Beef on the Hoof

For years we raised show cattle and breeding stock. Showing cattle is something you usually start doing as a kid in 4H. We came to it late in life, but being competitive by nature, enjoyed the thrill of the show ring as much as any kid. We didn't know what we were doing at first and depended on hiring a good show person to do most of the work. Eventually we learned enough to be more help than hindrance but its a skill learned over many years and lots of practice.

By the way, the 4H kids are just amazing. They are so hard working and so dedicated. These kids compete for college scholarships with their animal husbandry skills so its serious business. When other kids are spending hours on the soccer, baseball, or football field dreaming of the big win, these kids are spending hours in the cold and muck training, grooming and caring for their cattle, sheep, hogs, what ever. 

Getting a heifer or bull calf ready for the show ring takes months of work and study. Through their 4H programs these kids learn what makes a good animal and are able to make a good judgement on which young calves to halter break and groom for the show ring. Just teaching a calf to lead and walk in the show ring takes weeks of careful training. Then they have to be groomed everyday. That means giving them a bath and blowing dry their hair everyday and brushing, brushing, brushing. If you think washing and blow drying your hair takes time you can't imagine how much physical work it is to wash and blow dry an entire cow! It's a major upper body workout.

Learning to "fit" a calf or cow is even harder. Fitting means training and cutting the animals hair to show their physical structure to best advantage. This is both a skill and an art. Really good fitters are in demand and can earn big money fitting calves for the show ring. When a cow or calf is properly fit they look like velvet cows. I always say they look like they are wearing their party clothes.

Today is the major show day at the Kentucky Beef Expo. This kicks off the cattle show and sale season with Ohio's Beef Expo at the end of the month. If you are looking for a little taste of the farm experience or want to know more about raising cattle, visit a beef expo and talk to the cattle men and women who are showing and selling cattle there. It's an eye opening experience into the world of animal agriculture. These people genuinely love cattle or they couldn't do all the hard work it takes to get them in the show ring.