Calf Pictures

[DiamondS]

Here's a couple pictures of some calves I've got running around here.  I'd be interested in marketing them, but not even sure how to price them.  Any thoughts you would have on these calves and how to price them (you can pm me if you want) would be appreciated.  The pictures aren't the best as it's dang hot and humid around here!

All but one of these calves were sired by a Maine/Angus cross bull.  I do not know what his pedigree was...  Long story, but I know he came from Clayton Frye. 

1st heifer is a Mid March calf
2nd calf is a Mid March steer that the pictures don't do any justice.  I think this guy has potential....
4th pic is brockle face steer's butt.

 

[DiamondS]

End of February OCC Homer calf

Homer with his mother.  She's a first calf heifer.

Thanks All!

 

[DiamondS]

Geez guys, I would have rather have had some sort of criticism than nothing at all!

They must be really bad! 

 

[farmermom]

I think they are nice calves.  I'm a wait and see a little later kind of person.  I'm just not good at finding or seeing the "Great On" at this age.

 

[savaged]

I don't know where you are located, but the calves will work based on the type of show.  To me they are really good muscled and sound looking cattle - without a doubt high quality from a commercial standpoint.  For where we show, they would need more hair (genetics and temp obviously play a role here), and a phenotype with more bone mass, more compact frame, greater neck extension, squareness of hip, and more rib shape and depth.  Not really a knock at all, because these are really good calves, but in my experience as they mature and grow they will become less "clubby" in appearance if that makes sense. 

In other areas or types of shows they may just fit the bill perfectly. 

 

[OH Breeder]

I like the first heifer she is pretty nice cow material. The brockle steer with some hair will be a nice steer. He has some throat but has the right lines. You have the right base.

 

[ROAD WARRIOR]

Those calves are absolutely terrible, but I suppose I would trade some semen on that bull that you don't like for them  . Seriously though I do like the heifer ( even if she is the wrong color) and the brockle looks like he could be a stud in the right hands. Looks like the cows are doing a pretty good job for you, you should think about putting some embryos in them for me! RW

 

[Show Heifer]

I think the photos needed to be a bit better to get a true look at the calves. But they look to be good sound calves.
My first thought was if you do not know the pedigree of the bull they are sired by, and they are maine cross calves, and the first one was a heifer, you might want to consider getting them checked for defects so you will know how to market them. Also would make a difference in the price.

Keep us updated with photos later on

 

[carl s.]

I don't see enough style in the calves to set them apart as show steers instead of feeder calves.

 

[DiamondS]

Thanks guys.  I've never been into the show steer deal, and honestly I don't plan to keep any of the females.  Long story short, I took a job in CO in which I was supposed to be able to take my cows along.  I moved up there, and SUPRISE, I was told that I couldn't bring them, there wasn't enough feed.  So, I had to hurry up and come up with a home for them.  I had a good yearling Hereford bull I was going to turn out until I found out my 14 were running with 20 other cows....  The owner of the 20 had this clubby bred bull and offered to turn him out, but he didn't know much else about him.... 

I'm not into raising show steers...  Good functional commercial cattle and purebred Herefords are for me.  I thought these calves were a little better than salebarn quality and thought I'd take a shot at it.  I'm really more into finding some good local 4-H kids to show them at their county fair as opposed to the big leagues.  Don't much care about that at all. 

Savage, I'm in NE Kansas.  The day I took those pics, the actual temp was 94 and heat index was 106.  If that calf had much more hair, he'd croak lol...  I sure do appreciate your input.

OH, that's where I fault that calf too....  Could be cleaner made.  Sure wish I could get better pics....

RW, you're just being nice because you have to!  ;D  I don't have that many cows for that much semen or that horrible nasty semen got really expensive!!  LOL!!  Let's talk about those embryos.  I was thinking I'd put some in next summer anyway!

Show Heifer, I know the photo's aren't great.  It was hotter than H that day and muggy too.  What kind of expense would I be looking at to test these calves? 

Thanks again all!

 

[kanshow]

They look like marginal calves..      I think there is a sale barn near you with a weekly sale on Fridays.  If you do happen to go there, let me know and I'll bid just to make sure they sell.    !!     (clapping) (clapping)  Just Kidding!!!!!

 When are you planning on weaning them?   I'd be interested in taking a look at them later on...    

 

[farmboy]

that brockle face calf could do really good at a fair. He's stout

 

[herefordfootball]

Look liked they'd make good county fair calves. Probably not gonna grab Grand easy, but that brockle might be your sleeper and suprise you. I'd say they are better than sale barn calves for sure, but then again that's where some folks get their 4-h calves. Overall a good set of functional looking calves who will make weight if fed right and look good at that finished weight for sure. They'll look their best 4-H week at the county fair, I guarantee you that. My brother and I went out to a friends pasture here in Northern Indiana, he bought a baldy Angus cross and I bought a full blood Angus, I got third in my class of 8, beating out an 1800,1250, and 1000 steers. We paid 400 a piece for ours, they were still bulls, unweaned, and never saw a halter. The champ Angus came out of my class too. Lil elbow grease, a good eye come selection time in the fall, and a good feeding program will take you to the top. Granted third isn't anything big at the county fair, but it was my first year showing beef and I couldn't have been prouder of myself. Just my opinion.

 

[DiamondS]

Hmmmmm, Kanshow, sure glad I've got you on my side LOL!  I'm planning on weaning them mid-September at the earliest.  They'll all be 6 to 6 1/2 mos. then.  They are just outside of Manhattan and easy to look at if you ever want to take a look!


Thanks Zach, if I had a whole pen like him, I'd be pretty well off.....

HF, I've seen a couple "salebarn" calves turn out pretty smokin good.  Hopefully, I have that luck! (clapping)  I will probably halter break and clip em up this fall and try to get a little better pictures if I can afford to keep them that long!

 

[herefordfootball]

I wasnt calling yours salebarn calves by anymeans, please dont take it that way!!!  I was just implying that some of the salebarn calves turn out as good as the jock/sale bought calves. It all just depends, there are a lot of factors that affect how that steer or heifer turns out fair time. I think you'res are going to look the best when they are finished. We've got an early winter show here in Indiana that you kinda don't wanna do good at, because if you do that means your calf basically looks fully finished and has that finish coat on it already when it shouldn't until July, but this usually just happens with a few of the winners, not all.

 

[DiamondS]

HF, no worries!!  ;D  I knew exactly what you meant.  I didn't mean to come off defensive at all, I was agreeing with you!

 

[forbes family farms]

Like the first steer the best. Not sure on prices though.