mashona calf in about five (ish) months (not remembering the exact date of the AI right now) -- we used a Mashona bull on an Aubrac heifer. We'll be using an Aubrac bull as cleanup on the Mashona females, so, if one of them doesn't take to her AI, we expect the bull will get her to make F1s going the other direction.

A friend of mine has (had?) some snappy looking red-Mashona-sired Longhorn cross calves you'd have to take a real hard look at in order to distinguish them from red angus.

 

[TCRanch]

The dam & granny are beautiful. When did you take the pic? Our cows are already starting to get their winter coats & yours still look shiny & sleek.

We thought the dam and granny were beautiful, too. The picture of the dam and granny was taken about six or seven weeks ago. In fact, the dam is owned by a partner of mine and was the main reason we ended up with this bull calf (Sammy). There are a couple of people who are wanting pictures and to come by to see him ... he may end up breeding in a pasture near one of you guys next summer.

As to the breed, we're trying them out ... not sure how well they'll do this winter this far north. In fact, I'm not aware of anyone this far north who doesn't use some sort of a wintering structure (we don't) for them. We bought two late-bred cows and two young heifers to see what happens this winter. They are a very hardy breed and have sleek, shiny coats. They don't really hair up in the winter at all (although one of our heifers has added a little bit of length to her coat over the last few weeks ... but, nothing like our Aubracs, though). My hope / belief is that, due to their dense phenotype, they'll be able to get through the winter pretty well...but, we'll see.

One of our two bred cows has calved (the other is due any day). The picture below is of a 1/2 Mashona 1/2 Charolais bull calf right after he was born. We've named him Carlo.

Carlo is cute as @#ll! Predictions are above normal snowfall for KS this year so sending good juju. If Sammy ends up around here I'll keep an eye on him for you :)

 

[ALACOWMAN]

Though they look better as they mature,, that first picture looks like a Craigslist angus :D

 

[gizmom]

This old world would be a very boring place if we all liked the same type cattle. I can't say I am a fan of the breed but I don't know much about them other than the pictures you share. When I look at the picture of your young Mashona Bull I remember my old livestock judging coach telling us bone equates to red meat, I just don't see much bone in this calf. The cows look really nice.

gizmom

 

[WalnutCrest]

This old world would be a very boring place if we all liked the same type cattle. I can't say I am a fan of the breed but I don't know much about them other than the pictures you share. When I look at the picture of your young Mashona Bull I remember my old livestock judging coach telling us bone equates to red meat, I just don't see much bone in this calf. The cows look really nice.

gizmom

I'd love to see the research your livestock judge was referencing! HA! :D If you mean 'meat that's red', I think that's more related to the age of the animal, the aging techniques used, the oxygenation of the animal while alive, the muscle fiber type, etc. than it does how much bone (or not) the animal has. However, if you're referring to yield, bone is antagonistic to yield. So, I guess I'm not sure what your old coach was referring to. Care to help me out?

 

[gizmom]

I never really understood what he meant either WalnutCrest but looking at your bull it brought his comments to my mind. I like a bull with more bone and muscle expression. Not trying to knock your bull he may be an excellent example of the breed, just not my cup of tea.

gizmom

 

[WalnutCrest]

I never really understood what he meant either WalnutCrest but looking at your bull it brought his comments to my mind. I like a bull with more bone and muscle expression. Not trying to knock your bull he may be an excellent example of the breed, just not my cup of tea.

gizmom

:nod:

 

[slick4591]

I've been looking for links to support the conclusion that the finer boned animals can/will produce a higher percentage of usable product, but didn't find what I've read in the past. Since I breed finer boned animals it just makes more sense to me that if you had one heavy boned calf and a one finer boned that weighed 1300 lbs, the finer boned would produce more product.

 

[M.Magis]

Perhaps, but what's take to get those animals to that weight? I'm guessing it's not equal.

 

[creekdrive]

I can't say the bull is my cup of tea but it will be interesting to see pictures as he grows & matures. The cows on the other hand look nice. They definitely aren't lacking for depth of body. That Char x Mashona bull calf is cute as can be, have any pictures of him standing? Looks like the Char has given him a lot more substance.