need more spring of rib on show heifer.

[RyanChandler]

The primary problem w/ the high fiber feedstuffs is that they DRASTICALLY lower the energy level of the ration- 

 

[Tallcool1]

....In the anatomy of a cow, the LUNGS are behind the ribs, so unless you are having your cattle run marathons and having them hold their breath and gulp air such as free divers do, all the feed in the world will not increase RIB shape. It will increase capacity BEHIND the rib in the "gut area".  But they are NOT one and the same.

............which is PRECISELY why some people have a tread mill in their cooler, and exercise their fat steers on it.  Plus it keeps them fresh when they exit the cooler and enter the 95 degree barns at the State Fair. 

Just sayin'.

 

[OH Breeder]

A calf can be a purple ribbon calf from the beginning and without proper care, it will not win.
A calf that is a blue ribbon calf can be made into a purple ribbon calf with proper care.
A calf that is a red ribbon calf due to structure, will NEVER be a purple ribbon calf, unless of course, the judge decides to make it one.

You can not FEED rib shape. In the anatomy of a cow, the LUNGS are behind the ribs, so unless you are having your cattle run marathons and having them hold their breath and gulp air such as free divers do, all the feed in the world will not increase RIB shape. It will increase capacity BEHIND the rib in the "gut area".  But they are NOT one and the same.

I have to agree. either you female has spring of rib and rib shape or they don't. You can cover those ribs with all the fat you want. Then you end up with a fat animal that if the right breeder feels down the top and rib will know they are flatter made underneath all that condition.

We don't keep any females that are flat made. At a point in the shorthorn history you had some dual purpose cattle that could get narrow made and flatter in their design. I try to follow the Gerald Fry ideals of females and males.

 

[RyanChandler]

When I think flat made, I think of it in terms of muscle. Smooth, flat muscles. To me, a flat made cow could, and in my experience, most cases do, have tremendous rib shape. Think Holstein.