Show Steer 2025

[Taco-Bug]

Hello all!
I finally named him!!! His name is Mako. On Sunday I had a 4h beef meeting I needed to bring him too, he did okay, I definitely need to work on leading him better. At the meeting we weighed all of them, he was 860Ibs if he keeps this up he'll be 1300 by fair give or take, we also dewormed them and dealt with any on-fur bugs. I hope your all doing wonderful!

 

[VCC]

Here are just few tips that should help. You want to start working with his hair every day, if you can rinse and blow him out every day, working the hair forward and up at a 45% angle. I know everyone says you do not eat hair and that is true, but by working his hair you are actually spending at least an hour a day with your hands on him, leading him to the wash rack bask to the stall and so forth. Even if you do not grow lots of hair what you do have is a calf with trained hair and healthy skin, this helps keep them fresher and more youthful in appearance. We would practice setting up at the end of everyday, practice walking into setting up their feet, by stopping them in a half stride you can get their front feet to land even next to each other, and hopefully their back feet as well. The quicker you can get them set up with the least amount of showstick use the better. Another key thing is using the stick to find the spot that helps keep them relaxed while they are standing, each calf has a different spot that seems to work, it could be the front of the brisket or just behind the front legs or the belly, work with him until you find it, this will help in the ring. You also want to practice loinning him and just using the stick to around him. you can tell when kids have not worked with the stick much prior to entering the ring , calves are more uncomfortable with it. We do this prior to letting them loose for the night, and once they did what you asked that's when you let them go, The steers figured out fairly quickly that faster they did what you asked the faster they were done.

 

[Taco-Bug]

Here are just few tips that should help. You want to start working with his hair every day, if you can rinse and blow him out every day, working the hair forward and up at a 45% angle. I know everyone says you do not eat hair and that is true, but by working his hair you are actually spending at least an hour a day with your hands on him, leading him to the wash rack bask to the stall and so forth. Even if you do not grow lots of hair what you do have is a calf with trained hair and healthy skin, this helps keep them fresher and more youthful in appearance. We would practice setting up at the end of everyday, practice walking into setting up their feet, by stopping them in a half stride you can get their front feet to land even next to each other, and hopefully their back feet as well. The quicker you can get them set up with the least amount of showstick use the better. Another key thing is using the stick to find the spot that helps keep them relaxed while they are standing, each calf has a different spot that seems to work, it could be the front of the brisket or just behind the front legs or the belly, work with him until you find it, this will help in the ring. You also want to practice loinning him and just using the stick to around him. you can tell when kids have not worked with the stick much prior to entering the ring , calves are more uncomfortable with it. We do this prior to letting them loose for the night, and once they did what you asked that's when you let them go, The steers figured out fairly quickly that faster they did what you asked the faster they were done.

Thank you so much for all the tips! So far he's really good with setting his feet and I've been working his hair a lot, he does have bald spots so if you know anything that can help with that I'd appreciate it if you could share! Thanks again!

 

[VCC]

Is it a spot from rubbing or a smaller spot that could be either ring worm or even rain rot. If it is a spot from rubbing he may need a pour on wormer could be lice, is there flaky skin? if it is a small round spot or spots it could be ring worm. if it is dry and flaky wash well then rinse well with vinegar and water 4 gallons water 1 quart vinegar, I have found it helps the hair grow better if you put teat balm on the areas once you have treated them, it softens up the skin and helps the hide heal which helps the hair grow back.

 

[sstterry]

Thank you so much for all the tips! So far he's really good with setting his feet and I've been working his hair a lot, he does have bald spots so if you know anything that can help with that I'd appreciate it if you could share! Thanks again!

@Jeanne - Simme Valley

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

If the spots are ringworm, scrape the crusty off with a curry comb until it bleeds, put clorox on it, then smother it with vaseline. Put vaseline on it every chance you get (several times a day). Once you have nice healthy soft skin, hair will grow back quickly.