An interesting Shorthorn bull in Ireland

[mark tenenbaum]

Yessir-take off them bib overhalls and put on a Buster Crabb strongman- Leopard siut-and youd fit right in-Cave Man Club Calves O0

 

[Duncraggan]

U. Beggar is a trait leading sire for 200, 400, 600 day weight as well as Milk in the U.K..  I met Andrew Barrett at the last U.K. Royal Show in 2009, great guy!  He had an excellent string of cattle, beautifully prepared!  No progeny of U. Beggar in the string.  One of my top five picks of the whole Shorthorn section, Glenariff Brave Bonnar, a yearling by a home-bred bull was only placed second in his class on the day.  My choice was vindicated when he won numerous shows, including interbreed championships in 2010!

A +4.3kg birthweight EBV should not scare anyone too much. he has a +2.9% CE Direct EBV!  You don't want to breed calving problems in, do you?

 

[aj]

Where may we purchase semen? Will it be available in the USA?

 

[RyanChandler]

How tall is the bull?

I don't think weight alone signifies anything bout their fleshing ability. I do however feel FS does.  

What's the largest weight a FS 5 or 6 cow could be without being over a 6 BCS ?  

 

[Duncraggan]

If you want it badly enough, I'm sure you can get hold of it.

I have managed to get suitable semen from Ireland, Canada, Australia and now the USA, even with our ridiculous import criteria!  Can be costly though!

 

[knabe]

Why aren't elephants smaller?

 

[Duncraggan]

It would be easier to breed them smaller than breed them bigger.  Ask any trophy hunter!

 

[aj]

Telos elephants are getting smaller according to the latest data. If man would start putting protein tubs out and alfalfa in round feeders and creep feed the babies they could override mother nature and keep elephants the same size. Bison Antiquus morphed in to Bison Bison. Are race horses getting smaller? If corn gets down in the 1.50$ range I think these giant cattle would have a place in the industry.

 

[knabe]

Elephants are getting smaller due to the elimination of the big ones for several for generations. The are also trending tusk less. 

You need to get your facts right why they were large in the first place.  It is because they excel at utilizing lower quality forage and the surface area to volume necessary to utilize that. On the other hand, forages may be changing to higher quality which favors a smaller size.

 

[aj]

If elephants were ruminents you would have a point....but they are NOT. Elephants are terribly inefficient in utilizing nutrients in their gut. In fact there is a tremendous amount of Elephant pies that are used by the surronding eco sytem as food. They are horrible as far as digestive effeciencies.

 

[aj]

knabe....you do have a point though.....if you have a couple hundred acres of brush and twigs that need cleaned an elephant would be the way to go. Just be carefull when preg checking. Don't be smoking.

 

[knabe]

If elephants were ruminents you would have a point....but they are NOT. Elephants are terribly inefficient in utilizing nutrients in their gut. In fact there is a tremendous amount of Elephant pies that are used by the surronding eco sytem as food. They are horrible as far as digestive effeciencies.

depends what efficient means.  they've evolved to be in balance.

if cattle were more efficient, people would have never fed them their own feces.

lots of benefits/drawbacks of different digestive systems.

 

[aj]

What if the tree branches and shrubs were ground up in a hay grinder.....would this make an elephant more effiecient?

 

[aj]

I guess an elephant couldn't lick a tub though beacause of his trunk.....dangit knabe....we've hijacked this thread....lets get back to the 3,800# bull.

 

[knabe]

What if the tree branches and shrubs were ground up in a hay grinder.....would this make an elephant more effiecient?

No. He would need his feet trimmed.

 

[knabe]

What about auroch's?  Why did they get small?

 

[huntaway]

I wonder what the biggest mature cow ever recorded in the shorthorn breed? .......maybe 2,700#'s?

Mature cow weights are poorly recorded but for Australian shorthorns the max was 2420 with an average of 1300.
If i'm reading the table right thats from the start of the durham project

 

[jaimiediamond]

dangit knabe....we've hijacked this thread....lets get back to the 3,800# bull.

Interesting how 3800 is the number you came up with. Did someone tell you the scale weight? Or is it one of your famous guesses with little to no grounds?  Over 3400 and being 3800 is  a 399lb swing which is huge. 

 

[aj]

My bad.....3,401 # bull then. Now thats better......thats kinda getting it down in the working mans range. Good point.

 

[RyanChandler]

AJ and Jaimie are like the Republicans and the Democrats.  Both extreme, yet fortunately, rational thinking individuals see the truth lies somewhere right there in the middle. Kinda like my comments about PETA - Im glad extremes exist - no one really believes the most extreme PETA propaganda, but what it does do is bring light on the fact that animal welfare should be a priority.

That's why I like you both so much - Im pretty extreme myself.  (lol)