Steer Confusion...

[kobo_ranch]

Ok... gonna post a pic I took this morning.... not a good one, pen was muddy, and steer not standing right.  (cold)  Then I'm posting a pic of same steer in Sept. when I thought he looked his best.

Been very tough finishing this guy and still not there... husband wants to take him to the sale barn.  Trying to decide if should keep trying and take him to Houston.  Problem is don't know what he woud class there?  He's out of a Simbraunvieh Cow... and old Shamrock cross son bull. (if any of you remember him)  Has some sheath but not alot.  Seems to be getting tighter on his rear legs... but can still run like a showhorse.  Is about 53.5" tall.  Weighs 1175. 

Finally gentle... sure hate to give up son and I have worked really hard on him.  PLEASE help with suggestions.. comments. 

 

[kobo_ranch]

bumping... ok 131 people have seen this?  I KNOW someone has something to say?  Come on... please say something...

 

[kobo_ranch]

OK... what the heck?  gonna sound like Showmom (on the post about the gut on the steer) except over 200 have looked and not one comment... guys I'm a SHOWMOM too (last year!)  and yall are hurting my feelings... I know there's some savvy people on here.  If you TX guys won't comment will you nice folks up north please tell me something? 

Surely something to say....  pretty please???!! 

 

[hamburgman]

well then i will say it, he looks like a train wreck on those wheels, i am sorry.  Some calves just develop that way and you never see it coming.  With the price of cattle i would just sell him and cut your losses.  You don't want to end up with a half fat that cant walk, that goes to the salebarn and no feeder will buy him because he wont last 3 weeks in the yard, and the packers are going to beat him down because he needs to be 1500 lbs to have any cover and will be no where close to that weight when the legs give out.  Had this happen myself once, and i hope with all sincerity that i am completely wrong in everyway in this case.

 

[farmershane3]

i was thinking the say thing, way to straight in his rear. i would cut my losses with him

 

[farmershane3]

i was thinking the say thing, way to straight in his rear. i would cut my losses with him

same*

 

[Cowboy]

I currently have a couple of Purebred Braunvieh here now as donors, and I love em. They are tremendous cows, and are making some VERY good crossbred cattle.

Your steer, coming from a BU/SM cow and a bull I just can't remember -- he seems ot have gotten some pretty straight legged genetics from some place.

Look at the shortness of the pasterns and how vertical they are to the ground. This is a dead give away to being too straight thru out. When this happens. it will usually be a driect result of being too striaght in the hock as well. These will over time become harder keepers, and will not finish on time as they tend to be too tight made.

Also, if you look at the depth of rib and flank, he is also tight there. In order to be really easy feeders, they have to be softer made and deeper ribbed.

He is clean made up front -- and not overly loose underneath, so that is good. One thing about the BU influenced cattle that makes them so good is that they are much leaner than most other cattle, if our member "Braunvieh" can read this, she will have alot more to say about these cattle. As I said, I sure like the ones that are here as donors.

In order to get him show ready and fat -- he is going to be B I G

It is your call from here, but it looks like you may have some real work ahead of ya!

Good luck mame!

Terry

 

[hamburgman]

Always like the Braunvieh's for maternal characteristics that is for sure.  Don't know much about their breeding however, can a guy breed that color away and end up with black calves?

 

[Show Dad]

Having raised a pure bread Braunvieh steer here is my observations: They are know for having very little cover fat but keep the IM fat high. That will make them extremely hard to get the show finish you are looking for. Most judges won't know what they are looking at (shame on the judges). They will get very leggy when on a show ration.

To your question as to what to do with it. I wouldn't take it to the sale barn you will more than likely get discounted. I would try to sell for freezer beef.

 

[kobo_ranch]

Thanks so much for the comments... have had many that thought he was a 'stout' made calf (early on)... recently lots of mixed comments. 

What attracted me to this steer when he was young was how correct he looked, in that earlier pic he wasn't near as straight on his hind legs as he is now.  Guess should have been cooking him corn as soon as we got him home!  Last year got steers too fat.  This calf was gaining avg 2lbs a day up till a couple months ago (eating much more) so did have me confused. 
He does look Braunvieh, but thought beautiful  (although one steer jock told me that Braunviehs are NOT what judges like?)  Always very clear eyed, relatively high energy, ... and even with those tight legs he still runs and jumps like not any exotic bred calves I've seen.  Which made me also confused about if his structure really was that bad?

He was a bugger early on now finally is living up to what I named him 'Teddy'... now gotta take him to the sale barn.  This show calf raisin' kinda sucks.  :'(

Thanks again... appreciate it.  More comments appreciated too...

 

[PaFFA Proud]

He kinda looks like our Swiss steer we had....lol wonder if there is any relation between a swiss and ur steers breed? ???

 

[PaFFA Proud]

He kinda looks like our Swiss steer we had....lol wonder if there is any relation between a swiss and ur steers breed? ???

Lol NM I read up on the breed, and they are matter infact from the same gene pool, their cousins!

 

[shortyjock89]

Not to be mean....but I think he looks just as straight in his older picture.  Draw a line from his pastern to hock, and then his hock to his hip.  How much angle(set) is there? Not much.

 

[Cowboy]

Absolutely -- Brown Swiss are the dairy end of the gene pool, and the Braunvieh are the meatier end, but still have tremendous milking anility.

Same as the Holstiens and the old Friesians, same gene pool but a different end product.

As far as this steer goes, if he were mine today, I would keep the steer and feed him out, If he doesn't look show ready on your show date, then crank it to him and feed your family and all your nieghbors -- thier meat is REALLY good stuff.

Please don't get discouraged, I know how it is -- we all do. I personally have had some calves over the years that looked like I had made THE great one early one, only to see him go bad -- or not be as good -- the older he got. Others have started slow and topped sales for me -- so it is a game we all play.

Keep your chin up -- have fun, but by all means -- learn as you go -- experience in this field is your only GOOD teacher!

Best of luck --

Terry

 

[kobo_ranch]

Thanks Terry for your kind words.  Husband always called him a brown swiss!  Dang it... just frustrating.  IDK bout decided to take him on in... just can't eat him after all this time spent with him. Know that sounds silly... but have to eat a grass fed ole boy that I haven't rubbed on and loved!  (lol)

You're not being mean just honest (Olson) I know he looks similar but now he seems to walk more stiff before he really didn't.  This morning he even looked like he was a racehorse, ready to shoot out of the gates, back and forth on his legs... so guess he's breaking down (though still walks ok?)  Still frustrating... but guess goes with the territory.  If someone knows what the Shamrock (original bull) was I'd like to know.  The breeder said he was sired by a 'Shamrock' son... thinks goes back before Heatwave? 

THanks all...
B

 

[nosejob8807]

as far as classifying.. probably end up in the AOB's if you take him.. maybe try Chi since he's a little leggy

 

[Bradenh]

as far as classifying.. probably end up in the AOB's if you take him.. maybe try Chi since he's a little leggy

abc. no way any exotic breeds.

 

[chambero]

Im on iPhone and cant see photo, but Shamrock is a high % Maine out of the Habanero line.  Shamrock's sire was actually a Habanero son called Junior.  We have a lot of Shamrock genetics and love them.

 

[LLBUX]

About 60 more days on feed and he will make someone wonderful freezer beef.  He looks like he'll cut a great carcass.

Good luck!

 

[kobo_ranch]

Im on iPhone and cant see photo, but Shamrock is a high % Maine out of the Habanero line.  Shamrock's sire was actually a Habanero son called Junior.  We have a lot of Shamrock genetics and love them.

Thanks Chambero... I think that's right, I forgot think you mentioned that before, he has alot of black hair.  Hope you check these out... as you know we had high hopes for this guy... really dissappointed.  Still would like your comments too!  Good luck maybe see ya down the road.