# My other passion



## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

Not sure if I have posted these photos before.

When I'm not doing goatie stuff or uni, I show cattle. Actually I did that before the goats came along lol But I love it to death, and I was just looking through some photos and thought I would post some.

The show steer scene is way, way different here compared to the states. US show steers are fluffy pampered little animals which more often than not dont hang up on the hooks all that great. No offense intended, it just doesnt reflect the commercial cattle industry. Our steer shows are all terminal, which means the animal is judged live and then also on their carcase. So our show winners reflect more of the commercial reality, and many times the hoof winners are also place getters on the hooks. Here are a few good steers: note that all breeds and crossbreeds show together in the steer classes

sorry this guys a little way off. Lightweight vealer steer









A line up. Good limo steer on the right, and some ordinary others









Medium weight winner









second place to that limo - photo doesnt do him justice, he was a brilliant steer









This was a pretty big moment for us and for our breed. Murray Greys won both the interbreed bull and female at this show in 2008. The bull was ours, cow and calf was a friends.









Here's our bully boy, Cappucino









Some of our females (all ex show heifers) -




























During interbreed judging at melb 08 - our baby heifer won grand champ mg female over the cow, and narrowly missed the supreme



























Cappa again









Heifers relaxin at Melb ... 2005 I think?









Cappa's buddy Iceberg, doing what he does best, being a bull lol









Frankfurt, week old angus bull calf at Sydney show









Apologies if you've seen some of these before.


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## Thanatos (Mar 16, 2009)

neat. They look great


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## Coraxfeather (Oct 9, 2008)

I have a goat named Cappucino. Ours is a little Fainter baby though. Not as big as your bull.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

really nice Keren, so if they are shown they have ot be butchard? or am I just confused :scratch:


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## MissMM (Oct 22, 2007)

Wow. :drool: Those are some gorgeous cattle Keren. And thanks for not showing "on the hook" pics...... :slapfloor: Most of us in the USA remain happily in denial of where our food really comes from.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

gorgeous cattle....real nice... :wink: :drool:


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## SDK (Jun 26, 2008)

i do love murray greys.. beautiful things

but.. contrary to beliefe keren... every show steer i've seen has wound up on hooks. and as far as mine all went i grabbed them out of the breeders field


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

Keren, WOW :shocked: those could sure teach our animals a few things.



keren said:


> Not sure if I have posted these photos before.
> 
> The show steer scene is way, way different here compared to the states. US show steers are fluffy pampered little animals which more often than not dont hang up on the hooks all that great. No offense intended, it just doesnt reflect the commercial cattle industry. Our steer shows are all terminal, which means the animal is judged live and then also on their carcase. So our show winners reflect more of the commercial reality, and many times the hoof winners are also place getters on the hooks. Here are a few good steers: note that all breeds and crossbreeds show together in the steer classes
> 
> ...


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## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

Thanks everyone! 

Stacey - I should have been more clear. The steer shows are terminal, the breeding stock of course doesnt have to be slaughtered  

MissMM - I have some carcase photos actually ... lol

SDK - good on you for doing it properly. There are too many steers that are bought for ridiculous sums of money, kept in air conditioned stalls, bred to grow hair not carcase, are covered in glues and paints, and are fluffy little poodles that go to an awful lot of fashion parade shows before they finally get to a terminal show, where not much emphasis is placed on the hook results. Here, most of our shows are terminal (there are a few small shows that have just led steer classes), and usually more emphasis is placed on the hooks judging. It means a lot more to most people if your steer wins on the hooks rather than on the hoof. I've had a LOT of steers over the years (lol that rhymes) and two stick out in my mind. One was Mario, who was Grand Champion on the Hoof at Sydney Royal show - probably the most prestigious cattle show in the country - but he was unplaced on the hooks, and that really really disappointed me. The other one was Beanie, who was Grand Champion on the Hoof at Melbourne Royal show, and went on to be Champion on the hooks also, now THAT was something to be proud of. 

Lori, thank you. Those steers are actually not the best I've seen at our steer comps, the quality was a little down that year. I'm sure I have some better ones somewhere. I believe a few shows over there are starting to go with slick shear, blow and go. Our methods are somewhere in the middle of the two extremes. We go with the natural hair coat the animal has - be it slick or long or somewhere in between. We clip them, usually before the show although some gets done at the show but nothing to the extent that the US steer jocks do. We put on a little glue but really only to emphasis the muscle, again not to the ridiculous levels I've seen in the US with boning up legs etc. to the point that the animal doesnt look like a bovine anymore. 

Btw, that silver steer in second place doesnt have crap on him - thats just his colouring. You can see it on the heifer I've got in the interbreed judging too - although her patch is not as dark. And on the bull. 

FWIW there can be anywhere from 20 to 50 steers in these classes, so if you get to the top end you've done well.


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## tremayne (Feb 8, 2008)

Keren,

Those are such beautiful animals. Cappuccino is gorgeous. And Murray Greys are new to me. I've never seen one in person. Very nice.

Which are the most commonly raised breeds in Australia? 

Thanks for sharing those pics. :thankU: Are you one of the young women pictured? 

Anna


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## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

Thanks Anna!

Murray greys were developed here in Australia, from a particular shorthorn cow who, when bred to various angus bulls, only ever produced grey calves. From these 'mulberry calves' the breed was born. I've had the supreme privilege (sp?) to work with the family of the lady who developed them all those years ago. 

The most commonly raised breeds here are much the same as in the states ... Angus dominates, hford also popular and of course the black baldies. There are quite a number of limos around, many black ones, following the trend in the states but thank god our shorthorns, charolais, maine anjou and chianina are still their traditional colours. Simmentals are unfortunately beginning to go black. But the main breeds I guess would be Angus, Hford/Poll Hford, Shorthorn, Charolais, Limo. Murray Greys are not a minority breed but also dont have the numbers of those other breeds, but then again that is improving  

No, I'm not in any of those pics, I was behind the camera.


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

What nice looking bulls and cows - would look better in my belly! LOL!!!

I have come across the Panda breed and i want a couple SOOOOO bad, but we have to wait till the price on them comes down a bit!


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## AlaskaBoers (May 7, 2008)

kelebek- whats the panda breed?

are you thinking belted galloway? 


nice cattle in Aus, i've never really paid any attention to cattle at our shows, or even kept up the the U.S.A cattle stuff. more into the goats. 

how about other livestock, like sheep, swine?


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## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

kelebek - jmo but I'd stay away from those boutique specially designed mini cattle like the pandas. Too much politics and business in it all. And those mini cattle come with a whole host of problems. If you want to go minis the best bet is the mini hereford - BRILLIANT cattle, or lowline, cross the two and have mini black baldies (which is all the panda is, just with the markings round the eyes and a bit of beltie thrown in occasionally). Of course THE best small cattle breed is the Square Meater, but I dont think you have them in the states. Just watch the temperament on the Lowies if you go that direction. 

Alaska - I'm sure I have some photos of my sheep somewhere, I'll post them later. Dont know if I have any of the pigs - to be honest I'm not all that fond of them.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Those are some really nice looking beef!

I literally drool when I walk thru the beef barn at the county fair....the size of some of those steers is awesome!


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