Color Craze. What's yours?

[MYT Farms]

Hey all. I've by no means been involved with club calves for very long, but it seems to me that there are many different color crazes out there. I know for a while, smokey cattle were hot. They still are. Red and blue roans have been in style, and shorties seem to be getting more popular. Then there's the Hereford marked cattle that seem popular in places. Even Matt Lautner (right one?) has jumped on the band wagon with Red Rock. But what do you like? What's in demand right now? I'm messing with a little roan and Herf blood for some markings, and just wanted to kinda get an idea of what I'm getting into.

MYT

 

[LittleHeifer]

Well Im not real sure on color but Hereford is good for calmness. I wouldnt just look at color I would look at how they act and how the produce in the end. I do know that judges like to look at catchy coloring especially roans but they also want to see a calf thats gonna be calm, stand, do what you tell it to, have nice looks, and have potantial for producing well in the end. but for me some unique coloring is also nice. Thats why I picked my pretty red and white shorthorn heifer. I would get ahold of some of the breeders for the types of cattle you are looking at and get pics or even go look at their cattle.Also watch at your county fair and look for the cattle he/she puts at the top. This is just some of my advice, I've been learning from the best around my area. Its always difficult deciding what to do when breeding, so i wish you the best of luck with it.  (thumbsup)
Little Heifer  (angel)

 

[BCCC]

just wanted to kinda get an idea of what I'm getting into.

MYT

Something better than angus!! haha <beer>

 

[Jill]

In order I like Black, Black and then Black (clapping)

 

[dori36]

In order I like Black, Black and then Black (clapping)

I'm mostly on the same page as you, Jill.  But a little chrome on a black is good too, imo, as well as a really well made, famcy, blue roan.

 

[LN]

Baldies are my favorite. Black or red, doesn't matter.

 

[DLD]

My favorite color cattle are and always have been black baldies - preferably the ones without much white anywhere else.  Those kind work everywhere - the show ring, the pasture, the sale barn, the feedlot, the packers... Everybody likes 'em.  Over 3/4 of our cows are primarily black, with maybe half of those having a little white on their heads and/or bellies.

We do have a few Herefords, though I can't credit that to it being "the new thing", since I grew up in the Hereford business.  And we've got a few Shorthorns, but again, my wife grew up with those.  And a few blue roans that go back to my father-in-laws old Shorthorn stuff.  I don't want too awful many of any of those though - show calves are great, but they take too much of a beating at the sale barn for me to want any that won't show.

 

[MYT Farms]

Lol, Jill, I agree with that. Black is still my favorite. But, sometimes I have a tough time selling my black Angus, so I'm bringing in a little Lim and playing with colors to hopefully help me market my cattle better. Being the small operation we are, people simply aren't looking for Angus around here. But, there are several club calf sales around where I could get calves into, and IF I produce good calves, I could have a decent market for them. Looking back, a smokey won in '08 at county, and this year a solid red steer one. In fact, there were many good red steers that the judge used in classes. Also, thanks for the replies about baldies. DLD, you're right, the baldies are hard to beat anywhere. Thanks for the info.

 

[shorthorn boy]

Personally I like the roans, specifically strawberry roans and blue roans, but as long as its read and white i don't really care. I do however have a soft spot for those fancy blaze faced Simis, black or red. ;D

 

[forbes family farms]

With the really good cattle out their i like the black and white because it adds a little touch at the end, then black but black in the show ring doesn't stand out when there are alot of black calves in the show ring, and i can't forget the red or red and white out there because they also add a little touch in the show ring becuase then if you are the only not solid black calf out there you will stand out in the show ring.

 

[shorthorn boy]

I totally agree with you Forbes Family Farms

 

[shortdawg]

My favorites are roans - any kind of roans.

 

[rtmcc]

Black on black but we love a good smokie or Charolais also.  They can get you some what closer to real beef production.

 

[OH Breeder]

In order
Can't beat those shorties- you never know what you are going to get.

Roan
Red n White
White
Cherry Red/Deep Red
Baldy
Blue Roan
Smokes
Black White Socks
Solid Black

 

[MYT Farms]

Aha, this is what I am looking for. Thanks all. Hmm....... Some interesting points and colors to toy with.

 

[Show Steaks]

My personal favorite is a black baldy 2nd solid black

I think somethign that is catchign some stema is the orange/butterscotch color  coming  from a char x short cross

 

[TwinMaple]

With the really good cattle out their i like the black and white because it adds a little touch at the end, then black but black in the show ring doesn't stand out when there are alot of black calves in the show ring, and i can't forget the red or red and white out there because they also add a little touch in the show ring becuase then if you are the only not solid black calf out there you will stand out in the show ring.

Just a little story to add to your comment.

When our son was growing up he did several steer projects with the 4H program in our province (Nova Scotia). One year he showed a home raised red necked roan steer that was real eye candy. It was one of those perfect combinations of deep red head, neck with a mostly white body with some red roan included. At the provincial steer show that year there were 23 steers of all varieties, shapes and colors. I watched the judge (not a Shorthorn breeder by the way) as he placed the class. As he looked over the group he kept having his eye caught by the stricking color of Chris' steer. I may be a bit partial but that steer did stand out in the bunch and it forced the judge to take longer looks at him than he might have got if he had been colored like the rest. Now having said that, he was a real good steer and he won the show and was provincial champion. Later I talked with the judge and he admitted the steer's color did keep taking his attention. It did give him an advantage as far as the judge was concerned. So............my favorite color?.............hard to beat a good red necked roan!