Water is the most essential nutrient of life. Humans, animals and plants all rely on the water for survival, due to its molecular makeup. Water is vital for bodily functions like nutrient intake, absorption and feed conversion, overall health, waste removal and temperature regulation. Since most show animals are in a confined area during most […]
Top Five Reasons Why Show Animals Go Off Feed and How to Prevent It
A lot of people change their eating habits with the seasons. Nothing is more satisfying on a cold winter day than a hot bowl of soup, but for most that doesn’t sound the least bit appetizing when the temperatures soar to 90-degrees and hotter, especially when you add in the humidity. We might prefer something […]
State Fair Memories Shared Across Generations
What do you get when you mix a hard-working family with passion for the livestock industry with ten days each year of family, friends and fun and combine two generations of memories all taking place in one place? It’s the Schafer family sharing their Illinois State Fair experiences! Aaron and Sue Schafer, along with their […]
Four Tips to Fight Flies
What’s the buzz? Well, this time of year, the buzz you are hearing can only be one thing, flies. As temperatures rise, bugs and particularly flies begin to repopulate, and it doesn’t matter which species of livestock you show, pesky flies are a nuisance to everyone. They like to invade our barns, bite at our […]
Mark That Card: Breeding Gilts
Thank you Blake Goss of Goss Livestock in Leedey, OK for providing placings and officials for this class. Placing: 4213 Cuts: 3-2-4 It’s 4’s look of maternal function and build that I’m drawn to. Here’s a stout skulled, bold bladed female that is great in her body shape and ultra-wide pinned. Yet what really makes […]
5 Tips to keeping your animals cool all summer
Summer temperatures are heating up, and the stakes are higher than ever. As the sun stays out longer, your days and hours in the barn get longer, but your time to prepare for the next big show gets shorter. Yet, no matter how many hours you put in or how much effort you make to […]