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buckeyebreeder Profile
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Registered: 08-2003
Location: Ohio, USA
Posts: 1
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Show Heifer Condition


Ok tonight I have officially moved into the judges who want thin calves are morons group. I don't normally get worked up about placings in a calf class, but my brothers heifer dominated the class of animals. She was the tallest, the longest, the most body, and best feet and legs. The judge put her forth behind 3 scrawny correct calves because they were a little cleaner and "more dairy". I was standing with several top notch breeders who all had my calf on top, and they were floored. The judge was confusing condition with dairy character. I get very frustrated by this. Why should we worry if a calf is carrying a few extra pounds. This calf is not fat, she just wasn't thin. She is exactly what you want in a growing heifer. In his official set of reasons he claimed that if the calf was a little cleaner she would have "been an easy winner". I believe that we as an industry need to put an end to this, why should thin, calves that lack any condition be put over a calf that has it all and a little condition.

BTW it was just a Jr Calf Class so maybe I am getting too excited.


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Whether its type or index the bottom line is that all must milk.
31/7/2004, 4:52 Link to this post PM via Email
 
howie32 Profile
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Ex96

Registered: 05-2004
Location: Michigan, USA
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Re: Show Heifer Condition


buckeye, I agree that showing heifers has gotten ridiculus. This has always been my complaint. About a week before our state show a guy that judges a lot of major shows was here and saw a pretty nice March calf that we have and made the comment that she could do pretty well. I didn't even end up taking her because I knew she was a little too heavy for the show ring. I refuse to try to take weight off of a 4 month old calf. I need our heifers to keep growing and hopefully make nice cows. It is not realistic to expect these "dairy" heifers to make good cows. I'll usually show a couple of heifers, mainly to get them used to a halter and just being at the show. I try not to get too worked up about where they place (unless they get totally bombed).

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Long-Haven Farms, updated October 23, 2008
31/7/2004, 13:22 Link to this post PM via Email   PM via Forum
 
classcow Profile
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EX95

Registered: 07-2004
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Re: Show Heifer Condition


Howie - how was your state show - whop won? How did Long Haven do?
1/8/2004, 3:10 Link to this post PM via Email   PM via Forum
 
buckeyebreeder Profile
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Registered: 08-2003
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Redemption


The open show was today. Different judge, Different class, Different fill, I know. She won hands down and the judge made her honorable mention jr champ behind two other good heifers. After the show I talked to the judge. She could see the points they talked last night, but added "too many judges think that way".

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Whether its type or index the bottom line is that all must milk.
1/8/2004, 4:32 Link to this post PM via Email
 
howie32 Profile
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Ex96

Registered: 05-2004
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Re: Show Heifer Condition


quote:

classcow wrote:

Howie - how was your state show - whop won? How did Long Haven do?



It was a pretty good show, about 200 head. Champion was Kaymanor Elegent Dentine, a 5 year old from Winterfield and Watts. My brother had reserve on an Integrity aged cow. My brother also had Junior Champion on a Senior Yearling. We really didn't have much to take, 4 3rd's, a fourth, and 1st place Senior 3.



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Long-Haven Farms, updated October 23, 2008
1/8/2004, 13:45 Link to this post PM via Email   PM via Forum
 
foxleigh Profile
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Ex97
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Registered: 06-2003
Location: southern,oz
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Re: Show Heifer Condition


we have thought for a long time that heifer classes are about as close to reality as heifers flying to the moon.Reality on our farm is a heifer to calve down unassisted to holstein at 2 to 21/2 weighing 600kg plus.To do this they have to cycle young, to cycle young they need body weight and condition.I spend a lot of time at the other end of heifer classes with heifers that are taller, wider and stronger with more condition than those above them.However they are fit not fat!Our nutritionist/heifer grower advisor tells me my heifers are consistently 20% heavier/bigger than the "norm"for their age groups.I have lately read that a holstein heifer only needs to be 300kg at 12 months!!!
There certainly is a trend on where judges cant seem to tell the difference between frailty and dairy character!
1/8/2004, 22:38 Link to this post PM via Email   PM via Forum
 
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Ex 97 2E

Registered: 06-2003
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Re: Show Heifer Condition


Shouldn't this sort of thing be addressed at judging schools?

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Work in Dairy Research. Still involved in home farm, Inishowen Holsteins and Knock Texels!! Herd average 7, 500kg on grass based diet, av. classification running around 82 - 83 pts. Need a good Texel ram, talk to me!!!!!!!
1/8/2004, 23:52 Link to this post PM via Email   PM via Forum
 
IndiesViewGD Profile
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EX95

Registered: 08-2003
Location: Wisconsin, USA
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Re: Show Heifer Condition


There is a difference between being thin and being dairy judges need to learn that.
2/8/2004, 3:38 Link to this post PM via Email   PM via Forum
 
buckeyebreeder Profile
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Registered: 08-2003
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Re: Show Heifer Condition


It is a tight line when trying to teach dairy character. You do want to pound the animals that are truely fat, but not those that are in "growth condition". When I have taught young judges, this is the hardest concept to teach, because no two judges have the same definition of fat. I think a good lesson in body condition scoring should definately be taught in any dairy judging class, camp, or workshop first. Lets understand what a fat calf, a healthy calf, and a thin calf actually are. Then a thorough explaination of the body characteristics that comprise dairy character should be taught. Not that BCS is more important but it does give insight into the profitablity/productivity of a calf or cow.

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Whether its type or index the bottom line is that all must milk.
2/8/2004, 3:42 Link to this post PM via Email
 
ToB Profile
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EX95

Registered: 04-2004
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Re: Show Heifer Condition


quote:

buckeyebreeder wrote:

Ok tonight I have officially moved into the judges who want thin calves are morons group. I don't normally get worked up about placings in a calf class, but my brothers heifer dominated the class of animals. She was the tallest, the longest, the most body, and best feet and legs. The judge put her forth behind 3 scrawny correct calves because they were a little cleaner and "more dairy". I was standing with several top notch breeders who all had my calf on top, and they were floored. The judge was confusing condition with dairy character. I get very frustrated by this. Why should we worry if a calf is carrying a few extra pounds. This calf is not fat, she just wasn't thin. She is exactly what you want in a growing heifer. In his official set of reasons he claimed that if the calf was a little cleaner she would have "been an easy winner". I believe that we as an industry need to put an end to this, why should thin, calves that lack any condition be put over a calf that has it all and a little condition.

BTW it was just a Jr Calf Class so maybe I am getting too excited.



Was the first show a Youth Show followed by the Open show yesterday?

I assume different judges days apart. Was the first judge younger and less experienced?
2/8/2004, 20:09 Link to this post PM via Email   PM via Forum
 


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