Posted on March 25, 2009 - by Russell

Dr. Joseph Graham’s - Answers to She’s A 10 Survey

Editors Note: Dr. Graham’s survey answers were origianly print in The Longhorn Round-Up Newspaper several years ago. We would now like to share his answers with our online readers. Dr. Graham is a well respected Longhorn breed who has breed and raised numerous World Show Champions.  

Dr. Joseph & Cynthia Graham – In 1982 the Graham’s started Mi Tierra Ranch and their Longhorn breeding program. Mi Tierra Ranch has two locations one in Diamond, Missouri and the other in Joplin, Missouri were they raise cattle with pedigrees that are a blend of the seven Longhorns families, with little or no Butler influence. The Mi Tierra program has produced a long list of show champions which includes several TLBAA World Show Grand Champions. Currently the herd numbers approximately 350 head and is utilizing 8 herd sires for breeding.

Dr. Graham’s Ideal Cow-She was raised here at Mi Tierra and is a great example of what we look for in a brood cow.

1) What type of conformation do you look for in a brood cow? Does conformation affect the birth canal and calving ease?

Longhorns are beef cattle with horns, and relatively unpredictable expression of other physical traits. Without their horns and spots they should still look like cows (feminine head, neck, angular body, sound udder and teats, good depth of body and spring of rib). Color and horns are personal preferences not to be valued over the functional purpose of the cow. I’ve never seen a Longhorn need assistance with calving. Their pelvic dimensions and outlet would allow much larger calves than most usually have. Thus I haven’t seen much correlation between good or bad conformation and calving ease.

2) What is the most important trait you look for, horn, conformation, or functional efficiency? Would you over look a genetic defect if the cow had record setting horn?   Functional efficiency, conformation and then horn in that order. No, I would not over look a genetic defect.

3) How important is frame size when selecting a brood cow, and why?

For me it is important and I want mature cows weighing 1100 to 1400lbs. which I don’t see with fine boned low frame score cows.

4) What is the ideal age for a heifer to have her first calf?

2 years

5) Are there any advantages in waiting to breed a heifer?  

No

6) What is the ideal weight range for a newborn calf?

Bulls 60-70 lbs., heifers 55-65 lbs.

7) Do you think the sire or the dam affects the birth weight more?

I believe the sire has more effect.

8 ) How important is milk production? How do you determine whether a brood cow’s milk production is sufficient?

Productivity is what a cow is all about. A calf every year, enough good milk to consistently raise a healthy heavy calf.

9) When you select a young heifer for your herd, how important is udder development?

It is very important.

10) What do you look for in the udder of a mature brood cow?

A good level bag, good but not excessive volume and four small to medium teats that don’t balloon at calving.

11) In your opinion, are udder defects a result of improper management, genetic imperfection or in some cases a combination of both?

I believe that is a combination of both.

12) How many years should a good brood cow produce? Do you think modern day breeding practices are improving or harming the longevity trait?

To the age of 15 to 20 years. Single trait breeding or obsessions (horn) will hurt longevity and other Longhorn traits.

13) What do you believe is the ideal number of days between calving and rebreeding? 

Sixty days or two months.

14) What are your standards for culling? What characteristics in a brood cow are justifications for immediate culling? How does disposition affect a brood cow?

Inability to breed, consistent late breeding, light weight calves (poor production). After these I cull against white color, lack of horn development and any evolving physical defect that become apparent.

15) How important is femininity to you when you select a heifer for a brood cow? Why is it important, and how is it expressed?

Feminine heifers make feminine cows with a better chance of good productivity and a long productive life.

16) How important is horn size in selecting a heifer for a brood cow? Do you like for a heifer to show a lot of growth early, or are you satisfied with a cow which gets her horn growth gradually over the years?

Horn growth is desirable but not to the exclusion of characteristics that make a good brood cow. If anything it is my impression that exceptional horn growth can be a sign of infertility, deceased production and a less feminine conformation. Not always though. After all, steers don’t get the biggest horns by being such great bulls or cows.

17) What other factors do you consider when selecting a brood cow, and which is most important to you? 

Other than the factors noted before, disposition and ease of handling are additional factors to make you want to keep a cow or send her down the road.

Editor:

We would like to thank these breeders for taking the time to participant in this survey. They all have been successful with their breeding programs and I appreciate their willingness to share their ideas and that thoughts about what makes a great brood cow. We hope that you found this information from about your fellow breeders both interesting and informative.