Shorthorn Plus Fall 08 Bull Calf...

[TJ]

There is % lowline classes and I think he would fit in well there, But like TJ said I do agree being 3/8 people would much rather play the halfblood game with percentage. Im not sure where you are going with this bull TJ but I feel if you wanted to push him as a lowline you could. He would bring something a little different and attract a few that normally would shy away from the lowlines.

And, at 3/8 he isn't eligible to show in the percentage Lowline classes.  I think they have to be at last 50% to show but can be registered with 25% or more.  Don't ask what I think of that goofy newer rule!  TJ, with just what the pictures say to me, I'd agree that he's plenty thick but a bit small framed to appeal to commercial operators and not sure he really has a market in the Lowline world.  Just on his value and his own merits, I'd like to see a little more extension up front ...short of being freaky fronted.  Can't really tell about his carry-down in the round but I'd guess it's pretty good as well as being pretty thick topped.  Not trying to be unnecessarily negative, but if someone's interested, I'm not sure I'd keep a piece of him. 

Thanks Dori, I appreciate the honest response!  I am confident that his type will appeal to some commercial operators, but my big question is how many will he appeal to being red with the potential to sire some chrome & lots of hair?     

RE his potential in the Lowline World... I'm thinking that he could breed 5/8 or 3/4 cows to produce 1/2 & 9/16 females.  That way a person could run smaller cows & get a good % for the Lowline Showring.  In fact, that is a selling point to the person who is interested.     


       

       

 

[TJ]

I agree TJ, you shouldn't have to do a show clip on this guy to figure out if he is any good or not.  It is becoming an almost lost art, that is, being able to look at cattle in their natural state and be able to appreciate them.

The only thing I find that can be very deceiving in photos is an animals overall size. Seeing he has some Lowline and Sonny in his make- up I am "assuming his frame is very moderate. The pictures show a calf that has some masculinity, some natural thickness and natural capacity and a bull that is structurally sound. His legs appear to be situated under him, on his corners where they are supposed to be, and he has some width through his chest floor. These are all traits any animal needs to be a low maintenance animal. He has a good hair coat. His quarter is carried down very deep and I am thinking if he was fitted ( ie: fat) he would have a much more prominent rear quarter. For an animal in good everyday working condition, I think this guy has a good quarter. Some may say he needs to cleaned up in his front end some, however, I would say it is very hard to have bull that shows masculinity at this age and have him also very clean through his front.... and it should only be excessive waste in the front end that concerns us. Having some brisket and some depth through the neck, only indicates that the animal has some do-ability ( another of the goofy show ring characteristics that needs to be looked at again. Again, don't jump on me yet, as I said " some" not " a lot" of front.

This is an interesting calf. I think he could do a lot of people a lot of good. Keep us posted with how he develops.

Thanks!  I appreciate the input & I can't say that I disagree with any of it.  I don't know his exact frame size or weight, but you are correct in guessing that he's certainly not a "big un".   

His sire is a Sonny son, Phildon Get Serious.  Actually, when he was younger, I thought that he looked a lot a like the Get Serious pic... just a little more "Lowliney", if that is a word. 

 

[TJ]

Guess I see him alot like JIT does, real solid and complete.  I see some marketing possibilities for lower percentage Lowlines as calving ease bulls (that's assuming he does have a fairly low bw?), and I think he looks like he'd still transmit some meat and volume.  Of course in that situation, though I don't think the red color would kill him, throwing lots of chrome won't help.

Thanks!  He was 54 lbs, out of a full sized recip. 

 

[TJ]

Is there any % lowline classes?

I think he may be to small for other purposes ,but im new to the cattle business.

If the only thing that you don't like about him is that he's small, I'm happy!  Thanks! 

 

[dori36]

<<Thanks Dori, I appreciate the honest response!  I am confident that his type will appeal to some commercial operators, but my big question is how many will he appeal to being red with the potential to sire some chrome & lots of hair?       

RE his potential in the Lowline World... I'm thinking that he could breed 5/8 or 3/4 cows to produce 1/2 & 9/16 females.  That way a person could run smaller cows & get a good % for the Lowline Showring.  In fact, that is a selling point to the person who is interested.  >>

I agree with your thinking if his potential owner is wanting to get some nice percentage Lowlines to show.  I'll add, though, that with the percentage cattle I've had on my site over the past year, the prices overall have dipped considerably and most percentage Lowlines that I've seen (obviously, there's an exception to every situation!) aren't selling for much over what smaller framed commercial cattle, whatever class, would bring on the open market.  And the bulls, again "overall" are bringing meat prices.  If you've got a good market for him and for those good percentage Lowlines, go for it!!   


         

         

 

[TJ]

<<Thanks Dori, I appreciate the honest response!  I am confident that his type will appeal to some commercial operators, but my big question is how many will he appeal to being red with the potential to sire some chrome & lots of hair?      

RE his potential in the Lowline World... I'm thinking that he could breed 5/8 or 3/4 cows to produce 1/2 & 9/16 females.  That way a person could run smaller cows & get a good % for the Lowline Showring.  In fact, that is a selling point to the person who is interested.  >>

I agree with your thinking if his potential owner is wanting to get some nice percentage Lowlines to show.  I'll add, though, that with the percentage cattle I've had on my site over the past year, the prices overall have dipped considerably and most percentage Lowlines that I've seen (obviously, there's an exception to every situation!) aren't selling for much over what smaller framed commercial cattle, whatever class, would bring on the open market.  And the bulls, again "overall" are bringing meat prices.  If you've got a good market for him and for those good percentage Lowlines, go for it!!    

Based on what I've seen, the demand for Lowline cattle is as strong or stronger than it's ever been, but at the same time, the economy is causing the buyers pockets to not be nearly as deep.  Also, I see a whole lot more interest in fullblood cattle than in percentage Lowline cattle right now & I just don't understand that logic at all.  Almost all the established grass finsher's prefer the 1/2 bloods, but most of the "newbies" that want to do grass fed beef don't want to hear that advice & they think that the fullbloods are the way to go.  Baffling to say the least...    

With that said... I haven't had much trouble selling percentage cattle & especially the percentage bulls.  I honestly didn't expect to sell any bulls till spring, but all that I have remaining from my 2009 spring borns are 2 halfblood bulls that are already spoken for (just waiting on a ride) & two 3/4 bloods.  I'm virtually sold out.  However, I am not even making all of the sales in my own backyard.  Keith Waterman just emailed me & said that he's hoping to deliver 4 percentage females to the Evansville, IN area next week & he wants to swing by & visit.  Evansville is only about 40 miles from me... And "I THINK" that he also recently sold some Lowline Cattle to a group of people in the Santa Claus Indiana area too (1.5 hours of me).  

One other key factor... almost no juniors have been showing Lowline cattle in the eastern US until recently.  That is changing & the entire ALR is finally starting to develop a JR program.  The ALR is even having it's 1st ever JR National Show next summer.  The NAILE paid out some big premiums to JR's this fall... Denver is not wanting to be outdone (I think they are paying $1,000 for grand JR owned) & they are increasing their JR pot too.  Sure some of these JR heifers will be Fullblood, but I think the majority of the JR's will go for percentage heifers.  The JR Lowline classes at the Texas JR Shows will also help too & actually, 3/4 & purebred heifers compete against the fullbloods in the Texas JR Shows & that will greatly benefit the percentage heifers.  So, I expect more percentage Lowline show heifers in show rings.  More % heifers in the show ring should only help the percentage market, IMHO.

I can be wrong, but I'm thinking that some of these grass fed beef folks, who are currently wanting fullbloods, will change their minds when they actually get into production & start switching to percentage cattle AND that more interest in JR Lowline Shows will also increase the demand in the percentage market.  Others that I talk to are thinking this may happen as well.  We will see...