Cattle.com Blog

Problems with Google Voice

2012-02-23T12:00:00-05:00

Be warned, this is sort of unintentionally obscene.

Since, unlike you, I’m a very safe driver I use the voice recognition on my phone to send texts. Errors with Google voice recognition like what follow almost make losing a cow that’s produced a reserve champion Red Angus in San Antonio worth it…

Me: 83 died.

Brother: How many is that?

Me: 7

Me: we had a hoe down her throat when she suck a dick

Me: hose

Me: ah crap suffocated

Daily Web Summary 2/22/2012

2012-02-22T11:00:00-05:00

Updated Websites

Updated Blogs

Most Active Forum Threads

What's your most exciting matings coming in 2012? - Steerplanet
Your perfect farm would be? - Cattle Today
Galloway herd bull - Cattle Today
Word Association Game - Steerplanet
Livestock water tanks - Cattle Today
Schaff Angus Valley - Steerplanet
Northern Rancher Passes Away - Cattle Today
What to breed this heifer to ? - Steerplanet
Growing my herd... - Steerplanet
This question goes out to all the Simmental people. - Steerplanet

Wednesday, February 22nd

2012-02-22T12:00:00-05:00

San Antonio

The 2nd largest market steer show in the nation, but the one that seemingly nobody in the Midwest gives two farts about, starts today. There’s a live broadcast with taped classes on Stockshowlive.com.

Burr Clover

Prior to this year we lost MAYBE a combined three cows to bloat from burr clover in our entire memory. It was the kind of thing that would happen every few years but not with any sort of regularity. The most cows we’ve had die on the place for any reason at all in any given year was three. That was a pretty bad year.

We’ve lost SIX cows (we're running about 140...ummm..134 right now) in the past two weeks, all to bloat. It’s not like we are just letting them die, they’ve had mineral, bloat blocks, and hay since February 8th. One of them died the day after we spent two hours moving her around to get the bloat down.

I don’t know if it’s due to a lack of competition after the drought but the stuff is thicker than it’s ever been and it’s everywhere, there’s nowhere they can avoid it. If we take the cows completely off of pasture and put them in a feedlot the clover will just keep growing and will be even worse when they do eventually go back into the fields.

I’m Glad

I have no clue what exactly went on with somebody who felt scorned posting to a judge’s Facebook wall.

I Wonder

If the ex-boyfriends of people like Adele and Taylor Swift have same pride in the songs they helped inspire that small show calf breeders have in their calves.

They Should

Just call the first two AOB classes at San Antonio and Houston midget classes.

Daily Web Summary 2/21/2012

2012-02-21T11:00:00-05:00

Updated Websites

Updated Blogs

Most Active Forum Threads

Your perfect farm would be? - Cattle Today
Cattle, Water, and Environmental wackos and sheeples - Cattle Today
Hired Man or Tiger Woods - Steerplanet
Hair Growth Feed Additives. - Steerplanet
Strange this year - Cattle Today
"easy doing" maine genetics? - Steerplanet
Word Association Game - Steerplanet
Purple Clover Question? - Cattle Today
banding problem - Cattle Today
Using nurse cows? - Cattle Today

Daily Web Summary 2/20/2012

2012-02-20T11:00:00-05:00

Updated Websites

Updated Blogs

Most Active Forum Threads

Potential genetic defect in Shorthorn cattle - Steerplanet
increasing carcase weight? - Cattle Today
Your perfect farm would be? - Cattle Today
Word Association Game - Steerplanet
"easy doing" maine genetics? - Steerplanet
my first uterine inversion - Cattle Today
Planting trees in pasture - Cattle Today
Checking Cattle Pictures - Steerplanet
barn cameras - Steerplanet
how to get started - Cattle Today

Stockshowlive.com

2012-02-20T12:00:00-05:00

There’s a new standard in stock show internet broadcasting. You’re used to static camera web cams and you’ve even seen a few that included a live commentary with background on some of the calves being show.

What you haven’t seen is anything like what Stock Show Live is doing this week in San Antonio.

Some of the features…

Archived video of previous classes.
Full results of previous classes.
Breeder and sire information for previous breed champions.
Free to view.
Moving camera to follow the action.

Simply put, it's flat out jaw dropping what they're doing this week.

Stockshowlive.com

Daily Web Summary 2/19/2012

2012-02-19T11:00:00-05:00

Updated Websites

Goeken Cattle

Updated Blogs

Most Active Forum Threads

Checking Cattle Pictures - Steerplanet
how to get started - Cattle Today
Connealy Thunder - Steerplanet
Rate of return on investment for 2011 - Cattle Today
Word Association Game - Steerplanet
Angus bulls on heifers - Steerplanet
A&T CAPTAIN OBVIOUS calves - Steerplanet
Simmental Cross? - Steerplanet
Heifer calving question - Steerplanet
More help with pics - Steerplanet

Daily Web Summary 2/18/2012

2012-02-18T11:00:00-05:00

Updated Websites

Updated Blogs

Most Active Forum Threads

A&T CAPTAIN OBVIOUS calves - Steerplanet
how to get started - Cattle Today
Word Association Game - Steerplanet
Balancer Bull - Cattle Today
Yearling bull pics - Cattle Today
Breeding to Ace of Diamonds or Simple Man - Steerplanet
Can it be true? A 10 month old bull breeding? - Cattle Today
What should we name this little stud? - Steerplanet
underfeeding cattle - Cattle Today
Buyers and Sellers - Steerplanet

Daily Web Summary 2/17/2012

2012-02-17T11:00:00-05:00

Updated Websites

Updated Blogs

Most Active Forum Threads

Almanac weaning for March? - Cattle Today
A&T CAPTAIN OBVIOUS calves - Steerplanet
Word Association Game - Steerplanet
Apalled by a breeders behavior after a show!!! - Steerplanet
(Replacement Heifers) 1 REG. Black Simmental & 2 Commercial Sim-Crosses - Steerplanet
JM Joe Davinci - Steerplanet
More help with pics - Steerplanet
Out of Curiosity - Cattle Today
Keeping a halter on- Suggestions? - Steerplanet
Shorty hf bulls - Steerplanet

Who places in San Antonio?

2012-02-17T12:00:00-05:00

There's hair all over the ground and you can almost smell the Zilmax in the air (about that, you should probably put a mask on or something). That can mean only one thing, the first big slick show of the year, San Antonio, is next week.

The 4-H Counties and FFA chapters that have branded the most steers in San Antonio since 2007…

Marion FFA 18
Lampasas FFA 16
Gillespie County 4-H 16
East Central FFA 14
Brazos County 4-H 14
Guadalupe County 4-H 13
Kendall County 4-H 13
Karnes County 4-H 12
Poth FFA 12
Prosper FFA 12

Almost all of that list consists of ‘local’ kids other than the Brazos County 4-H and Prosper FFA (Wade Shackelford) powerhouses.

Did you know that the median household income in Prosper, Tx is over $100,000?

We’ve run the data on both San Antonio and Houston based on the information they provide on their websites. We didn’t do Ft. Worth because they don’t allow you to go back years and I couldn’t find anything on Austin or San Angelo.

Daily Web Summary 2/16/2012

2012-02-16T11:00:00-05:00

Updated Websites

Updated Blogs

Most Active Forum Threads

Out of Curiosity - Cattle Today
Apalled by a breeders behavior after a show!!! - Steerplanet
Questions About Meat Market? - Cattle Today
Word Association Game - Steerplanet
Red Brangus - Cattle Today
A&T CAPTAIN OBVIOUS calves - Steerplanet
As good as it gets!! - Cattle Today
squeeze chute mounting - Cattle Today
breeding options - Steerplanet
Breeding to Ace of Diamonds or Simple Man - Steerplanet

Forum Activity Report 11/9/11 to 2/9/12

2012-02-16T12:00:00-05:00

Another report I haven’t done in quite some time, this is the forum activity share for the time period 11/9/11 to 2/9/12.

Cattle-Today 52.1%
Steerplanet 23.6%
Ranchers.net 18.9%
Keeny's Corner 3.4%
5BarX 1.3%
Clubcalves 0.4%
EDJE 0.3%
Breedersworld 0.1%

Cattle Today is so much higher than and last time was such an outlier that I think I may have had a miscalculation in the previous report. The actual number is likely somewhere between what was reported last month (20.3%) and this month.

Overall forum posting was up to just over 800 posts per day for the time period.

Keeny’s Corner showed up with a respectable 3.4% in the first time they’ve been tracked as a part of this report.

Daily Web Summary 2/15/2012

2012-02-15T11:00:00-05:00

Updated Websites

Updated Blogs

Most Active Forum Threads

can you explain why you raise the cattle you do? - Cattle Today
JJP or Salute? - Steerplanet
Using nurse cows? - Cattle Today
new pic of donor - Steerplanet
Longhorn cross questions - Cattle Today
Punch testing for pregnancy. - Cattle Today
Word Association Game - Steerplanet
HF is here... - Cattle Today
Question about photographing cattle - Steerplanet
Ohio beef expo - Steerplanet

Livestock Merchandising "Review"

2012-02-15T12:00:00-05:00

I’m finally done reading Thinking Fast and Slow (summary: everything is chance, you just think people are skilled because you are stupid and don’t understand statistics) and had a chance to read Rachel Cutrer’s new book, Livestock Merchandising.

Short and simple review: You need this book, go buy it.

I don’t know that there’s another book I’d say that about. If you read this blog, the odds that you sell cattle by any method other than hauling them to the local auction barn are pretty darn good. If you do fit that description, this book covers just about everything you could possibly want to know.

Rachel’s been one of the pioneers of the print/web/general livestock marketing industry and is found in the ‘pedigrees’ of a surprisingly large number of other service companies. Her credentials on the subject are unparalleled.

That's now why I'm telling you to buy the book, I'm telling you to buy it because you really do need it. Frankly, and I don’t say this because I’m being lazy or overly nice, I don’t think I can review this book well enough to do it justice. It’s got enough information that I have no doubt it’s going to end up in collegiate livestock marketing classes but it’s easy enough to read that anybody can pick it up and learn something in just a few minutes.

When I say go buy it, I mean it, really. That’s some of the best advice I’m going to give you this year.

Chapter List

Marketing Purebred Livestock
Trends in Livestock Advertising
Components Used in Livestock Promotions
Print Advertising Design
Livestock Photography & Video
Brochures, Catalogs and Direct Mail
Livestock Web Design
Signage for Livestock Producers
The Role of Livestock Shows as Advertising
Social Media for Livestock Producers
Email Marketing for Livestock Producers
Establishing your Advertising Budget
Sire Promotion Basics
Ethics in Livestock Advertising
Customer Service
Putting it All Together

Amazon Kindle

Paper Back from RHD

Daily Web Summary 2/14/2012

2012-02-14T11:00:00-05:00

Updated Websites

Updated Blogs

Most Active Forum Threads

FAIR price for hay for Texas and Okla - Cattle Today
can you explain why you raise the cattle you do? - Cattle Today
hard whiskey - Steerplanet
Punch testing for pregnancy. - Cattle Today
JJP or Salute? - Steerplanet
SAV Sale - Cattle Today
when will the show industry start to reflect the production side? - Steerplanet
Herd sire breed decisions - Cattle Today
Apalled by a breeders behavior after a show!!! - Steerplanet
Adkins Mr Right On- Simmental bull question - Steerplanet

Verrrrry Solid American

2012-02-14T12:00:00-05:00

Editing video for the sale and captured this...

Sells as lot #7 in the South Texas Select Club Calf Sale at 11 AM on Sunday, February 26th. Sale is located between Pleasanton and Floresville on HWY 97 at HK Farms. It's a 30-minute drive from the San Antonio stock show and the sale will be held the last Sunday, the day of the livestock judging contest.

Calf is sired by a Godfather son and out of a 1/2 blood Brahman cow. As far as I can tell he's polled.

Consigned by UR Show Calves. Call Ronnie Ussery @ 830.569.3877 for more info.

View Video Here

Cattle Site Visitor Report - December 2012

2012-02-14T12:00:00-05:00

Based on December data, I skipped November for some reason…

Cattle Today Sites - 21.81%
CattleNetwork.com - 18.97% (4)
Cattle.com - 12.91% (2)
Cattlerange.com - 12.14% (3)
Beefmagazine.com - 10.36%
Steerplanet.com - 9.54%
Showsteers.com - 8.29%
Cattlepages.com - 1.50%
Clubcalves.com - 1.00%
Mattlautnercattle.com - 0.65%

These rankings are based on triangulated data from Compete, Quantcast, and Google.

How correlated is the information on those three services?

Quantcast & Compete - .863
Quantcast & Google - .834
Compete & Google - .949

Daily Web Summary 2/13/2012

2012-02-13T11:00:00-05:00

Updated Websites

Updated Blogs

Most Active Forum Threads

How to produce the best eating beef - Cattle Today
SAV Sale - Cattle Today
CANDY MEADOW FARMS BULL PICTURES - Cattle Today
Cow Birth picture HELP - Cattle Today
new cow - Cattle Today
Angus Bull that adds style - Steerplanet
How can I build a "squeeze" in my cattle allyway? - Steerplanet
What do you think of my show heifer? - Steerplanet
heifer sell - Cattle Today
induce labor? - Steerplanet

Updated Collegiate Livestock Judging Rankings

2012-02-13T12:00:00-05:00

Now includes results from the Iowa Beef Expo and Sioux Falls...

Rank	Team	Rating
1	Oklahoma State University	1.553
	Top Finish: 2nd @ 2012 National Western
2	Iowa State University	1.551
	Top Finish: 1st @ 2012 Iowa Beef Expo
3	Texas A&M University	1.551
	Top Finish: 1st @ 2012 National Western
4	Colorado State University	1.493
	Top Finish: 2nd @ 2012 Fort Worth
5	Kansas Sate University	1.477
	Top Finish: 1st @ 2012 Fort Worth
6	Western Illinois University	1.466
	Top Finish: 2nd @ 2012 Iowa Beef Expo
7	Texas Tech University	1.460
	Top Finish: 4th @ 2012 National Western
8	University of Illinois	1.437
	Top Finish: 6th @ 2012 Sioux Falls
9	West Texas A&M University	1.430
	Top Finish: 5th @ 2012 National Western
10	University of Georgia	1.425
	Top Finish: 1st @ 2011 Arizona National

The top three are essentially tied but OSU jumped A&M because after five contests are put into the system the relative strength of each contest comes into play. Next year we won't publish the ranking until after the IBE.

Iowa State is right in that top three tie after wins at both the Sioux Falls and Iowa Beef Expo contests.

Crystal Young Blog

2012-02-13T12:00:00-05:00

I hate, hate, hate getting into animal welfare stuff and/or linking to it. You can actively see my eyes glaze over any time somebody brings up Peta and HSU.....snif....what we were talking about again?

But, well, this is actually pretty good...

Chipotle your Grammy commercial still doesn't change my mind.

Daily Web Summary 2/12/2012

2012-02-12T11:00:00-05:00

Updated Websites

Updated Blogs

Most Active Forum Threads

Proud dad (pictures) One year later - Steerplanet
How to produce the best eating beef - Cattle Today
Word Association Game - Steerplanet
What do you think? - Cattle Today
Longhorn cross questions - Cattle Today
Interesting reading on Sullivan flyer !!!!! - Steerplanet
Average Age of Open Cull - Cattle Today
Top seed clover (white/red) - Cattle Today
anybody feed this? corn gluten - Steerplanet
dark room for cattle in florida - Steerplanet

Daily Web Summary 2/11/2012

2012-02-11T11:00:00-05:00

Updated Websites

Updated Blogs

Most Active Forum Threads

How to produce the best eating beef - Cattle Today
Average Age of Open Cull - Cattle Today
Frame scores - how small is too small? - Steerplanet
Which mineral to use and when, 9:18 vs 6:12 - Cattle Today
Word Association Game - Steerplanet
Chopper Breeding Idea's - Steerplanet
Interesting reading on Sullivan flyer !!!!! - Steerplanet
2,4-D or Grazon - Cattle Today
Bull Down! - Cattle Today
Schaff Angus Valley - Steerplanet

Daily Web Summary 2/10/2012

2012-02-10T11:00:00-05:00

Updated Websites

Updated Blogs

Most Active Forum Threads

Interesting reading on Sullivan flyer !!!!! - Steerplanet
AI For First Calve Heifers - Cattle Today
Indian Outlaw Heifer - Steerplanet
Word Association Game - Steerplanet
Black Baldies - Cattle Today
if you had to start all over - Steerplanet
Club calf mommas - Steerplanet
Frame scores - how small is too small? - Steerplanet
3 way cross - Cattle Today
Overseeding Pasture - Cattle Today

Classification Percentages

2012-02-10T12:00:00-05:00

Percent of calves classed out of breed and into ABC/AOB at Houston in 2011 based on information in this year’s premium book…

Angus - 41%
Simbrah - 37%
Brangus - 36%
Polled Hereford - 22%
Brahman - 21%
Hereford - 20%
ABC - 17%
Limousin - 17%
Red Angus - 15%
Shorthorn - 9%
Chianina - 8%
Santa Gertrudis - 7%

Some notes…

I thought that Simbrah class looked relative weak last year and was told they were tough on them but that's certainly surprising to see the number that high.

No surprise, Angus is #1. Forgive me if I don't weep for the poor poor Angus breeders that aren't going to bat an eye at telling the world that two similar carcasses are worth different amounts if they had different color hides.

Brangus is #3 for similar reasons.

According to the data on the HSLR website, nothing was classed out of Simmental or Charolais, but how exactly do you class out of Chianina?

Daily Web Summary 2/9/2012

2012-02-09T11:00:00-05:00

Updated Websites

Updated Blogs

Most Active Forum Threads

Interesting reading on Sullivan flyer !!!!! - Steerplanet
Contracted Tendons/Knuckling Over - Cattle Today
Word Association Game - Steerplanet
GV herd bull prospects ,critique away . - Cattle Today
EXT X 6807 Heifer What do you think? - Steerplanet
What bull two use on my heifers - Cattle Today
Calving pen Bedding - Steerplanet
Injured bull report.....update - Cattle Today
Can we design cows that are too low to the ground? - Steerplanet
cuts of meat - Steerplanet

Bloat

2012-02-09T12:00:00-05:00

Man the clover came on fast this year.

We're down two cows and a calf in just two days. We'd likely be down more if we weren't running around chasing them all day to keep them moving.

We finally found some bloat mineral and blocks and are forcing the cows to eat it.

High Heels and Pasterns

2012-02-09T12:00:00-05:00

I’m fairly confident I looked like a pervert at Target just before I wrote this.

On Monday, we went through every calf in the herd picking them all apart structurally to get a good idea of what does or does not have the potential. A big part of that obviously involves watching the pasterns closely for flex. Evidently I paid such close attention for an hour or so that it sunk into my head pretty solidly. So, fast forward to an hour ago at the Target in a relatively upscale area of San Antonio…

Have you ever noticed how much high heels vs. comfortable shoes on women mimic structural correctness in cattle?

I sure did.

After it clicked in my head while seeing some woman wearing what could only be described by somebody like me as "stripper shoes" I couldn’t help but keep staring at her legs as she walked away. My wife edits this (when she can), so yeah, I’m pretty solid in my stance that this was a “business expense”, not pleasure. Seriously, stop looking at me that way.

Anyway, her ankles didn’t flex at all, she was WAY too straight. Her knees didn’t move properly and she walked like she was extremely stuck up and in pain. You know, just like a calf that is too hard off his pasterns does.

In what, in hind sight, was not one of the proudest moments of my life, I then started looking at every woman’s feet and how they walked. The lower the heel and thus more angle to the heel, the more smoothly they walked. You know, just like show calves.

So, before I dig a hole I can’t get out of…long story short: dads, if you need to teach your boys about structural correctness, go stare at women walking in the mall. Tell your wives I told you to.

Daily Web Summary 2/8/2012

2012-02-08T11:00:00-05:00

Updated Websites

Updated Blogs

Most Active Forum Threads

Bull Opinions: - Steerplanet
Word Association Game - Steerplanet
What do you think? - Cattle Today
Updating Pasture Cost per lb. DM & Mob Magic - Cattle Today
Yearling bull pics - Cattle Today
Interesting reading on Sullivan flyer !!!!! - Steerplanet
Opinions on the shorthorn bull JSF GAUGE 137W? - Steerplanet
if you had to start all over - Steerplanet
Can we design cows that are too low to the ground? - Steerplanet
Hereford thoughts... - Steerplanet

Observations from Tuesday

2012-02-08T12:00:00-05:00

This only applies to a VERY small handful of you, but if you were offended by Monday’s post, you take yourself way too seriously and must be a blast at parties. It wasn’t an attack on anybody. While it was based in reality, it was meant to do nothing more than make fun of how cliched those interviews are and how absolutely preposterous the money involved is at the very top of the top end of show steers.

I did not buy a $9,000 bull that "should rival Solid Gold, Troubadour, Milkman, and Yellow Jacket in semen sales his first year out" last night and I don't know why you people keep asking me that.

Leave me alone.

Ralgro vs Synovex

Not a review on the hormones themselves but Ralgro guns are SOOO much easier to use.

Good Kind of Problems

Bloat blocks are pretty much sold out in this region, at least I know we can't find any. One guy told me of a ranch in Seguin (east of San Antonio) that lost four cows to bloat from clover.

Losing a few cows due to a preventable problem vs. being forced to sell out due to drought is a no contest.

Adele

I learned that she's not an overweight black chick, she's actually white, and for some reason I don't like her music at all now.

Gomer Bull Sale

We actually turned a profit off of our last gomer bull yesterday. We bought him as an 8-12 month old for $300 (they’re Jerseys), paid $200 for the surgery, used him for three years until he got big enough to be mean, and sold him for $800 through the auction barn.

Speaking of the Auction Barn

We also hauled in an open tiger stripe heifer that jumped out of the crowding alley leading to the sale ring, ran around on the outside rail where the guys that work the cattle into the ring stand, held up the sale for a solid five minutes, and all where the buyers could see it happening. I honestly don't make this stuff up.

She still brought $1.29/lb at ~850 lbs.

Oh and…

We threw three calves that averaged 325 on the trailer to test the market on the lower end steers.

$2.14/lb.

Un-be-liev-able.

Daily Web Summary 2/7/2012

2012-02-07T11:00:00-05:00

Updated Websites

Updated Blogs

Most Active Forum Threads

Ft Worth. - Steerplanet
Simmi Breeders what do you think? would you use him? - Steerplanet
AKA bull - Steerplanet
Classifying Steers In Ft. Worth - Steerplanet
What are some good charlois cross bulls - Steerplanet
Fair profit per hay bale - Cattle Today
Interesting reading on Sullivan flyer !!!!! - Steerplanet
chicken litter - Cattle Today
starting an operation... - Steerplanet
Custom Feed Mixed in West Texas? - Steerplanet

How

2012-02-07T04:21:02-05:00

did somebody think that would taste good?

Posted via Twitter for Android

Quote of the Night

2012-02-07T12:00:00-05:00

"He should rival Solid Gold, Troubadour, Milkman, and Yellow Jacket in semen sales his first year out."

2012 Collegiate Livestock Judging Ranking

2012-02-07T12:00:00-05:00

Generally loved by the students and abhored by coaches, the initial 2012 collegiate livestock judging power rankings are out...

Rank	Team	Rating
1	Texas A&M University	1.800
	Top Finish: 1st @ 2012 National Western
2	Oklahoma State University	1.785
	Top Finish: 2nd @ 2012 National Western
3	Iowa State University	1.739
	Top Finish: 3rd @ 2012 National Western
4	Colorado State University	1.694
	Top Finish: 2nd @ 2012 Fort Worth
5	Kansas Sate University	1.617
	Top Finish: 1st @ 2012 Fort Worth
6	Texas Tech University	1.617
	Top Finish: 4th @ 2012 National Western
7	University of Georgia	1.602
	Top Finish: 1st @ 2011 Arizona National
8	West Texas A&M University	1.556
	Top Finish: 5th @ 2012 National Western
9	University of Illinois	1.556
	Top Finish: 7th @ 2012 National Western
10	Western Illinois University	1.465
	Top Finish: 8th @ 2012 National Western

Visit Livestockjudging.com for full ranking.

Daily Web Summary 2/6/2012

2012-02-06T11:00:00-05:00

Updated Websites

Updated Blogs

Most Active Forum Threads

Why continue to breed TH and PHA carriers? - Steerplanet
Look for advice on a fair price to charge - Cattle Today
GVC Maverick o5u - Steerplanet
Any heifer bull prospects on display in DENVER - Steerplanet
Ft Worth. - Steerplanet
Interesting reading on Sullivan flyer !!!!! - Steerplanet
feeding calves close to your house (smell) - Cattle Today
bulls with chrome? - Steerplanet
Word Association Game - Steerplanet
This time I had a camera. - Steerplanet

Honest Grand Champion Sale Interview

2012-02-06T12:00:00-05:00

By and large, the grand champions at the biggest of the big stock shows are just a bit like sausage. They’re a great, inspiring story until you start looking into how they’re made. That’s not to say that I don’t love putting a few links on the BBQ, I’d just prefer to not think about what exactly it is I’m eating most of the time.

That being said, once, just once, I’d like to see a kid that wins a Texas major be honest when they do that interview with the local press at the auction. They always go the same way, some reporter who’s never touched a calf asks what the kid’s going to do with the money and the kid says “pay for college”. The reporter asks where they’re going to go to school and if their grades are good enough they say Texas A&M...unless they're from the panhandle in which case they say Texas Tech.

What would an honest interview sound like?

Reporter - “So what are you going to do with the money?”

Kid - “I’m going to go to college of course.”
Reporter – “Oh wow, that is amazing, do you want to take a moment to say thank you to the buyers for supporting the youth in the state of Texas?”
Kid – “Well, about that, can I be honest with you?”
Reporter - “Sure, of course”
Kid – “I don’t want to mislead anybody, ‘supporting Texas youth’ might be a bit of a stretch here. Yeah, sure, the people who actually profit from this whole game; the guy I bought the calf from, the guy he bought it from, the guy he bought the genetics from, and the sale managers and jocks that facilitated all of those sales may or may not have kids. Some of them do, sure, but I saw that he did pretty good here in Ft Worth too. The thing is, a very good portion of the net profit from all of this goes to professional show steer guys up in Oklahoma. So sure, it sounds really good and all but I don’t know if that counts as supporting youth in the state of Texas.”
Reporter – “Professionals?”
Kid – “Yeah, the guys whose entire living is based on buying and selling these steers when they're babies. There's nothing really wrong with it, this is a free country and there's a demand for it, I just don't want you guys to be mislead as to where this money actually goes.”
Reporter – “But you just said you were going to use the money for college?”
Kid - “Well, yeah, kind of. My family is rich and paying for college was never going to be an issue for me. Frankly, if I were really doing this for college money we wouldn’t have won because we wouldn’t have spent the money you have to in order to win. You see, my dad could have sent me to Texas A&M and had enough left over to send another kid as well if we’d have just saved the money we spent on this big guy here and put it in a savings account. If we would have just not shown steers this year we could have sent half a dozen kids to school on really good scholarships.”
Reporter - “Ummmm…”
Kid - “And another thing, I know we just brought $xxx,xxx through the sale but please wish me luck down the road because I really need to win big at the next major too.”
Reporter - “WHAT? Why?”
Kid - “Well, you see, this isn’t the only $xx,xxx calf I have. We actually have a whole string of them at home, each of them likely worth more than your car, you know, being a journalism major and all.”
Reporter - “A string?”
Kid - “Yeah, we started out with a dozen $xx,xxx calves but sold a few to other rich families, sent a few to the auction barn because they didn't pan out, some just won't be good enough to win a major, and long story short, we’re down to only half a dozen or so of them now.”
Reporter - “ummm, back to you guys?

Daily Web Summary 2/5/2012

2012-02-05T11:00:00-05:00

Updated Websites

The Showtime Magazine

Updated Blogs

Most Active Forum Threads

Ft Worth. - Steerplanet
So how do you select your calving ease bulls? - Steerplanet
Word Association Game - Steerplanet
Anyone mix their own commodities? - Cattle Today
Close Breeding - Cattle Today
feeding calves close to your house (smell) - Cattle Today
What are some good charlois cross bulls - Steerplanet
my first sodomy - Cattle Today
Where do you prefer your scales? - Cattle Today
young bull breeding a cow - Cattle Today

Daily Web Summary 2/4/2012

2012-02-04T11:00:00-05:00

Updated Blogs

Most Active Forum Threads

Ft Worth. - Steerplanet
Opinions on Heifer - Steerplanet
February 4th and what?!?!?!? - Cattle Today
Word Association Game - Steerplanet
duff bulls - Steerplanet
Raising slae barn calves vs replacement heifers - Cattle Today
Heifers sold off the farm - Cattle Today
distillers grain to pregeant cows - Steerplanet
calving ease bulls - Steerplanet
Genomic Testing \ Igenity Test - Steerplanet

$155,000 for Reserve Grand Steer

2012-02-04T12:00:00-05:00

…in Fort Worth.

That’s going to just about the only time that Brian Martin won’t be able to say he could have sold it for more as a prospect steer.

Daily Web Summary 2/3/2012

2012-02-03T11:00:00-05:00

Updated Websites

Updated Blogs

Most Active Forum Threads

To clean or not to clean - Cattle Today
Ft Worth. - Steerplanet
Triplets - Steerplanet
Crossbreeding - Steerplanet
Better calving ease bull??? - Steerplanet
Twin Bull Calves - Steerplanet
cuts of meat - Steerplanet
Hereford cow 2 months from calving needs wide load sign-pics - Cattle Today
Free bull leasing !! - Cattle Today
Niche markets - Cattle Today

Information

2012-02-03T12:00:00-05:00

Do you remember back in the stone age when it actually took a while before you knew anything about the grand steer at big shows?

Today, if were paying attention online, within two hours of the hip being slapped you can now know…

Calf was by Heat Wave
Shown by Cuatro Schauer
Sold by Adam Potts (and what his parents look like)
Raised by Travis Otterstadt
Embryo from Brandon Horn 419
Full sib to the steer sells in Donors Unlimited
Picture of the grand drive
Picture of the calf being checked in the vet’s office

Adam Potts Interview

2012-02-03T12:00:00-05:00

Interview with Adam Potts, who sold the calf that was just crowned grand champion in Ft Worth to Cuatro Schauer, from the yards a few weeks ago…

...the steer he metnions in the interview belonged to the same kid that won Ft. Worth today.

Fort Worth Breed Counts

2012-02-03T12:00:00-05:00

Approximate breed counts from Fort Worth thanks to Jared P. Harrell…

Angus – 86
Hereford – 99
Polled Hereford – 85
Shorthorn – 161
American – 121
European - 804
Total - 1,356

BTW, we all knew Jared was destined for things larger than the rest of us in college but if you want to feel like your college degree is just some worthless piece of paper on the wall, go check out Jared’s LinkedIn page. Ag engineering at Texas A&M, law degree from the University of Texas, and then he went to Oxford to top it off.

Denver Interview - Harley Blegen

2012-02-03T12:00:00-05:00

An interview about a breed of cattle you may have never really given much thought to, Galloway...

Daily Web Summary 2/2/2012

2012-02-02T11:00:00-05:00

Updated Websites

Updated Blogs

Most Active Forum Threads

Shorty hf bulls - Steerplanet
Close Breeding - Cattle Today
Niche markets - Cattle Today
Possible New Trend - Steerplanet
Fullblood Gelbvieh - Cattle Today
I give in--- to all shorthorn people-- - Steerplanet
weighing cattle for load lots - Cattle Today
Hay Prices - Cattle Today
MVE SEMEN TANK XC Millenium 20 - Steerplanet
Things to thank a Canadian for... - Steerplanet

Thursday, February 2nd

2012-02-02T12:00:00-05:00

I promise I'm going to start posting the interviews very soon.

Since I can't seem to find an online broadcast of the Fort Worth steer show, I'll provide the next best thing, a live feed of my staring at my computer screen all day.

Here's a link to the office cam I have running for our game customers...

Daily Web Summary 2/1/2012

2012-02-01T11:00:00-05:00

Updated Websites

Updated Blogs

Most Active Forum Threads

sept troubadour bull pic to cut him or to not him that is the???opinions wantd - Steerplanet
HC JUSTIN TIME 61S - Steerplanet
I've been losing money - Cattle Today
I give in--- to all shorthorn people-- - Steerplanet
Things to thank a Canadian for... - Steerplanet
N-Charge / Flush? - Steerplanet
Pic for my Canadian buddies - Steerplanet
Weaning weights? - Cattle Today
Hereford Bull Question - Cattle Today
banding 300-500 lb. bull calves - Cattle Today

Daily Web Summary 1/31/2012

2012-01-31T11:00:00-05:00

Updated Websites

Updated Blogs

Most Active Forum Threads

NAME THE BULL! - Steerplanet
I give in--- to all shorthorn people-- - Steerplanet
Opinions on Heifer - Steerplanet
cattle prices - Cattle Today
Zilmax - Steerplanet
Opinions on my VERY DIRTY steer! - Steerplanet
Better female maker ( Old Simmy Bulls ) - Steerplanet
Word Association Game - Steerplanet
Thoroughbred Pedigrees for r.n.reed - Steerplanet
This bothers me- - Steerplanet

POMKWSISFBOID - Battleship

2012-01-31T12:00:00-05:00

This was actually after the birds settled down a bit...

Watch Battleship's video again here.

POMKWSISFBOID "Pictures of my kids wearing stuff I stole from bull owners in Denver"

Leave the Tag In

2012-01-31T12:00:00-05:00

Look at me everyone, do you want to know where I bought my show steer from nearly a year go? Well, just look at his ear because I left the fancy schmancy big name show jock ear tag in.

Yeah, my family IS pretty affluent, how did you know? We don’t like to flaunt it though except for letting everyone who sees our calf know we bought him from that big name guy over in Oklahoma. How far did you have to drive to get your calf? Oh, I guess that was, well…convenient?

Oh hey there mr. judge, you know that friend of yours you do business with all the time? Do you recognize anything? Yeah, look over there in my calf’s ear, yup, that’s your friend’s name on that ear tag. Just wanted to throw that out there.

No, no, no, it’s not tacky or obnoxious that we left it in; we didn’t do it on purpose. I was just something we overlooked and nobody had a knife handy during the four hours we spent getting the calf fit for the show.

Well, thank you, but no, I don’t think that knife will cut it out either because, ummm, this ear tag is made of something that you can’t cut with a knife.

Daily Web Summary 1/30/2012

2012-01-30T11:00:00-05:00

Updated Websites

Updated Blogs

Most Active Forum Threads

I give in--- to all shorthorn people-- - Steerplanet
Just wondering. - Cattle Today
A bull that did NOT make Denver... - Steerplanet
I've been losing money - Cattle Today
Farm shots - Steerplanet
8x8 roosevelt elk - Steerplanet
Skinner cattle company sale round 1 - Steerplanet
One for Houstoncutter - Cattle Today
Cunia Bulls - Steerplanet
Photo for Mark Tenenbaum - Steerplanet

Texas Majors for Du....Mid-Westerners

2012-01-30T12:00:00-05:00

This week marks the start of the Texas major steer show season. It’s a small world but it’s always surprising how little Texans know about shows outside the state and vice versa.

Texans: You call this a “major” and they only sell TWO cattle? Our county show sells 30 and the champions bring more than that.
Mid-Westerner: You can get classed out of Angus even if you have papers? Somebody needs to fix that.

So, this is a very basic tutorial on the Texas majors for you folks up there.

Other than the overwhelming scale of size of the shows and the money involved, there are two big differences...

Slick Shows - We cut the hair off because you don't eat it and you people aren't "rewarding hard work" when you have a different professional fitter on every leg of the calf. I've heard about half a dozen reasons to stay slick from people involved in the decision making and none of them are about leveling the playing field.

Classification - There's a visual classification system where steers are shown in different breeds and let through or sent to the AOB class depending on the vote of a three person panel.

The five majors...

	Dates	Breeds	Hair?	2011 Entries	Entry Limit	Weigh In	Class Out
Forth Worth	2/2 - 2/3	6	Haired	1,600-1,700?	1	Turn In	Leave Show
San Angelo	2/16	3	Slick	314	2	Weigh	AOB
San Antonio	2/22-2/24	15	Slick	1,452	1	Turn In	ABC or AOB
Houston	3/14-3/16	16	Slick	1,743	1	Weigh	ABC or AOB
Austin	3/20-3/21	6	Slick	851	1	Turn In	ABC or AOB

While the amount of breeds in each show is different, you can show any validated steer in any of the majors. They're just divided up a lot more specifically in shows like San Antonio and Houston.

Fort Worth

The only haired show and typically considered to be right below Houston as the largest market steer show in the nation. We don't have an exact count because they don't want to tell us how many steers were there.

Breeds are broken up by Angus, Hereford, Polled Hereford, Shorthorn, ABC, and AOB. Fort Worth is the only show where if you are classed out, you are out of the show.

The British breed champions have a tradition of selling for significantly more than the champions of the other breeds in the sale.

San Angelo

Easily the smallest of the Texas majors. Steers are split into British, ABC, and AOB. The only major that allows two entries per exhibitor.

San Antonio

The third of the 'big three' majors in terms of prestige and the first really big slick show of the year. The only breed that doesn't have it's own class is Polled Hereford.

Auction prices are quite a bit lower than Houston and Ft Worth but San Antonio gives $10,000 and $8,000 scholarships to the champion and reserve breed champion for all 15 breeds.

Houston

The biggest market steer show in the nation.

Huge auction prices ($300,000+) but the money paid to exhibitors is capped and guaranteed.

Austin

The end of the Texas major season and a show that has shown nothing short of dramatic growth in the past 10-20 years.

Daily Web Summary 1/29/2012

2012-01-29T11:00:00-05:00

Updated Websites

Updated Blogs

Most Active Forum Threads

Meyers Climax 50R - Steerplanet
Just wondering. - Cattle Today
I've been losing money - Cattle Today
Word Association Game - Steerplanet
electric fence wire - Cattle Today
Cunia Bulls - Steerplanet
Lowrider - Steerplanet
Wish us luck!? - Cattle Today
bloat - waiting to see - Cattle Today
Pictures of My Steer, Warts, and Tail Ties - Steerplanet

Daily Web Summary 1/28/2012

2012-01-28T11:00:00-05:00

Updated Websites

Updated Blogs

Most Active Forum Threads

Predators - Cattle Today
I've been losing money - Cattle Today
Starting in the Show Cattle Business - Steerplanet
Shorthorn sire CCS Shoshone. - Steerplanet
Smallest US Cattle Herd since 1958 - Cattle Today
Word Association Game - Steerplanet
Brisket Disease (High Mountain Disease) - Steerplanet
Wanting to buy Hereford cows!! - Cattle Today
Sullivans Grill Brick? - Steerplanet
Best Denver Bulls 2012 - Steerplanet

Daily Web Summary 1/27/2012

2012-01-27T11:00:00-05:00

Updated Websites

Updated Blogs

Most Active Forum Threads

Possible New Trend - Steerplanet
I give in--- to all shorthorn people-- - Steerplanet
Just looking for a few comments. - Cattle Today
fertilizer cost - Cattle Today
3rd round of our bull photos - Cattle Today
Smallest US Cattle Herd since 1958 - Cattle Today
Better female maker ( Old Simmy Bulls ) - Steerplanet
Ring worm??? Help??? - Steerplanet
TiGerstripe cattle - Cattle Today
Cow won't let calf nurse.... - Cattle Today

Cane Codes

2012-01-27T12:00:00-05:00

A few days ago, while going to the semen tank to breed a cow that didn’t stick the first time, I had a small epiphany. Canister six had five canes of semen in it. Three of them had cane codes, one of them had a hand written “Walks Alone”, and the other had a printed “Monopoly”. Going over to canister five, there are two canes with the sire and dam names of embryos printed on the top.

Wait a second here, we can fit the name of the bulls and sire/dam on the top of a cane? Well, of course we can.

Why do we need to put a code that without the associated documentation will tell nothing more than what the breed of the bull is?

They just don’t make sense any more. When people try to find cane codes, this is one of the first places they come. You know what? Our database of cane codes sucks to the point that I’m surprised people come here. But you know what? They come here because it is dramatically easier to find out the tattoo number of a popular bull than it is to find out his cane code on most AI company websites.

Why are we still wasting time with cane codes instead of just printing the bull’s name on the top of the cane?

POMKWSISFBOD - Deadliest Catch

2012-01-27T12:00:00-05:00

POMKWSISFBOD stands for “Pictures of My Kids Wearing Stuff I Stole From Bull Owners in Denver”.

Daily Web Summary 1/26/2012

2012-01-26T11:00:00-05:00

Updated Websites

Updated Blogs

Most Active Forum Threads

Bagged mineral vs. Block - Cattle Today
Some Hereford Photos For You - Cattle Today
Possible New Trend - Steerplanet
KSU closed linebred Shorthorns - Steerplanet
Lowline Bull - Cattle Today
3rd round of our bull photos - Cattle Today
re need help with some things my first year showing a steer - Steerplanet
Better female maker ( Old Simmy Bulls ) - Steerplanet
Word Association Game - Steerplanet
Opinion on Clippers - Steerplanet

Thursday, January 26th

2012-01-26T12:00:00-05:00

Well crap, I guess I have to start writing again.

Wade Fisher

Killed it on the videos this year.

That being said, I’m extremely mad that he didn’t follow my “strict instructions on filming angles.” That’s a joke, and if you don’t get it, congratulations.

New Bull TH/PHA Status

If your bull has been added to our database but didn't have his TH/PHA status listed in Denver, please e-mail katie@cattle.com with the details and we'll updated it on the site.

Drinking at Stock Shows

After watching a guy burn a pretty solid bridge to nothing but ashes at our county show, I’m going to go on the record and say that from here on out I’m not going to drink alcohol at stock shows.

That’s not to say I want to see it banned, I’m all sorts of in favor of letting people make fools of themselves. However, if you are a mouthy drunk, respect your kids enough to hold off on the drinking until you get away from people you have a very real shot of destroying any relationship with.

The Interviews

We will post one per day for the next month or so.

Can You Imagine

Having an empty field of rye/oats in Texas right now? Feeders were hanging around the $2/lb. range all the way up to 500lbs. even before the most recent well timed rain. Things are about to get absolutely insane at the auction barns.

Speaking of Feeder Prices

I’m going to go on record once again and predict that next year’s show steer counts will be down in Texas. No, not because of an economic down turn, because of the fact that a feeder calf will bring $800 through the auction barn in a month. While the folks buying those steers weren’t the ones dominating shows, they did most certainly add to the steer counts.

Small Brag

Yeah, it’s a county show, but since 2008 our county 4-H has placed more steers in Houston than anybody but Prosper FFA and Brazos County 4-H. This boy ended up reserve champion out of 20 exotic steers on Friday. He’s the second bull calf out of our herd bull we bought at Black’s a few years ago.

Yahoo! and Most Useless Degree

You’ve probably already heard about the story that Yahoo! ran about agriculture being the most useless degree. I won’t comment on it other than to say that my $10,000 FFA scholarship was the only thing that kept me from switching from ag engineering to petroleum engineering while I was in college. I’m not complaining about where I am financially right now and I’m very thankful for the scholarship but pulling down an easy $150k while working in my back yard with the Eagle Ford Shale boom would be pretty darn nice right now.

Daily Web Summary 1/25/2012

2012-01-25T11:00:00-05:00

Updated Websites

Updated Blogs

Most Active Forum Threads

Pic of a good heifer - Cattle Today
The New Simmental/Red Angus Association - Cattle Today
Cow won't let calf nurse.... - Cattle Today
Eye Candy Bull - Steerplanet
How far have you shipped a bull for natural service sire? - Cattle Today
Throwing off my early calving! - Cattle Today
Red Shorthorn X hereford cross - Cattle Today
2nd batch of photos of our sale bulls - Cattle Today
KSU closed linebred Shorthorns - Steerplanet
Opinions on Steer - Steerplanet

Fire Keeper

2012-01-25T05:00:00-05:00

Sure Bet

2012-01-25T03:00:00-05:00

Summit 17

2012-01-25T02:00:00-05:00

Rooster Cogburn

2012-01-25T01:00:00-05:00

Real Deal (White Rooster)

2012-01-25T12:00:00-05:00

Original Sin

2012-01-25T11:00:00-05:00

Insanity

2012-01-25T10:00:00-05:00

High & Mighty

2012-01-25T09:00:00-05:00

Daily Web Summary 1/24/2012

2012-01-24T11:00:00-05:00

Updated Websites

Updated Blogs

Most Active Forum Threads

Photos of some of our 2012 sale bulls - Cattle Today
Shoot Shovel and SHUTUP - Cattle Today
Red Shorthorn X hereford cross - Cattle Today
Family Battle over Cattle. Suggestions? - Steerplanet
hairy heel warts - Steerplanet
Banding at birth tips & tricks - Cattle Today
Time For Fun - Halter Breaking Time - Steerplanet
What to breed her too? - Steerplanet
Multimin 90? - Steerplanet
Shorthorn Plus Bulls - Steerplanet

Lash Out

2012-01-24T04:00:00-05:00

Rico

2012-01-24T03:00:00-05:00

Incredible Hulk

2012-01-24T02:00:00-05:00

Freak Show

2012-01-24T01:00:00-05:00

Gold Rush

2012-01-24T12:00:00-05:00

Jaw Breaker

2012-01-24T11:00:00-05:00

Cool Whip

2012-01-24T10:00:00-05:00

China Closet

2012-01-24T09:00:00-05:00

Daily Web Summary 1/23/2012

2012-01-23T11:00:00-05:00

Updated Websites

Updated Blogs

Most Active Forum Threads

textbook vs real-life with cows - Cattle Today
Neighbors dog attack my cows - Cattle Today
New Hereford boys - Cattle Today
Word Association Game - Steerplanet
Used Sullivan Style Fan Cage For Sale - Steerplanet
The Newest and Youngest Member of Steer Planet has Arrived! - Steerplanet
FERTILIZING PASTURE - Cattle Today
First calf of the year - Steerplanet
Short Gestation - Cattle Today
pigs pigs pigs - Steerplanet

Fandango

2012-01-23T04:00:00-05:00

Hard Whiskey

2012-01-23T03:00:00-05:00

Real Deal (Goddard)

2012-01-23T02:00:00-05:00

Recharge

2012-01-23T01:00:00-05:00

Road Trip

2012-01-23T12:00:00-05:00

Stress Relief

2012-01-23T11:00:00-05:00

Synergy

2012-01-23T10:00:00-05:00

Unstoppable

2012-01-23T09:00:00-05:00

New Videos Today

2012-01-23T12:00:00-05:00

A new video will post every hour on the hour between 9 and 4 PM today.

Interviews

2012-01-23T12:00:00-05:00

The interviews will be posted one per day once the bull videos are done.

Daily Web Summary 1/22/2012

2012-01-22T11:00:00-05:00

Updated Websites

Updated Blogs

Most Active Forum Threads

Shall I Eat It? - Cattle Today
The Newest and Youngest Member of Steer Planet has Arrived! - Steerplanet
Question for the group - Cattle Today
Word Association Game - Steerplanet
Bought a used semen tank, what came with it - Steerplanet
please settle the argument-which cow is in heat? - Cattle Today
Flighty Heifer? - Cattle Today
Made a change - Cattle Today
Thoughts on My Bulls - Cattle Today
High Tail Set - Cattle Today

Daily Web Summary 1/21/2012

2012-01-21T11:00:00-05:00

Updated Websites

Updated Blogs

Most Active Forum Threads

Question for the group - Cattle Today
The Newest and Youngest Member of Steer Planet has Arrived! - Steerplanet
New Hereford boys - Cattle Today
Common Cents Sale Catlogue - Steerplanet
Drill Bit bull thoughts - Steerplanet
Check out this Troubadour Bred Heifer - Steerplanet
Word Association Game - Steerplanet
Angus Bulls for AI - Steerplanet
Angus Bulls Question - pics added - Steerplanet
Angus breeding advice - Steerplanet

Jason Koch of Steerplanet

2012-01-21T12:00:00-05:00

One of my top five in the list of people that really seems to 'get it' when it comes to show cattle and the internet...

New Baby Girl

Until you've seen that many tubes sticking out of your kid, you just don't know the helpless feeling he must have been going through the past week.

Daily Web Summary 1/20/2012

2012-01-20T11:00:00-05:00

Updated Websites

Updated Blogs

Most Active Forum Threads

Northern Shorthorns Herd Bull - Steerplanet
Registered Angus Heifer - Steerplanet
Keeping Cattle at pasture..away from your place.. - Cattle Today
who made who bull calf - Steerplanet
Hide color discrimination a joke... - Steerplanet
Texas? - Cattle Today
New Hereford boys - Cattle Today
A Simmental Decision - Steerplanet
anyone else have a - Cattle Today
Best Denver Bulls 2012 - Steerplanet

Dirty Politics

2012-01-20T05:00:00-05:00

Swag

2012-01-20T04:00:00-05:00

American Idol

2012-01-20T03:00:00-05:00

I-90

2012-01-20T02:00:00-05:00

Fully Automatic

2012-01-20T01:00:00-05:00

Dirty Water

2012-01-20T12:00:00-05:00

Man of Steel

2012-01-20T11:00:00-05:00

Battleship

2012-01-20T10:00:00-05:00

Walkie Talkie

2012-01-20T09:00:00-05:00