Undoubtedly, one of the most crucial things you can do for success at a show is to know how to make a show cattle bed the right way. I don’t care what kind of bedding you use, what kind of end panels you have or what your overall display looks like…okay, so I may care a little.
You can get our guide for creating a great display here.
I digress…none of it matters if you do not build your bed correctly. Cattle can’t look fresh and move well if you’ve bedded them on the dirt or concrete under the bed.
Well, who would do that? Nobody, right? Wrong. Just because they start out with bedding under them doesn’t mean they will end up with bedding under them. Have you ever had anyone ask you how to make a show cattle bed the right way? It comes up often for us.
The Right Tools
If you are using shavings, you’ll need some sort of plastic fork. By far, my favorite brand is Durafork. For straw, get yourself a metal pitchfork, with as few tines as possible. The old-time three or four tine forks are the best. You also need a mat to put in front of them. The mat needs to be roughly 3 feet wide and as long as your bed is for the cattle you have in it.
Tie Your End Panels Together at the End
Keep the ends from kicking when cattle lie down against them out by tying them together down low against the ground and cover with your bedding.
Use Enough Bedding
You can make any kind of bedding work. While we prefer the mini flake pine shavings, we’ve bedded on everything from sand to wood chips and rice hulls to straw. As they say, “It is what it is” and you’ll have to go with what is allowed at a particular show.
I’ll admit, making rice hulls work is quite a trick, so we’ll focus on the others. Many of our friends use pelleted shavings in the bag. Those work great as well. I’m a bit of a nut and don’t like that the color changes from one bag to the next, but they pack really well. My favorite is the mini flake pine shavings. I know that may be harder to get in different parts of the country. Much like it takes an act of congress for us to get good cedar fiber in California.
The key to making a bed right is to have enough bedding to start with and get it wet enough. Here’s our Goldilocks moment…not too dry, not to wet and in the case of straw, not too fluffy. They will get too hot in the summer.
Pack it…Pack it…Pack it
Think about it, cattle have a great deal of weight placed on a small area with their feet. They very easily sink into the bedding and displace even when it is packed well. We always get a great cardio workout packing the bed at a show by stomping it like we are making wine in the old days.
A great way to pack it is to use a lawn roller that you fill with water. If you’ve read these blogs much, you know Frank doesn’t like to pack extra stuff. That is one of those extras that I think are great…but we don’t have. So if you have one, I’ll be glad to borrow it if you’ll let me!
(Tip for using a roller…do not get it wet or roll it in the dirt on the way to your bed and then roll dirt onto the bed. Rinse it off before you roll it up on the bed.)
With straw, you have to beat it into submission. We always flake the front and then shake straw on top of it. Get it wet and then keep beating on it with a pitchfork. Build it higher in the front and extend it past your end panels to make a nice square bed.
Maintain Your Bed All Day Long
Showing cattle requires that you hang out by your cattle pretty much all day. In the mornings, we leave the cattle tied up for quite a while. Even after they are dry and we’ve worked their hair, we let them stand. This makes them a little tired and they will lay down longer.
That way we can head over to a friend’s tack area for a while. Of course, this applies more to a longer show. Many times, jackpots get so jammed for time. Chances are good you’ll find Frank in a friend’s tack area anyway. He says he’s in charge of Public Relations for this outfit.
Part of why you need to be by them is to watch for them to poop. If they poop, pick it up immediately. It is (or should be) super embarrassing if your cattle lay down in the manure. If they lay in manure, spray something like Kleen Sheen or a dry shampoo liberally on the spot and blow it out. This is much easier on a black or red one than a white one. If it’s really bad, you may be headed to the wash rack again.
When your cattle get up, blow them off and fix the bed under them. Be careful not to startle them or you can make them kick. They will learn that it’s just part of the routine if you make it so. It’s much easier to maintain if you know how to build a show cattle bed the right way initially.
So, how much is enough to get started?
Shavings
(Standard-sized bag) – 4-5 bags per head. Preferably mini flake shavings. They pack best
Pellets
2.5 bags per head…you may want to add a thin layer of shavings under them or you may never get them up. Also, many shows require you to clean your bedding before you leave.
Straw
1 bale per head to start and add as needed. Keep in mind that our straw bales on the West Coast are 3-wire bales. You’ll have to adjust if you only have only 2 wire bales.
Sand
If you are on sand, the show has likely provided it and I’m sorry to hear that.
So remember, use enough bedding, pack it and maintain it. Do you love Stock Show Stories?
