ShowShakes

[Tabor]

I seen people giving showshake to their steers at the shows.

I didnt know they made a showshake for cattle.
I know they do for other animals.

I think they said it was for more of holding a steer.
What is others input on this.
An do you give this to yours?? If not what do you use??
Thanks for the info.

 

[jaydill]

We don't tube or drench. Only thing we do is buy some of that Fire & Ice or Firewater from Sullivan's or Hamm's or Elite (they've all got versions of the same thing) and pour it in their drinking water while at the show. We give them only what they will drink.

 

[Tabor]

I won't pump but I will drench and Show Shake is used for filling them out on showday. It works really well.

Can you tell me how you do this?? I did find the Show Shake I think I read give day of show. But if your pulling water from them a few days before the show would you also drench then too or not.

 

[jaydill]

IMHO, you should be proud of what you have. Filled out or not. Had a steer didn't fill out all year...and we didn't drench him once. You want a calf you don't have to drench or tube to look good? Pay more money.

 

[Tabor]

IMHO, you should be proud of what you have. Filled out or not. Had a steer didn't fill out all year...and we didn't drench him once. You want a calf you don't have to drench or tube to look good? Pay more money.

I seen the big wigs at the shows drenching there steers. I know they probley paid plenty for theirs. An they made sale at Houston. So if drenching gets you in the money why not. If your show allows it.

Everyone cant afford to pay big bucks for a steer.
This is our first year an we are very proud of our steer. An people helping us along the way.

Why take a steer to the show if you know he isnt filled out?
If you can do anything to enhance him why not?

We have been to a few shows over nighters. An by morning the steer is sunken in. So if we just showed him like that it would be a waiste of time.
JMO ;-)

 

[jaydill]

IMHO, you should be proud of what you have. Filled out or not. Had a steer didn't fill out all year...and we didn't drench him once. You want a calf you don't have to drench or tube to look good? Pay more money.

I seen the big wigs at the shows drenching there steers. I know they probley paid plenty for theirs. An they made sale at Houston. So if drenching gets you in the money why not. If your show allows it.

Everyone cant afford to pay big bucks for a steer.
This is our first year an we are very proud of our steer. An people helping us along the way.

Why take a steer to the show if you know he isnt filled out?
If you can do anything to enhance him why not?

We have been to a few shows over nighters. An by morning the steer is sunken in. So if we just showed him like that it would be a waiste of time.
JMO ;-)

I seen the big wigs cheatin at the shows. Should I do that too?

Been to a few over nighters myself. Keep hay in front of him and you'll do alright. You don't have to drench to get a steer to fill out. Dunno if I posted it on here but a bucket full of that fire & ice stuff and water will achieve the same goal without shoving a syringe down the calf's throat.

 

[Tabor]

IMHO, you should be proud of what you have. Filled out or not. Had a steer didn't fill out all year...and we didn't drench him once. You want a calf you don't have to drench or tube to look good? Pay more money.

I seen the big wigs at the shows drenching there steers. I know they probley paid plenty for theirs. An they made sale at Houston. So if drenching gets you in the money why not. If your show allows it.

Everyone cant afford to pay big bucks for a steer.
This is our first year an we are very proud of our steer. An people helping us along the way.

Why take a steer to the show if you know he isnt filled out?
If you can do anything to enhance him why not?

We have been to a few shows over nighters. An by morning the steer is sunken in. So if we just showed him like that it would be a waiste of time.
JMO ;-)

I seen the big wigs cheatin at the shows. Should I do that too?

Been to a few over nighters myself. Keep hay in front of him and you'll do alright. You don't have to drench to get a steer to fill out. Dunno if I posted it on here but a bucket full of that fire & ice stuff and water will achieve the same goal without shoving a syringe down the calf's throat.

What do you do if you go to a show an the steer want eat or drink??
The only way drenching will be cheating if it says NO Drenching.

 

[jaydill]

IMHO, you should be proud of what you have. Filled out or not. Had a steer didn't fill out all year...and we didn't drench him once. You want a calf you don't have to drench or tube to look good? Pay more money.

I seen the big wigs at the shows drenching there steers. I know they probley paid plenty for theirs. An they made sale at Houston. So if drenching gets you in the money why not. If your show allows it.

Everyone cant afford to pay big bucks for a steer.
This is our first year an we are very proud of our steer. An people helping us along the way.

Why take a steer to the show if you know he isnt filled out?
If you can do anything to enhance him why not?

We have been to a few shows over nighters. An by morning the steer is sunken in. So if we just showed him like that it would be a waiste of time.
JMO ;-)

I seen the big wigs cheatin at the shows. Should I do that too?

Been to a few over nighters myself. Keep hay in front of him and you'll do alright. You don't have to drench to get a steer to fill out. Dunno if I posted it on here but a bucket full of that fire & ice stuff and water will achieve the same goal without shoving a syringe down the calf's throat.

What do you do if you go to a show an the steer want eat or drink??
The only way drenching will be cheating if it says NO Drenching.

Didn't say drenching was cheating. There are lots of other things the "big wigs" do that are cheating. Now obviously...if the steer won't eat or drink than you've got a problem. But the question asked here wasn't "What do I do if my steer won't eat or drink?" it was "An do you give this to yours?? If not what do you use??" Like I said...IMO, it's not necessary unless like you said, the steer won't eat or drink. If you're just trying to give him extra pop, a few buckets of water with a good mixture of firewater or fire & ice and some good quality hay in front of him will get the job done for you.

 

[Tabor]

Our steer is one who want eat or drink at the shows. We have to hand feed him at the shows. Maybe because we have babied him to much.
I know we couldnt get the Fire&Ice here but you said Firewater. I know we can get that.

We may not need to give him anything but doesnt hurt to have things handy.
thanks jay an cowboy for the info

 

[jaydill]

That extra top drenching gives you could mean making the sale of not.

I see your point but my point is this: if you needed to drench to make the sale than your animal must not have been good enough to make the sale on its own. I personally believe you should be proud of what you've got. Good enough or not.

 

[jaydill]

Our FFA never drenches and also never has a problem putting fill back on our calves. Only calf we had that wouldn't fill out was mine, and that was partly cause he was American, partly cause he just never was a good eater. (Whether we were at a show or not.) I just don't like the idea of shoving a syringe down their throat unless they're not eating or drinking at all. Just my opinion and it won't change. Nothin against you Cowboy, or Tabor. Just the way I like to do things.

 

[Mom32]

Okay, I'll bite.
I don't see a clear explanation on the beginners' bd, nor in Websters.

Sounds like you're using a hose or syringe to fill him with fluid? What's fire n ice or firewater?

Boy, and I thought the horses were complicated.

 

[msscamp]

With drenching, unlike a pump, when they don't want anymore, they won't take it.

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but doesn't drenching involve a tube down the throat? If that is the case, how are you going to know when the animal in question 'don't want anymore'? As I understand it, a lot of times cattle refuse to drink at shows because the water is different. A little planning ahead and carrying enough water (difficult, I agree, but possible depending on the length of the show) with you will solve that problem - please don't tell me it can't be done, horse people do it on a regular basis.

Jaydill, I'm with you. If show shakes aren't unethical, they are the next thing to it.

 

[warpaint]

Ok, here's my two cents for what its worth.

Jay, I agree with you. If you have to drench to win, in my opinion you haven't really won.
What happens when after the calf you drenched sells, and the new owner gets it home. The calf doesn't look anywhere near as good. Then the next time you offer a calf for sale and this same person is there, possibly telling others, that your stock isn't what its supposed to be!
At a recent show I attended, one exhibitor told another much younger one, if he would push the birhtdate of his calves back, he would place alot higher. The young guy said, "the day the calf hits the ground is its birthday".


Sorry I rambled.

 

[jaydill]

Okay, I'll bite.
I don't see a clear explanation on the beginners' bd, nor in Websters.

Sounds like you're using a hose or syringe to fill him with fluid? What's fire n ice or firewater?

Boy, and I thought the horses were complicated.

Drenching is where you shove this metal syringe type thing down their throat and force them to take in fluid to make them look fuller than they truly are. Some people pump which is where they actually place a tube down the animals throat and into the stomach (hopefully) to literally pour water directly into the stomach and make them look fuller that way.

Fire n Ice and Firewater are I believe electrolytes/sugar and water. You mix it up with water and give it to the calf. We do this but only if the calf will drink it on its own. A lot of people drench with it.

Thank you, Ms and Warpaint. I wasn't sure if anyone agreed with or understood what I meant.

 

[msscamp]

With drenching, unlike a pump, when they don't want anymore, they won't take it.

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but doesn't drenching involve a tube down the throat? If that is the case, how are you going to know when the animal in question 'don't want anymore'? As I understand it, a lot of times cattle refuse to drink at shows because the water is different. A little planning ahead and carrying enough water (difficult, I agree, but possible depending on the length of the show) with you will solve that problem - please don't tell me it can't be done, horse people do it on a regular basis.

Jaydill, I'm with you. If show shakes aren't unethical, they are the next thing to it.

With drenching, the tube is short. It dosen't go past the back of their throat to where they have no control over swallowing. If you watch a calf being drenched, they are swallowing what you are putting in them.

Sure they are - because it's either swallow or choke! :roll: Drenching is a method of administering medicine for that very reason. What would you do if I stuck a tube just past the back of your throat and started force feeding you liquid? You would swallow, plain and simple. I still maintain that if you have to force-feed liquid 'for a more full appearance' you're either doing something very basically wrong with your show animals or you're expecting them to achieve a level they were never designed to achieve. Just my thoughts.

 

[jaydill]

With drenching, the tube is short. It dosen't go past the back of their throat to where they have no control over swallowing. If you watch a calf being drenched, they are swallowing what you are putting in them.

They swallow because they have to. Msscamp has given you the in-depth reason as to why they swallow.

Same thing with birthdates. If it ain't the day the calf dropped on the ground, it's cheating no matter what. I stand my ground. I don't believe in drenching/tubing/birthdate smudging and no one can convince me that it's ethical. I was taught to play fair, am glad I was taught that way, and will always be that way.

 

[msscamp]

With drenching, the tube is short. It dosen't go past the back of their throat to where they have no control over swallowing. If you watch a calf being drenched, they are swallowing what you are putting in them.

They swallow because they have to. Msscamp has given you the in-depth reason as to why they swallow.

Same thing with birthdates. If it ain't the day the calf dropped on the ground, it's cheating no matter what. I stand my ground. I don't believe in drenching/tubing/birthdate smudging and no one can convince me that it's ethical. I was taught to play fair, am glad I was taught that way, and will always be that way.

You go girl! :clap: :clap: :clap: My respect for you has gone up several notches!

 

[msscamp]

If you have to drench to win, in my opinion you haven't really won.

Sorry I rambled.

Bingo - give that man the kewpie doll! You're not rambling and you just hit the nail on the head - anyone can take an animal and use artificial means and methods to 'win' a show.....but what have they proven or attained? Nothing! However, the cattle shower who wins WITHOUT the artificial means and methods has truly accomplished something worthwhile. It's all a matter of starting with the best animal that one can afford, and then knowing and understanding that animal so one knows what to do and how to overcome the obstacles presented while traveling from place to place while showing. Using artificial means and methods simply means that one is too lazy, indifferent, or doesn't really understand the objectives and purpose of showing enough to put forth the time and effort required to understand their animal and what makes him/her tick and respond like they do to different surroundings. A harsh statement? Probably, but it's also a true statement in my honest opinion.

 

[jaydill]

If you have to drench to win, in my opinion you haven't really won.

Sorry I rambled.

Using artificial means and methods simply means that one is too lazy, indifferent, or doesn't really understand the objectives and purpose of showing enough to put forth the time and effort required to understand their animal and what makes him/her tick and respond like they do to different surroundings. A harsh statement? Probably, but it's also a true statement in my honest opinion.

I agree with both these statements and I don't think either of them are harsh. They're the truth.