Cattle Update
Week of 1/2/2019 (Collin County Edition)
Happy New Year
Collin County Junior Livestock Show
Please Purchase 4 bags of large flake shavings and 2 bales of straw each before January 6. These can be purchased from Wells Brothers here in Plano to save you from having to go to McKinney or Farmersville.
Please be setting up your cattle everyday!
January 6 - Please meet at 10:30 a.m. We will take all of our tack and equipment out to Myer's Park and set up our stall space. You will need to pack up as much as you can and have loaded in the showbox. On Thursday, January 10, we will only be allowed to unload cattle only, so we'll need to take hay, shavings, feed, and straw out there on January 6 as well. If possible, it would also be best to pack up enough of all of your feedstuffs for approximately 4 feedings. I hope to be back in Plano by 1:30 p.m. after we get done unloading everything.
January 7 - We will load up the cattle to take to Luke James in order to be clipped for the county show at 6:00 a.m. I will most likely bring them back later that evening. Please have them rinsed and dried thoroughly prior to 6:00 a.m. Also, at the show on Friday, it would be a nice gesture to give Luke at tip of some type for clipping and getting cattle ready for the show.
January 10 - You will be excused from classes on both January 10 and 11. I will be helping with the lambs and goats most of the day on January 10. Please use the morning hours to feed, wash, blow dry and work on your showmanship skills together at the Ag Barn. Sometime around noon, we will take our cattle out to Myer's Park. You will be responsible for keeping them comfortable, picking up manure, and possibly giving them a bit of water and hay during the day. Weigh-In and classification will not take place until 7:00 p.m. that evening. After they are weighed and classified, we will feed and turn the cattle outside. This will be a long day.
January 11 - Please be in McKinney to feed and exercise no later than 7:00 a.m. The actual steer show does not begin until 5pm on this date. You will be required to keep cattle full and keep stall space clean for the entire day.
January 12 - Auction
Showmanship
Cattle should be walked in a fast pace when practicing. One of the problems we've faced in the showring is that our cattle don't move very fast. Since they don't move very fast, this can give the judge an impression that something is wrong or there is something structurally incorrect. Practice walking them at a faster pace back home.
Always keep their head up and hold the halter very close to their head. Your hand should be right next to their head, and way down on the rope or chain halter.
Set them up with a good wide stance, and work on setting them up on the profile as well. Make sure they are not over stretched. Take pictures of each other showing and critique each other.
There are crazy amounts of showmanship videos online: Here are two. It would be a good idea for you to really study these and watch other cattle shows online to perfect your knowledge and skills.
Again, this is the most challenging part of exhibiting a steer. I want you to be able to be honest with yourself after each show that you gave it everything you had back home. Practicing each day is how it's done. This will also give you more confidence in the arena.
Payments and Purchases
Prior to Fort Worth, we will need to purchase glues and adhesives along with more shavings.
I purchased a Coastal Bermuda Round Bale for $145 from Poole Feed in Wylie, TX. You can see the receipt below. $150 or $72.50 for both of you.
Claudia - 5lb Bag of Appetite Express $47.62
Payment to Mr. Graf:
Paige: $72.50 for the hay.
Claudia: $72.50 for the hay and 47.62 for the Appetite Express Total $120.12
Feed Ration
I will be consulting with Luke next Monday about our feed ration. Please continue to feed the following feedstuffs unless instructed otherwise.
Vitamin B-12 - Please continue to administer 10 cc's twice a week until told otherwise.
MFM Finisher - Keep Purchasing this brand of feed. I don't anticipate changing unless one of the steers becomes picky and goes off feed.
Show Flow - Please continue to feed this in the same amount as you have been until instructed otherwise.
Purina High Octane Ultra Full - Please continue to feed this in the same amount until instructed otherwise.
VitaCharge Stress Tub - Please continue to leave one of these in your pens at all times for free choice mineral for your cattle. Please reorder before the tub runs out.
Winning Fill - Please add 2 handfuls of Winning Fill every time you feed. Please keep this stocked for the duration of your project as we will definitely need to feed this at Stock Shows as well.
Coastal and Sudan Hay - Please make sure your cattle are getting plenty of hay each day. Claudia, continue to feed your steer hay by hand until his head is completely healed.
Femininity - This tub is located by the showbox. There should be a small scoop in this tub. Please feed a scoop of this each time you feed. This product will help them to look like there is more extension to the front 1/3 of their body and their neck will not look as "fleshy."
Chubby - Please put 8 ounces of this on your feed every time you feed. This jug is located next to the Femininity which is located next to the showbox. This is to put more fat on their ribs. The cattle look like they have spring of rib and look plenty fat and full, but if you put your hand on their ribs, they are still kind of hard and need some more finish on them.
Please Reset Once/Week.
Daily Routine
Morning and Evening Feedings - Please feed your calf whatever they can eat in a 30 minute period. We do this so that they will eat when we want them to at a stock show and that they are not slow eaters. At night after they have had a chance to eat for 30 minutes, turn them out. It would be a good idea to put whatever feed they didn't have a chance to eat in their pen out into a feed trough in the pasture. Please make sure you are feeding on a 12 hour rotation, but more important than ever, make sure you feed at the same time and are on the same routine each day.
Wash/Rinse - Please continue to wash with soap/shampoo once a week. Everyday, cattle should be rinsed. Remember that we are blow drying to train the hair. You cannot blow dry and brush enough. Use your sheen/greenstuff every day to condition their hair and hyde. Once or twice a week you could now use a little Revive Lite as long as it is cool out. Do not use on a warm day. Make sure you do get them completely dry. It is better if hair care is done in the afternoon/evening.
Tie their heads up high each day as Luke showed you how to do while we were in Waco. This will get them used to holding their head up in the showring. Anywhere you walk, you should always keep their heads held high. This is so there will appear to be more extension in their neck. This should be done for about an hour at a time.
Walk/Set Up in the space between the steer barn and lamb/goat barn. You should walk several laps and use your show halter and show stick and set them up each evening. At this point, there shouldn't be a day that passes where they are not set up. Do the hard work at the barn so in the show ring they do exactly what you want them to do on show day.
Keep the barn clean/neat: Please sweep the barn out completely each week. Keep your tack area and pens immaculate. Keep them free of manure and pick up all loose hay. Return the wheelbarrow after each use. Don't let it fill up in the aisle. We have many guests coming to see the facility on December 7. Please help me get it back in shape.
Turn out each evening - Please continue to turn out your cattle each evening. We will need to purchase more round bales soon. Claudia, please do not turn your steer out again until I think his head is fully healed.
Schedule and Calendar
Fort Worth Stock Show
February 5 - Depart Plano at 4:30 a.m. for Fort Worth.
February 6 - Cattle will be weighed and classified. Weight cards must be turned in by 10 a.m.
February 7 - Shorthorns will show on this date. If they do not classify in Fort Worth, they do not get to show. It does happen, so I want you to be prepared mentally if you do not get to show. Here is what they are looking for in a Shorthorn Calf:
Shorthorn Acceptable Breed Classifications • Must physically exhibit breed characteristics of a purebred Shorthorn • Solid red; solid white with red hair or red pigment on ear, muzzle, anus or tail; or any combination of red and white, with the red and white color pattern bleeding together Discriminatory Breed Characteristics • Motley face or brockle face • Orange or light red color • Black nose pigment • Coarse head • Coarse joints Absolute Disqualifications • Diluter color pattern, such as yellow or yellow roan • Blacks, blue roans, or grays • Brindle • Solid white with no red pigment on the ears, tail, or anus • Double muscling
https://texasyouthlivestock.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/2018-Steer-Classification-Guide.pdf
Claudia's steer will now most likely show as a European Cross in Fort Worth.
February 8 - Cattle will be released on this date that do not make the auction. I don't anticipate either Claudia or Paige having to show on this date.
February 9 - Sale of Champions
San Antonio Livestock Show
February 18 - Leave Plano at 4:30 a.m.
February 19 - Check-in at Kiosk
February 20 - Shorthorn Show
February 21 - Red Cross Show
February 22 - Other Cross Show (If Needed)
February 23 - Junior Market Steer Auction
I will most likely be returning to Plano on February 21 after our cattle are shown. If anyone makes the auction, they will need to make plans to be in San Antonio for the duration of the week or at least be back in San Antonio for the Auction on February 23.
Houston Livestock Show
March 11 - Depart for Houston at 4:30 a.m.
March 12 - Sift and Weight Car Turn-in begins at 7:00 a.m.
March 13 - Feed, Water, and Exercise only
March 14 - Shorthorn Show
March 15 - Red Cross Show
March 16 - Auction
I will be returning to Plano as soon as both of our steers have shown. If you qualify for the auction, please make arrangements to be in Houston for the auction on March 16.