How is your county fair?

[shorthorns r us]

Really do not understand what the reason for withholding grass,
  As far as them coming in to see if cattle are at home can you bio-security
Make them put on a clean pair of coveralls , wash boots with disinfectant
and put some of those plastic boot on for the heck of it

i think mine would be at the hoof trimmer

 

[Richburg]

those are bad bu what i would do is get a group of parents and do everything you can to replace or vote out board members.......or just boycott them and dont go back........if they are making it county bred what difference does it make for you because i know you guys raise club calfs

 

[garybob]

The Board favors the Hog show? Are the Hogs farrowed in Florida? Make it a point to find out, and raise cane on 'em if any single Market Hog is a "show-bred pig" born outside of your county.

Give 'em ( Ican't say it on here)!

GB

 

[knabe]

do what capitalists have done for years.

give them some competition, make your own show.  there are probably some ag kids that have taken some "how to run a fair" classes and contact them to help you.

the only "dumb" rule i would do is weigh right before you enter the ring to make sure you are in the "right" class. :

you should have the right to use "government" facilities, perhaps just not during the fair.  you could call it the FAIR show.

 

[SKF]

Well I know for sure if the same people are in charge next year we will NOT be there. Luckly we live in southwest part of Florida and we have two multi-county fairs that we show at and those will be the only fairs we show at. Our county fair changes who is in charge of the livestock program every couple of years. The last 2yrs the 4H and FFA ran things and it went well but this year the fair president changed it to some people that use to run it many yars ago and they no absolutly nothing about show cattle or cattle in general. The people running have some commercial cattle and they are local good ol boys. I guess our fair is privately owned so they make rules as they go. To tell you the truth I really don't understand how the fair is run because it does not make any since. They claim that grass ruins the carcass.  ??? I am just counting down until Sunday!!!

 

[shortyjock89]

Have they ever heard of Grass Fed Beef?  I'm sorry, but it sounds like you need to find another fair because the people in charge of it now are idiots.

 

[steermaker]

Sounds a little goofy, to a point.  Members of the fair board don't go and visit farms, but the advisors for the county wide beef program do.  There are limits on the amount of help a 4-H can get from family or other adults, but all in all our county show is pretty good.  The show averages 50 steers and the sale normally sees 35 -40 head as each child can tag in 2 steer calves, but only sells one unless they win both Grand and Reserve Grand Champion.  We try to take in at least open show a year.  Not many close enough to do much more than that.

 

[minimoo38]

it seems that most people have a limit of two calves per 4-Her. that seems really low compared to our max of 6 lead calves, 3 pen of 3's, and 4 cow/calf pairs. the parents can help the kids however much they want to, and we are in the barn constantly, and we have a checking schedule throughout the night too. i may not like who runs our beef program, but we don't have any outrageous rules. (we can feed grass  ;D)

 

[knabe]

i wonder if they know that some roughage should be in feed (10% minimum?).  perhaps they should give the cattle surgery to remove their rumen's.  even if you give cattle feed with high grain, the roughage is still retained in the rumen and can be clearly seen when you slaughter them, or if you have a fistulated steer, you can reach in and see for yourself.

 

[jlcattle]

We also live in SW FLorida our county fair rules for steers/grass are somewhat similar.  The reason our county doesn't want the calves on grass is the buyers are expecting a grain fed animal.  Our county doesn't come around and inspect everyone's place either. But the exhibitor will lose thier premium money if the processor deems that calf was only grass fed.  Our steers have to weigh at least 950 lbs, have  back fat of at least .25 and gain 2 lbs/day based on a 150 days.  No one this year was turned away because of back fat in steers, but we did cull 5 pigs because they didnt make the required .50 back fat.  It's all political anywhere you go.  Congrats to Chris for winning Grand Heifer!!

Laura Jo

 

[knabe]

Our steers have to weigh at least 950 lbs, have  back fat of at least .25 and gain 2 lbs/day based on a 150 days.  No one this year was turned away because of back fat in steers, but we did cull 5 pigs because they didnt make the required .50 back fat. 

i personally would love to see the option to raise a grass fed steer at these shows.  if one had the genetics to gain 2lbs a day on grass (which exists) and have at least 0.25" of back fat, i say more power to them.  all they have to do is state what the animal is.  it's not like a steer that currently is winning can do that, or that anyone would try and raise a conventional show steer and think they could win feeding only grass.  cheating to win on grass?

it would seem the sifter for the sale from the original impetus for the rule perhaps couldn't judge what fat was.  if the judge sifts for the sale, and he sees a grass fed steer in the mix, i think he would be shocked and would be speechless.  there are more than enough steers without enough fat at our local shows on grain that don't make the sale.  the worst one i saw that made the show was probably slightly under 0.2" of backfat with absolutely no marbling.  personally, i would rather have a 15 month old steer fattened on high sugar grass that had the genetics to fatten, like tj's than that steer any day of the year.

personally, i would like to see a little more genetics that could only be required to feed grain 30-60 days on grain.  i've fed my steers for sale with free access to green grass along with grain twice a day.  there was NO yellow fat and the meat does not taste gamey at all, it is well marbled as i overgrained them anyway with backfat approaching 1".  got repeat customers, mostly from ones who were disgusted with grass fed beef.  one customer purchased a half from a grass fed producer, ate a little bit of it, didn't like it and fed the rest to their dobermans.  yeah, they have money to burn.

 

[SKF]

We also live in SW FLorida our county fair rules for steers/grass are somewhat similar.  The reason our county doesn't want the calves on grass is the buyers are expecting a grain fed animal.   Our county doesn't come around and inspect everyone's place either. But the exhibitor will lose thier premium money if the processor deems that calf was only grass fed.  Our steers have to weigh at least 950 lbs, have  back fat of at least .25 and gain 2 lbs/day based on a 150 days.  No one this year was turned away because of back fat in steers, but we did cull 5 pigs because they didnt make the required .50 back fat.   It's all political anywhere you go.   Congrats to Chris for winning Grand Heifer!!

Laura Jo

What county are you?

 

[strawroanlova]

wow, are fair is actually pretty good

i feel bad for skf

thoseare some pretty harsh rules

are gc tropphys for each animal class are the same size shape color etc except for the little animal on top

 

[AAOK]

SKF
I just finished looking over the Florida 4-H handbook.  http://Florida4h.org/clubs/about.shtml
All it takes to start a new club is 5 members, and a leader.  Why not start a XXXXXX County 4-H Show Steer & Heifer Club?  Your interested area FFAers who had an interest could show through this club.  You could organize your own show (with your own rules), and conduct your own sale.  Your show would probably have to prove itself before you could lure your buyers away from the old show, but I'll bet it would die pretty quickly if you put in the due diligence with the club procedures

 

[jlcattle]

SKF-
We are in Manatee County.  We were going to try to make the Charlotte County steer show last Friday but had to finish packing the trailer for the State Fair. How did you guys do with your steers?

 

[SKF]

SKF-
We are in Manatee County.   We were going to try to make the Charlotte County steer show last Friday but had to finish packing the trailer for the State Fair. How did you guys do with your steers?

My son won is class with his steer and he won Grand Champion Heifer. My daughter won Inter. Showmanship with her heifer. She did not have a steer. How was the state fair?

 

[jlcattle]

State Fair was good, Dr Cass was the judge for non-registered. Samantha was 2nd in her class with her new Dr. Who heifer.  Not sure of the girls name who won Grand but Jordan Richburg won reserve.  (clapping)  Sam was also 2nd in her class for registered heifers behind Jordan with her Ali heifer.  We had a great time and met some new people.  Not sure if we are doing Central Florida fair, we might just rest for a few months.

 

[SKF]

Congrats!! Is the new heifer one you guys bred? Is the central Fl fair heifer show open to anyone? When is it?

 

[strawroanlova]

State Fair was good, Dr Cass was the judge for non-registered. Samantha was 2nd in her class with her new Dr. Who heifer.  Not sure of the girls name who won Grand but Jordan Richburg won reserve.  (clapping)   Sam was also 2nd in her class for registered heifers behind Jordan with her Ali heifer.  We had a great time and met some new people.  Not sure if we are doing Central Florida fair, we might just rest for a few months.

i figured jordan would win grand or reserve.he lives in the same town i do