ACS -
These statements have been reiterated several times on the forums, and here they will appear again todayl
1- You say they are contestants. For what purpose are they competing?
Are you contemplating retaining them for replacements? If so, what are your goals for their progeny - what are their EPD's for BW, Calving Ease, Weaning Weight, Yearling Weight, Milk, and the Carcass Expectations? I assume you would be interested in their potential production abilities for their offspring!?? Would you be satisfied if ALL of their progeny looked and reproduced exactly like their dams?? Do you have any thoughts which bulls you may be using in the future for these calves to improve your genetic herd pool? How do the EPD's of the future sires you plan to use blend or "nick" with the genetics of these calves?
2- In order to do an acceptable job of analyzing these calves, they should NOT be standing in hay or straw, mud, urine and manure because it does not allow them to present themselves in a well-balanced manner so that they can be seen for what they really are. Aside from the fact that mud etc. distorts the phenotype, the wet, muddy, hay bunched surface they are standing on precludes one's viewing their feet, pasterns, or actual body posture.
3- The lighting is not adequate enough to dispell false shadows which will distort the true phenotype of the animal.
4- The camera angle and position is wrong on all three pictures, which gives a false image of what the calves REALLY are - therefore a legitimate ascertainment is impossible in these three cases.
If these opinions sound severe and acerbic, it is because they ARE! To select cattle with these many negatives showing against them is tantamount to 'buying a pig in a poke' or sight unseen! No one can make a determination of what an animal really is, or what their potential is for a show calf, or future breeding possibilities with no more information available on them than is displayed by these pictures, and the lack of other vital information necessary for one to give a justifiable opinion. To select cattle for ANY purpose without being to see what they are is why some herds never seem to be able to improve their quality - in spite of using the good bull ". . .down the road a piece!"
Get the calves by themselves, clean them up, and get the camera angle straight on side, back and front views, and with the lens about 2 feet from the ground. Have them standing looking straight ahead. . . . and on a clean, hard surface, and get CLOSER to them! Then come back and ask these questions again along with some EPD's if they are going into a herd as breeders.
Finally, if you are considering them for a show animal - - -forget all of them - except #3. She MAY have some potential. But it is hard to see it from this picture. Start over.
DOC HARRIS