Cattle.com

Impact of Lighting on New Classification System

Sure, Simbrah seems to be the place with the most questions regarding how the new Texas steer classification is going to actually work.

But who actually thinks the AOB red classification would be a problem?  I mean everyone agrees that red is red, right?

Play classifier…


Okay, obviously an AOB Other or a Charolais.  No question whatsoever.

Now do this one…


That class was showing on a screen while we were talking about classification at the VATAT conference a few weeks ago.  Four out of five ag teachers, including several who have sat through the classification meetings, called that #4 calf a Red AOB while admitting that he’s probably as close to the line between red and other AOB as it gets.

Then this shot of him came up on the screen…


In that shot, he had better lighting and it was blatantly clear that he’s either a Charolais or AOB Other under the new system.

Same calf, same tie spot, just had slightly better lighting when he was filmed from the left side than the right.

Considering how insanely tough both the Charolais and AOB Other classes have been since jackpots switched to the new classification system, those darker calves will be trying to find a way into literally any other breed.  Why wouldn't you?  Who wants to show in a class where 2nd place would have been the champion Simmental under the old system and 4th would have been the champion Maine?

The incomplete dominance of the diluter gene (which has suddenly become a liability) and how it expresses itself leads to a spectrum from red to yellow and there will have to be a line somewhere.

At some point in the future, the classifiers are going to have to be given color swatches to use as that line between AOB Red and AOB Other.

Looking for some new snake oil to trick people into thinking all of their steer's problems will be fixed a new grooming product to market?

Develop something (most likely just some type of plant oil) that people will believe they can darken the color of their calves with by bathing them in it for a few weeks prior to show.

2