Why is this a “show heifer”?

Help Support CattleToday:

The "clubby" cattle "generally' don't have any milking abilities and "generally" are post legged. But boy do they grow hair - like the pictured in the OP's post. Pretty EXPENSIVE hair.
And, I have to show against a lot of FEED TUBS. Sure depends on the judge. Some like them globby fat - some won't even look at them. Our "trends" in the show ring are dependent on what the JUDGES are picking. People don't realize that if you take a heifer and get fat in her udder - she will never produce milk out of any of the cells that got fat in them.
Obviously, I'm in this to make money. When they wanted them TALL, we bred for height, but always worked at keeping those long legs structurally sound - and most important, kept them big barreled. Now, LOVE what people are wanting and paying for. Sound, moderate, easy keeping kind of mommas.
 
The "clubby" cattle "generally' don't have any milking abilities and "generally" are post legged. But boy do they grow hair - like the pictured in the OP's post. Pretty EXPENSIVE hair.
And, I have to show against a lot of FEED TUBS. Sure depends on the judge. Some like them globby fat - some won't even look at them. Our "trends" in the show ring are dependent on what the JUDGES are picking. People don't realize that if you take a heifer and get fat in her udder - she will never produce milk out of any of the cells that got fat in them.
Obviously, I'm in this to make money. When they wanted them TALL, we bred for height, but always worked at keeping those long legs structurally sound - and most important, kept them big barreled. Now, LOVE what people are wanting and paying for. Sound, moderate, easy keeping kind of mommas.
That hair is something we don't want here or any where southward. They need to shed off short, slick and early.
All of the mainstream breeds jumped into that frame race and I reckon nobody won it. Then the moderate frame buzzword came along, and did make up for some of that. I'm afraid though that moderate is a subjective term and some have taken that to the extreme too. I can only speak of Angus and Herefords, but some of them have taken it way too far and need to get some frame back into them especially some of the Herefords.
 
The "clubby" cattle "generally' don't have any milking abilities and "generally" are post legged. But boy do they grow hair - like the pictured in the OP's post. Pretty EXPENSIVE hair.
Hair covers a multitude of sins and the show ring has become all about deception.
Open 'em up. Carcass contests are what separate the Steaks from the Burgers.
 
That's my kind of animal, I'd like her in my paddock.

Show cattle in Australia are judged around fertility and longevity, sometimes they come in straight from paddock and just given a wash, no clipping, can win a show and next day sent back out to the paddock.
It started out by cattlemen of the area donating a commercial heifer to a kid.
The kids raise and show the heifer, they have to be sold at auction at the fair.
I have bought and donated through the years.
The are two classes of 50% more or less Brahman along with the mandatory sale. This got rid of the club calf.
You can also show a pen of three.
Sadly with the burb growth of the county I see this migrating to the club calf.
The coastal cattlemen are disappearing rapidly.
 
fence (and others), I understand you are not a fan of the show ring. And I am aware of the cheating some do and the ruined cattle some do. Not all cheat and not all overfeed. It is a great way to analyze/compare your cattle and also to see what bulls are putting on the ground - feet, structure, muscling, etc. It is my cheapest advertising - and I don't sell "by the pound". You would be amazed at what I get out of little weaned heifers.
 
Jeanne,
Good to hear some like you are doing it right'.
I can remember when the big shows were called Fat Stock Shows. Impressive to look at back in those days but probably non-functional as far as grade and yield went.
The Big Mac scandal exposed a lot of the show circuit gimmickries to the general public.

Give me a county youth fair and show any day.
The doin is more important than the winnin.

danekcalf2.jpg


.
 
I was a NYS beef junior advisor for about 25 years. I started a 3 day event for juniors about 28 years ago. It is the largest junior show/event around. Hubby & I put on showmanship/fitting clinics each year. The most important beef show is SHOWMANSHIP. It doesn't make any difference how much $$ Daddy can spend on a winning animal. Showmanship is judging the work the kids put into the animal. I sponsor a family with 3 juniors in 4-H. They have been coming here for 4 years now. They don't just come and work with their projects. They have learned how to draw meds, give shots, deworm, ear notch for BVD-PI testing, tattoo. They have learned how to take a spread sheet on my cows and match the cows to bulls. They have been here for calving. They are like little sponges. That is what showing is about.
This is bragging about "ME" - what I have done - but just want everyone to know - SHOWING is a good thing. These kids would not have learned all these things if they didn't have interest in showing animals. Teaches kids responsibility, commitment, goals, disappointments, pride.
Yes, people take things too far - win - win - win by any cost. I do win - I like to win - it makes me money by reputation - but, not if you have to cheat to achieve that goal. And trust me, people KNOW who's cheating and what animals are "legit". People also know what farms stick top animals in kids hands and what farms sponsor kids that have the kids do their own work.
With all the shut downs last year, our kids worked & worked with their sponsored animals. We got tired of all the cancellations, so my nephew & myself & two other parents put on 3 shows ourselves. We would show up with the trailer. The kids would unload & set up. Phil was ring person, I was running the show. People noticed. Several came to me and said "you haven't been over to see how the kids are doing. You haven't told them when to feed - when to get their animals fit for the ring - nothing." I said, No - not by responsibility" So, yes, people know what goes on. Who cheats and who doesn't.
 
Good for you, Jeanne! - I completely believe that animal showmanship teaches life lessons. The kids learn critical thinking, the importance to follow directions on the bottle of medication and from the advisor, how to listen to and speak to adults from the judge, the importance of putting the care of the animal above their own desire to play video games, the correlation between the amount of effort they put in and the show ring results and the responsibility for putting it all in action. They should also be learning how to win and lose graciously. That is if they have an advisor and parents who believe in teaching them these lessons. Each and every step builds their confidence and pride in themselves. I was the leader for a couple animal projects in 4-H for 13 years. I always told the kids that they may never be able to win over a kid whose parents paid the most for the animal but showmanship is a level playing field.
 
Watch who wins the Fitting contests that Sullivan's sponsor at most majors. Those kids could take a bucket calf and make them win. If people would spend more time learning from the people that win and less time cussing them they could be that successful. There is no magic to winning.
 
Kids showing cattle is a great thing in my opinion. It can foster some valuable life experiences, like responsibility, and developing a work ethic, etc. I don't have a problem with adults showing their cattle, its a good way to advertise and meet potential customers. My issues with showing comes when the trend train goes off the rails and the cattle representing xyz breeds don't look anything like what would be acceptable in the breeding pasture of feedlot. Some breeds have followed those trends to where toads are mainstream. Then there is the ridiculous obsession with hair. That hair isn't desirable outside of the showring. They should be clipped close and not able to hide imperfections under a glorified comb over.
 

Latest posts

Top