Bovine Switches

Jon,
I had been so locked in show ring , artificial short tail, grow look mentality for so long, that it was hard to switch {pun intended} but I`ve switched to a new preferred look...a readjustment of preferred image
a friend defending big cows told me he "just always liked a big cow"...I told him he just had to get over it...he never did, even after a Shoshone bull made the best cows he admittedly ever had...but I`ve gotten over the tail thing, and those clipping them off for events are on my unelightened list...feet, switches, ...what observation is next?

The head, specifically the face, specifically the eyes. Just look them in the eyes.

TD, single-trait selecting.

jonken wrote:

Dennis Voss wrote:

I just got off the phone with my brother Galen who's been doing some research on bull tails and cow tails through just observing the differences in the switches and overall tail structure. Since he probably sees more cattle per week than anyone I know, I think he's really on to something. There is a huge difference in the vitality in bovine tails. A lot of mainstream Angus right now have exceedingly high tailheads that go down to a really small, flimsy, fine haired switch. The cattle I'm breeding around here which are primarily Shoshone origin blood, have excellent switches which is to my brother and I a real positive. When a bull swings his tail around he wants it to swing way up over his back. He wants it to have some impact. I'm thinking that in addition to all the other things the mainstream crowd is screwing up, they're screwing up the tails on these cattle whether they know it or not.

DV in the vicinity of trying to get W.T to respond

Now that everyone has had time to reflect , laugh , heckle , caw , and cackle at such a post , I want a show of hands of those who made a bee line to their pastures with tape measure in hand . Is there a correlation to animal balance , maturity and function ? Thanks Again for ....JUST OBSERVING . Jon

Once again, the methodologies of the masters of observation, have inspired me take in the ''whole''. Don't forget about the tail, the feet, the eyes, while being mesmerized by the things obvious to the mass of fools.

I can no longer look into a cow's eyes, without seeing her tail. Or look at her alluring topline, and not bbe drawn to her feet. I had never heard of the term ''a hooded eye'' before reading the illustrious Mr. Biggs. Taking in the whole releases a whole new level of complicated symplicity, that I dared never dream of before.


Bootheel, an evolving being

I was always told to stay away from those skinny tailed cattle. Skinny tail= poor doing. Thick tail=good doing

[quote="MKeeney"]Jon,
I had been so locked in show ring , artificial short tail, grow look mentality for so long, that it was hard to switch {pun intended} but I`ve switched to a new preferred look...a readjustment of preferred image
a friend defending big cows told me he "just always liked a big cow"...I told him he just had to get over it...he never did, even after a Shoshone bull made the best cows he admittedly ever had...but I`ve gotten over the tail thing, and those clipping them off for events are on my unelightened list...feet, switches, ...what observation is next?[/quote

Mike ,I have had the privilege of meeting a Global swine provider recently and he stated all their domestic and foreign makets reguire a selection criteria of being in the top 10% of the stages data base . So my question was what do you do with the horny bastard running the fenceline in terms of data . And I OBSERVED his expression when he admitted " the system is very flawed ". Jon

Taking in the whole releases a whole new level of complicated symplicity

Bootheel, an evolving being[/quote]
I'm sure your cattle are evolving right there with you . Jon

moemantha wrote:

I was always told to stay away from those skinny tailed cattle. Skinny tail= poor doing. Thick tail=good doing

From my observations with hogs skinny tail = later maturity , thick tail = early maturity . Jon

a cow at peace with her place in the world...she`s there; but the three full sibs left here show me she`s still here as well...and her Unwanted son was on 48 hours...now how many bulls can say that? well, no, he didn`t say anything; he was just a prop

[/quote]

the 29 on 63 sure changes things...the son/dam 29 bull calf is so athletic, alert,...well hell, let`s call him spooky...I`m going to name him Dennis Rodman, DR for short...for the calf also may some day need to be castrated...

Dylan Biggs wrote:

Dylan,
Isn`t it just a great smiling feeling to be on the cutting edge of awareness?

The cutting edge can be pretty sharp sometimes, but much preferred and way more fun than the dull edge of the status quo.

Dylan Biggs wrote:

Sahweeeeet!!!!

She strikes me the same way Joe, the magical touch of Jersey works wonders.

Tom D wrote:

Tom D wrote:

The head, specifically the face, specifically the eyes. Just look them in the eyes.

TD, single-trait selecting.

The serene eyes of a cow completely at ease with bovine role. A work and wear cow from the tip of that wide muzzle and strong jaw to the end of her substantail strong full tail. How old is she Tom?

Dylan Biggs wrote:

A work and wear cow from the tip of that wide muzzle and strong jaw to the end of her substantail strong full tail. How old is she Tom?

I see what you did there Dylan, you just created a new word for the job

Good job Grassy, thx...I missed it skimming...a new word; how about a new breed? All colors invited

Grassfarmer wrote:

Dylan Biggs wrote:

A work and wear cow from the tip of that wide muzzle and strong jaw to the end of her substantail strong full tail. How old is she Tom?

I see what you did there Dylan, you just created a new word for the job

I am glad someone is paying attention, it was a spelling error on my part, good job GF!

I infringed on copyright law to bring you this pic of a good tail switched bull...I`m almost as self-sacrificing as
Kit Pharo to keep you up on developments in the beef industry



I thought of putting him under "productive cow" as he looks like a can`t miss maternal sire based on type and my familiarity of pedigree individuals...and ________
and?
df?
df?

That is one bushy tail. Where did you steal it?

Did you steal that from a horse show Mike???????????? Thelast time i saw a switch that looked that good was when i pissed my mom off when i was 10 or so.

Bootheel wrote:

That is one bushy tail. Where did you steal it?

so as long as "like produces like", is it stealing or breeding?







the mating combination attributed to John Dockweiler

That is an outlier tail, must have been brushed or combed or something.