There’s nothing quite like show day – it doesn’t matter if it is your very first time at the county fair or your 10th jackpot of the season. The hum of blowers, the anticipation of entering the show ring, and the quiet focus before stepping into the ring all lead to excitement mixed with nervous energy. Success doesn’t happen in the show ring. It is recognized there; […]
Tag: show cattle
Hydration and Supplementation for Show Livestock During Travel
Travel is a regular part of the show livestock experience. From jackpot shows to county fairs and state and national events, exhibitors and their animals often spend hours on the road traveling from one destination to the next. While preparing feed, equipment, and paperwork is routine, one area that deserves just as much attention is hydration and supplementation for show livestock while on the […]
A Letter of Gratitude to our Animals
Thank You Most of us still remember our first livestock showing experience. I know I do. I was just a little mop-headed girl with my Hereford calf. It was the Hooker County Fair in the Nebraska Sandhills, and I loved Herfy more than anything in the world. We’d spent all spring and summer together, and […]
How to Prevent Show Livestock from Going Off Feed
Off Feed Many people change their eating habits with the seasons. A steaming bowl of soup is satisfying on a cold winter day, but that doesn’t sound appetizing when the heat index reaches 90 degrees or hotter. Your show livestock are no different, but whereas we just change what we eat, they go off feed. […]
Managing Show Livestock Weight: Hitting Your Project’s Target Weight
Livestock Weight Every market show animal has an endpoint. That is true, no matter where you live, the time of year your county or state fair is, or what show you are ultimately feeding for. If you have an animal on feed for an early August fair, that’s your endpoint. Perhaps you are feeding a […]
State Fairs: More Than Just a Show
State Fairs The summer heat and late nights in the barn can mean only one thing: state fairs are nearing. For many livestock exhibitors across the country, the state fair is the culmination of hard work, dedication, and hours of working with a particular set of animals. The goal: claiming the grand champion banner. Once […]