CPLReed
Member
I am wanting to raise a small herd of quality dexter, but I'm not sure if you can show this breed in FFA/4-H. What breeds can & can't you use in FFA? I'm not in FFA anymore, but I want to be able to sell to members.
breeds for FFA/4-H
- Thread starter CPLReed
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Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
4-H & FFA shows have a place for all breeds. If they are not a popular breed with their own classes, then they show in All Other Breeds Classes.
CPLReed
Member
Does this include fair?
By "Fair" you mean at their county fair for market and or breeding. Like Jeanne stated, for breeding if they do not have a class for your breed you go into AOB, in market some shows go by breed, cross or AOB, Some go by Geography, English, Continental or American for market, our county fair goes by color, Black, Red - non black.
You could show a Holstein steer in market if you wanted at our fair; it would go into the black division, is all.
If you are planning on selling to local kids, go on line and see if you can find your local fairs rules, they are usually the same as the states with some local twist to make it interesting.
You could show a Holstein steer in market if you wanted at our fair; it would go into the black division, is all.
If you are planning on selling to local kids, go on line and see if you can find your local fairs rules, they are usually the same as the states with some local twist to make it interesting.
conchos&bling
Member
At some county fairs steers go by weight and Heifer cows and bulls go by age.
showing71":13bvhh5r said:
Same difference. Anything that has any real world value as a commercial cow will not fit their criteria......it just is what it is!
If you think I am wrong then tell me why the commericial calves always lose the beauty contest and then win the carcass competition.
I don't think you're wrong. It all goes back to the same old debate... the judges. If they'd pick what really works in the 'real world' then the show industry would completely change. I've only seen 2 judges at youth shows pick an animal that works in the real world, and I've been showing for 18 years.3waycross":1nv3ewd7 said:
Our "Club claves" had a 2.7 to 3.5 ADG, finished choice or better (we had 3 go prime), we selected them to ultimately show as fats, so we did give up a little in the jackpots. (We did not pick the puds that looked finshed at 800 pounds)
We do not have a carcass competition in our area so all we can go off is the buyers feed back, they have never been disappointed in the product and purchased the boys steers for 9 years in a row. When the butcher calls to tell you how good the carcass looks, it came back from the plant stamped "USDA Prime" you have to figure it is OK.
We selected calves that were balanced with growth potential, finished at or near the top every year and delivered a quality product with Club Calf genetics. Bonus was they had the look as well as the product to back it up.
Would I buy one to feed out for myself, not unless I got if for market price. Would I buy a commercial steer for showing, not unless it looked like a club calf.
We do not have a carcass competition in our area so all we can go off is the buyers feed back, they have never been disappointed in the product and purchased the boys steers for 9 years in a row. When the butcher calls to tell you how good the carcass looks, it came back from the plant stamped "USDA Prime" you have to figure it is OK.
We selected calves that were balanced with growth potential, finished at or near the top every year and delivered a quality product with Club Calf genetics. Bonus was they had the look as well as the product to back it up.
Would I buy one to feed out for myself, not unless I got if for market price. Would I buy a commercial steer for showing, not unless it looked like a club calf.
chippie
Well-known member
I suggest contacting your area FFA advisors and County Extension (4-H agent) about it and I would contact the county fairs in your area and ask what sort of cattle classes are offered at the fair.
Truthfully the breed probably would not do well as a market animal.
Truthfully the breed probably would not do well as a market animal.
How can some one who goes by the handle 3-waycross (which most club calves are) say he only prefers breed shows? ;-)
The club calves are bred to give you everything that looks good, it is a visual thing. Big hipped huge topped, elephant a$$ed, goose necked and hairy. They are impressive to look at, but to get these things in one package you give up allot.
Big hipped = hipped locked calves
Goose necked = harder doing cattle
Hairy = no heat tolerance
Elephant a$$ed = titer pelvic area (see Heatwave daughters)
Huge topped = 1.5 inch steak that 3 people can eat.
It is really no different than any breed that starts chasing one characteristic or EPD number other areas suffer. For an example: higher weaning waits = Frames score 7 cows.
I guess the only thing Club Calves haven given the beef industry is something they can all complain about no matter what breed they raise.
I would have no problem feeding out a club calf to eat I just wont pay more than market for it. I do not begrudge the Club Calf guys getting what they get for the calves, as long as people will pay it, why not sell it for that.
The club calves are bred to give you everything that looks good, it is a visual thing. Big hipped huge topped, elephant a$$ed, goose necked and hairy. They are impressive to look at, but to get these things in one package you give up allot.
Big hipped = hipped locked calves
Goose necked = harder doing cattle
Hairy = no heat tolerance
Elephant a$$ed = titer pelvic area (see Heatwave daughters)
Huge topped = 1.5 inch steak that 3 people can eat.
It is really no different than any breed that starts chasing one characteristic or EPD number other areas suffer. For an example: higher weaning waits = Frames score 7 cows.
I guess the only thing Club Calves haven given the beef industry is something they can all complain about no matter what breed they raise.
I would have no problem feeding out a club calf to eat I just wont pay more than market for it. I do not begrudge the Club Calf guys getting what they get for the calves, as long as people will pay it, why not sell it for that.
Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
Showing club calves is a whole different "world" than showing breeding stock. People confuse the two segments of the industry.
There are very few breeders willing to risk the well being of their breeding stock by overfeeding / over-conditioning them. Hmmmm ---- after typing that, I could think of some that I "know", so, I guess I SHOULD say, consciencious breeders aren't willing to risk ruining their breeding stock. Most "show" breeding stock is turned out on pasture to make a living just like any other breeding cow/bull after show season.
"Clubbie" breeders willingly admit that many of the bloodlines won't milk enough to raise a goat & don't have enough pelvic area to push out a goat sized calf. But! if you get a live bull calf - he sure will be pretty!!!
There are very few breeders willing to risk the well being of their breeding stock by overfeeding / over-conditioning them. Hmmmm ---- after typing that, I could think of some that I "know", so, I guess I SHOULD say, consciencious breeders aren't willing to risk ruining their breeding stock. Most "show" breeding stock is turned out on pasture to make a living just like any other breeding cow/bull after show season.
"Clubbie" breeders willingly admit that many of the bloodlines won't milk enough to raise a goat & don't have enough pelvic area to push out a goat sized calf. But! if you get a live bull calf - he sure will be pretty!!!
CPLReed, I would look into some good Simmental-Angus cows, they can be registered. You can breed commercial, club or back to Sim-Angus. They are functional cows that will give you the diversity to breed in several different directions. The steer calves can be shown for market and there is a demand for the heifers for show and as cows. At least in the club calf arena, many of the Club Calf guys like the Sim/Angus cows because they can breed them or use them for recips.
TheBullLady
Well-known member
VCC.. I sure got a laugh on your first post!
I've never heard of "goose necked" calves being "bad doers"... what is the correlation?
I have to agree with most of what everyone has posted. It's been a debate about the cattle show world for as many years as I can remember. I think a lot of what happens is just really good MARKETING! Clubby breeders convince everyone they have the next best thing, and everyone flocks to them, because they had grand last year in Denver, yadda yadda. We've shown for years, and although I love winning just like everyone else, I understand it's a judges preference, and it may be a totally different opinion than mine, but I asked for his! You have to go to have FUN, and to meet others in the breed.
I've never heard of "goose necked" calves being "bad doers"... what is the correlation?
I have to agree with most of what everyone has posted. It's been a debate about the cattle show world for as many years as I can remember. I think a lot of what happens is just really good MARKETING! Clubby breeders convince everyone they have the next best thing, and everyone flocks to them, because they had grand last year in Denver, yadda yadda. We've shown for years, and although I love winning just like everyone else, I understand it's a judges preference, and it may be a totally different opinion than mine, but I asked for his! You have to go to have FUN, and to meet others in the breed.
I just think calves with a little front to them tend to convert better and have a little more storage capacity. The goose fronted calves just seem to take a little longer to get the weight on. Don't get me wrong they are not all like that but it tends to be more are than not.
Let me clarify that, a little bit of front on them, I don't mean a Shar-Pei, but not a Greyhound either.
Let me clarify that, a little bit of front on them, I don't mean a Shar-Pei, but not a Greyhound either.
