Show Is Done

[I luv herfrds]

Showing went well!
Daughter did really well. Had some interesting moments.
Judge was really critical on her steer but we knew that was going to happen so no big surprise there.
Was not surprised that she won the dairy. Was really funny when she went to show her pair we got sent to the barn due to a storm coming into the area. Someone told the heads there was a tornado watch but there wasn't one. As the young man who was leading the calf to the barn one of the steers kicked her and too him for a dirt skiing lesson! That calf had 75 pounds on him!
Biggest scare happened we went to show her heifer. That was the first time she had had a show halter on. She did fine right up until we lead her by the dairy cows pen then all heck broke loose.
She started bawling and jumping around and the chin chain went into her mouth and daughter was trying to get it out, I jumped in and grabbed her neck and yelled for the barn super who jumped in too along with another parent and we got the show halter off and a rope halter on and she calmed down.
I am at the fair until Monday then I will post some pictures.

 

[Nesikep]

I guess that ought to be a reminder to everyone to make sure you get them used to their show halters? I know some animals are pretty spook-proof, and others will jump at anything.

glad to hear it went well!

 

[I luv herfrds]

I am home for the moment and not happy! I knew the market judge was really critical on her steer not being finished, but the extension agent waiting til this morning to tell me her steer would NOT be allowed to go in the sale was BS!
They could have said something after the show or even yesterday, but no wait til 10:30 this morning!

Daughter started crying, which of course upset me. I called hubby to have him bring in the goose neck trailer so we could take them all home at once, but he was already in town so I made 2 trips to bring her stock home.

Told her to go ahead and finish him out and if we cannot find a private buyer we would send him to the sale ring in October. Told her she already had her next steer picked out. Get him finished and come back and kick their azz's next year! Her chin went up and her jaw firmed and the tears dried up.

Lesson learned! Go girl!!!!! :banana: :banana: :banana:

 

[Nesikep]

Sure smells like some political BS going on around there somewhere. I don't understand why he wouldn't be allowed to go in the sale... I mean finished or not, there's probably someone out there who'd like him just fine the way he is.

well, you got it right, show them up next year and take some names!

 

[Chris H]

It's not unusual to have a minimum weight to sell in the sale. There should be rules in some kind of rule book.

Our county in Ohio does not have a minimum weight, but the neighboring county does.

Definitely work with a show halter at home. I'd use a rope halter to show before I threw a show halter on for the first time at a show. And if we only have inexperienced help with some of our cattle at a county show, I stick with the rope halters anyway. The people we're out to impress don't care what kind of halter is on the cow.

 

[I luv herfrds]

Minimum weight set was 900# Steer was 950#. I recorded what he said and we watched it tonight. Judge said the steer should have been at a weight of 1200 to 1300#. Steer had lost weight during the really cold snap we had spring..

Our vet has offered to buy the steer after he reaches that weight.

A lot of people were not happy and several of the 4-H kids came up to my daughter and gave her encouragement to do batter.

We plan to Chris.

 

[KNERSIE]

Live and learn Cris, if you want to show, or let your kids show, make sure they are competitive. Depending on condition to start with always allow for about 3 months for a heifer and 4 months for a steer on full feed. By full feed I mean ad lib TPR.

 

[chippie]

I was not there, and did not see what your steer looked like, but the Extension Agent may have done you a favor by not allowing him to sell. If he was that much underweight, he would stick out like a sore thumb and could cause negative talk behind your back and embarrassment for you all.
I have run the livestock office at our fair for going on 15 years. The exhibitors and parents come in talking among themselves and the stuff that I hear is something else. I can say one thing, sportsmanship is a very rare thing.
Showing steers is expensive and you are going to have to spend the money on feed and spend a lot of time working the stock if you want to be competitive.
I know that it can be rough on the pocketbook. We've been there. To finish one out for show, we were feeding about 25 to 30 lbs a day of a good quality feed depending on the steer. This is one thing that you have to spend money to make money.
The good thing is that you all can finish the steer and have a buyer for him.
Congratulations on doing well with the Dairy cow.

 

[I luv herfrds]

I know Harley. As one person told her it is an eating contest. :lol2: She is bucking up and getting ready for next year to do better. At least she is not quitting like some kids would have. Got to remember all the learning she did with her lambs and all the crazy stuff that happened with them. :D

Chippie I posted pictures on the other thread. Looked better then last years steer.
Yeah I know what you mean, my husband was saying some negative stuff and I told him to be quiet and keep his comments out of the beef barn because I did not want our daughter to look like a sore loser.
It was the judge, I just wish it had been explained to my daughter more fully. Crap happens, just wipe and continue on.
A great guy and his family have told daughter to call them if she needs help.

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

What was the reason give that she can not sell? In a lot of county fairs, they have to get a blue ribbon, if they get a red than the judge said they are not market ready. Almost all of the animals get a blue ribbon to sell, but some smaller, more sickly animals will unenviabley get the red. You feel sorry for them, but hopefully they learn a lesson about being better prepared for a fair. And I bet she makes more money selling to your vet! Just feed him hard from now on, like Chippie said, 25 to 30 pounds a day!

 

[I luv herfrds]

Judge said that with his frame he should not weigh 950 but around 1200 to 1300

 

[slick4591]

Our county show has a minimum and maximum weights just to walk in to the ring with a market animal. They have a number limit that will sell depending on class sizes. It's hard seeing a kid that doesn't meet the minimum or one that maxes out walk one to the trailer. In most cases that will be their only animal to show. There's arguments for both sides of the coin in these cases, but it's still hard to look at.

 

[VCC]

If I remember right the steer was a February, he should have been somewhere between 1200 and 1300. You should have them on full feed (2-3% of his body weight) at 6 months and keep him at that until the fair, unless he gets ahead and them you slow him down, it is way easier to hold one then to get one caught up. Plus in our area the fair is in summer and they slow down with the heat.

We feed a developer (13 to 14 % protein) up to about 700 pounds and them switch them to a finisher (12 to 12.5 % protein). It takes a few years to figure it out, when to change feed when to increase or slow one down. Does he need more fat in his diet are do I need to cut back for a week or a month. The hard part is feeding one right.

I think it is key to get one on a good feed routine, we try to feed at 6 and 6, if you are consistent with your schedule they seem to stress less and gain more.

Our fair is the same, blue ribbon animals sale, red or bellow do not, below is the the criteria they use

MARKET BEEF SCORECARD
Blue Ribbon. Market Ready: Market steers projected to have sufficient fat deposition to meet the marbling specifications of USDA Prime, Choice, or Select+ quality grades.
Red Ribbon. Not Market Ready: Market steers lacking evidence of sufficient fat deposition to produce a desirable consumer product. Steers projected to grade USDA Select- or lower.

I think if he had been above 1200+ with his frame he would have been very competetive, get this years on feed earlier and I think you should do well next year.

If you ever have questions about feeding one I would be more than happy to help as best I can.

 

[chippie]

I agree with Fire Sweep Ranch. I think that she will get a better price from your veterinarian than if she made the sale.
The steer not being market ready is a valid reason for it not to make the sale.
It's tough on parents' pocketbooks to raise a market animal. I spoke with a parent who's son has a steer for our Fair (next month). I asked him how much a steer cost now and how much was it costing to feed it out. I admit, I was curious because it had been awhile since our children showed there.
A good basic competitive steer cost him $3K and the feed bill was running $94.50 a week. A good quality show feed costs $22.50 per 50 lbs here. Yikes!

 

[bigbull338]

i really feel for your daughter showing cattle can be rough and hurtful when you have to listen to a judge being critical of a calf.the truth is somne shows are not what you know and what you do in the show ring its who you know.tell your DD to never give up on showing and to always have fun showing cattle.

 

[I luv herfrds]

VCC he is a mid March calf.
Here it is blue and red sell and white does not.

Was talking with the barn super and he said to get this feed sold by this one guy. We tried it before and our steers did not like it.
Did a special mix for my milk cow and the steers loved it. So going to do this mix again and feed her steer. It was barley; we raised it; corn, oats and dry molasses.
Now I keep getting told to use beet pulp. Can anyone explain why we should feed this; any specific time period or anything else about it?
We have a grinder so we can grind it ourselves and add anything we want to it. We can also set the grind size too.

 

[Aaron]

Being critical here, never seen a modern Hereford steer finish under 1000 lbs. It would have to be very small frame. Only breed that could even try and do that at our 4-H show was the Galloways, but they never place decently, because of it.

Best to get someone out with an honest opinion to judge the animal early on. Avoids a lot of the snickering and opinions when you go to the show, and maybe some of the heartbreak.

 

[chippie]

When you grind your own feed, do you have a protein analysis of it? Do you add mineral, vitamins and extra fat?
Beet pulp is used in many feeds, both horse and cattle. We feed our dairy cow dry beet pulp with her dairy ration. In the winter, I feed our horses warm wet beet pulp to help keep them hydrated (sometimes horses will not drink enough in cold weather and colic). Beet pulp can be used as a roughage replacement when finishing show cattle. It is also digested differently than grass or hay.

http://www.progressivecattle.com/focus-topics/nutrition/5276-feeding-sugar-beet-byproducts-to-cattle

 

[VCC]

The beet pulp is roughage that helps with digesting the feed, it will also help expand the gut and near the end of feeding one can be used as a filler if holding a slowing one down, can aid in getting the flank to drop as well.

With your feed you may want to add a loose mineral to the feed as well as some stabilized rice bran and Calf-manna for added nutrition. You can top dress with it. The Rice bran will help with both the internal and external fat on the calf, we add a pound a day to the feed early and pump it up near the end if they need more cover, and it definitely helps put a nice smooth finish on a calf as well as helps give them healthy looking hair. (Keeps them looking fresh) The Calf manna adds protein and other mineral to their diet.

Adding the supplements helps the animal reach it potential, and the goal is to present the animal at its full potential.

This is a home raised calf, out a first calf heifer, born on 2/22/2011 shown 7/2/12 a cross bred so a little more grow in him but he finished out at 1350. He was started on feed at 6 months, and on full feed the rest of the time.

 

[I luv herfrds]

No we do not have the protein analysised because we sell the barley we know what the protein is for that. Whether it goes malt or feed. Low protein malt; high protein feed.
The stock has free choice mineral and trace mineral salt block. There is an dry fat we can mix in but it can get pretty messy.

Thanks VCC. That answered my questions.
Nice steer there!!!