Developing Bull Prospect Opinions

[TLBarrow]

Hey Guys,
Would love to hear what y'all think of this new bull prospect we picked up. He is a Texas Tornado outcross Charolais. We would like to hear the good and the bad so don't hold anything back.
Thanks and have a wonderful day,
TLBarrow

 

[DaveK]

How old is he? 

 

[knabe]

What does he do for you.

He looks under fed, lacks masculinity.


He's Wyoming wind. What makes him an outcross.


What does 3 on milk in Charolais mean.  That's what tornado looks to be.

 

[dimebag]

My opinion is , I like some things about the bull calf . Good bone , nice fronted , looks to have a stout hip . I agree he's under conditioned , but still a nice calf . I've worked with a few Texas Tornados , they are usually gentle .

Post pictures later as he gains condition .

 

[Jive Turkey]

Too fine-boned.

Needs more feed.

Like his length of neck.

 

[oakview]

I agree with the post about the calf's positive attributes.  If he's been "roughing it", the extra 200 pounds he maybe missed out on would make a world of difference.  You may have a real diamond in the rough.  On the other hand, if he's just a hard doer, he might not be what you want.  I don't know the background of the calf, but I wouldn't give up on him just yet. 

 

[TLBarrow]

Thanks everyone for the positive views and the negative ones. I agree with most of them. This calf is a mid October born. He was just out on pasture and the cow where I picked him up from. We have had him about a month now and have been just pouring the feed to him to get him back caught up where he needs to be. When I say an outcross I mean he is not bred with what most club calf cattle are bred with today. He is out of a Kroupa 5126 donor which is an Ice Bucket (charolais x Maine) and a charolais cross cow. He is a super gentle easy going calf which is one of the things we really liked about him considering we are using him on a couple of angus bred cows to try and stouten some calves up. I see everyones concerns about him being underweight. We know he is behind and have been pouring the feed to him and he has been packing on the pounds. I was more concerned about what everyone though on his potential as far as structural integrity went. I also wanted to know about his bloodlines and what people thought of how he was bred. I have attached a picture of the donor he is out of as well.

 

[knabe]

The views are not positive or negative. They are just what we see.


Compliments for compliment sake can be negative.

 

[librarian]

To me, he looks uncomfortable. I dont know how other people do it, but if I have a calf that shows the natural masculinity and strength a bull needs, I leave him out on pasture so he can build up his legs, back, neck and shoulders by running around. I also dont give him extra feed so I can see him for what he really is. A bull prospect should have a dam that can keep giving him milk for 10 months, breed back, and maintain condition. I think all that feed is just creating the illusion of natural volume and extra feed will be required to maintain that illusion in his progeny.

 

[BroncoFan]

To me, he looks uncomfortable. I dont know how other people do it, but if I have a calf that shows the natural masculinity and strength a bull needs, I leave him out on pasture so he can build up his legs, back, neck and shoulders by running around. I also dont give him extra feed so I can see him for what he really is. A bull prospect should have a dam that can keep giving him milk for 10 months, breed back, and maintain condition. I think all that feed is just creating the illusion of natural volume and extra feed will be required to maintain that illusion in his progeny.

I agree. We shouldn't keep hard keepers around and shouldn't let them pass on that trait to their offspring.

 

[OH Breeder]

To me, he looks uncomfortable. I dont know how other people do it, but if I have a calf that shows the natural masculinity and strength a bull needs, I leave him out on pasture so he can build up his legs, back, neck and shoulders by running around. I also dont give him extra feed so I can see him for what he really is. A bull prospect should have a dam that can keep giving him milk for 10 months, breed back, and maintain condition. I think all that feed is just creating the illusion of natural volume and extra feed will be required to maintain that illusion in his progeny.

I was kinda scratching my head in agreement. I would have to ask did he come out of a pasture that was poor doing? Was he creep fed on pasture or just straight cow? Calves should come off cow in good condition if the dam is doing half the work. Pasture or supplement should have helped him maintain condition.
Shouldn't we propagate cattle that do not require supplemental grain to maintain body condition? I have a couple girls that we can feed air and they are consistently covered and wean calves that look the same.
JMO

 

[Bradenh]

Snap a better picture of him once you get him either sheared off or get all his hair going the right way. He's skinny and may be best suited with his nuts out pouring it to him to run as a steer because he can benefit from the extra condition. As a bull he may lack some of the masculine shape to really blow apart an angus based cow herd as you referenced using him on. But at the same time he does look like he will be a sound and pretty type and I don't see anything that waves a red flag on his structure.

 

[TLBarrow]

Thanks everyone once again. He did come out of a pasture that was poor doing. He was just on a cow with no creep feed. The cow he came off of appeared to be a higher than average milker how ever was in poor condition as well due to the pasture not being the best. The cows I plan on using him on can literally smell feed and gain weight. Our pastures are also very good and fertilized regularly. With this all being said I turn to the question what is the best way to develop a bull calf in today's world? Do you keep them on say Honor Show Chow fitters edge and Full range and feed them as if the were steer and to the same show steer look or do you feed them to maintain them to allow them to grow? I would like to use this guy to breed ultimately but would also like to get him in the show ring a few times. I've show steers and heifers and placed high and sold at Fort Worth etc. I wanted to approach a new challenge and try my hand at a bull so here I am. Thanks again.

 

[TLBarrow]

I thought I would add the bull calf came out of a pasture in south Texas (Galveston County area) so my only point to this is the heat is not very forgiving down here and typically calves are rougher until we can get them in the show barn and under fans.

 

[librarian]

Are you planning to make Smokies?

 

[TLBarrow]

Yes, a lot of people we get calling for calves don't want anything except a smokie down here.

 

[Bradenh]

You're going to get a lot of blacks with that grey nose

I wouldn't feed him a high dollar feed or spoil him under fans it'll just make it harder when he has to go out in the real world the last thing you want is a butterball. He will stay plenty good looking enough to show a little in the few county shows that will have an x bred bull class

We feed a standard cheap nutrena feed to develop our bulls