Let’s get started showing cattle!
There is a cool factor associated with showing cattle, and for a good reason. Show steers and heifers are pretty cool animals.
Now, I’m not trying to take away from a good-looking pig, lamb, or goat. They are fantastic, and the people who show them do a fantastic job!
I’d still argue that the beef project has rightfully earned its cool factor. So, let’s explore ways to shorten your learning curve. If you want more thorough info, we have a comprehensive resource in Show Smart.
Find a Mentor
In life, this is the best advice you’ll ever get. Find a mentor. Whether you are trying to become a pilot, improve as an athlete, or start showing cattle.
You will need to find someone you can trust that will help guide you along your path. Traditionally, we’ve depended on finding someone who can mentor us in person. I’d recommend that as your primary way to grow as a showman.
However, the internet allows us to find qualified people to help us in ways never available before. Make sure your mentor is savvy, regardless of whether they are someone near you or someone you find online before you get started showing cattle. If you are interested in more on mentors, check out this story.
Keep reading for ways to find someone who is savvy.
Word of Mouth
I never underestimate the power of word of mouth. When I want to learn something new, I always try to find someone I trust who can vouch for the person or product.
It doesn’t matter if it’s a diet, the host I use for this blog, or a new hair care product for myself or the cattle. I always seek advice from someone. Ask around, look for those who have been successful, and reach out to them.
Who do they buy their cattle from?
If you are serious about this project, you will need to stick your neck out a little and take a risk. TALK with others about their experiences.
Remember, no question is ever the wrong question if you need answers. If you don’t ask, you will NEVER know!
What To Expect?
When you know what to expect, showing cattle is second to none. It’s a long project with many opportunities to grow, learn and mess up along the way. Mess up? Yes, that’s how many of us know. My brother tells his kids that they are winning or learning. I love both!
Plan Ahead
Start talking to breeders or traders who you’d like to work with in the future. See how they sell their cattle. Is it a private treaty (on the ranch), a public sale, or an online sale? Ask if they think they will have something to fit your budget and needs.
Don’t wait until January to find a calf for next summer. Every year, we have families reach out to us well after we’ve sold everything. If they had reached out to us in late August, we absolutely could have helped.
The 200 Mile Rule
Here’s another thing, the “200-mile” rule is dumb. What is the 200 mile rule? It’s where you think that if you have to travel at least 200 miles to get your stock, they must be better.
There is actually NO correlation between the location of your house and the quality of livestock around you…and I don’t even know where you live!
It is possible that there aren’t any breeders or traders within 200 miles of you that have what you need. However, it’s silly to assume that’s the case.
I recently spoke with a young showman who had just bought a bred heifer out of an online sale in a different state. While we were talking, her sister remarked that it was silly to go that far to get one.
Her response was that the heifer was way better than anything she’d find locally. In some cases, that may be true. However, when she told me how the heifer was bred, I wouldn’t give you a nickel for the opportunity to calve her and watch her starve her calf.
The young showman bought the heifer sight unseen with absolutely no guidance from someone who knew anything about her genetics. Really, this just goes back to finding a mentor and doing your own research! I can’t stress this enough before you get started showing cattle.
Your Facility
Admittedly, I love to walk into a fancy show barn. However, yours doesn’t have to be fancy. It just needs to be set up properly. Many great cattle are raised in very practical show barns. Search on Pinterest for creative ideas.
Set up your facility correctly, it will make it easier to get started showing cattle. Consider things like a catch pen, an area to keep your calf out of the elements…particularly mud…and a dry spot to lay are imperative.
You’ll need a wash rack. Again, it doesn’t have to be fancy, you just don’t want a mud hole.
Think about the flow. You’ll need to catch your calf, take him to the wash rack, to a tie rail of some sort, and back to his pen. Maybe you use his pen for a tie rail… that’s fine but make sure that your gates open logically.
Pay particular attention to the stability of your fences. Especially, if you plan to tie in your pen. Always tie where you and he are safe! You don’t want to tie him to a board, have him pull back and have the board back come with him and smack one of you in the face!
Make sure if your calf were to get away from you, he isn’t going to end up on a 4 lane highway.
The pen needs to be big enough that he can get some exercise. However, if it is too big or has grass-o-plenty, that’s not a great option for show cattle.
We love for our customers to have at least a barn with a pen and a run that feeds off of it.
Bedding…you need bedding. Depending upon where you are in the country, you may have some materials more readily available than others. Please don’t plan to make your 1300 pound steer lay on dirt.
Yes, traditionally cows do lay in a pasture, but have you ever seen where the hair rubs off of cows because of it? If not, the hair on their knees and stifles is always the first to go.
If you want a chance of success in the show ring, treat your show cattle like show cattle.
Additionally, the heavier they are, the more cushion they need under them to keep them sound. Your calf’s overall look is important, so be mindful of every detail in their environment.
Equipment
When you are starting to show cattle, there are a few tools that are non-negotiable in my opinion. You need a hose with a nozzle, plastic comb, rice brush, wash brush, and a blower. In the event you can afford it, just go buy new equipment.
If not, start looking at Craigslist and Facebook pages. In the summer, there are always graduating seniors who are ready to sell perfectly good equipment. If you can get a good blocking chute, that’s great too.
Also, some of the livestock supply companies sell refurbished blowers with completely new motors and hoses. They are a good way to start as they are less expensive.
Be Prepared to Answer Questions
As a breeder and seller, the first questions we ask of someone who is contacting buy calves are: When is your fair? What is your budget? What is your goal?
It would be crazy for us to assume anything.
If a breeder or seller asks you your budget, don’t be offended. Hopefully, you’ve followed the guidance in this post are working with someone who is reputable. They are not trying to spend your last penny, they simply want to guide you toward a calf or calves that best suit your needs.
If it is your first year, we are going to try to match you with one that will make for a good experience. If we have one that wants to be fast or gets nervous, he’s a bad match for a first-time showman.
Get Started Showing Cattle
Check out your facility to make sure that it is appropriate for cattle. Get the right equipment.
Next, do some research to find a savvy mentor. Find a reputable breeder or trader you want to work with as you get started showing cattle. They absolutely can be the same person, but they don’t have to be.
Word to the wise though, don’t get too many cooks in your kitchen. The most successful showmen we’ve worked with pick a lane and stay in it. Those who ask the advice of everyone they talk to often end up confused and unsuccessful.
Recently, I was talking to Faris Simon at the State Fair. We agreed that there are many ways to reach the same goal. He used the example that the way he grows hair may be different than how we do, and we can all manage to grow hair on show cattle. The same goes for feeding. You could use either way to be successful…
Where you may get in trouble, if you are inexperienced, is trying to follow both programs simultaneously.
This is an amazing project! However, you must be prepared so you know what to expect! Let’s get started showing cattle!
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