Table Of Contents Common Beef Breeds Selection Of Beef Cattle Cattle Evaluation In General Structural Correctness Volume and Capacity Muscling Fat or Condition Equipment Needed For Fitting Brushes Combs Blow Dryer Clippers Scissors Grooming Products Shampoos Adhesives Sprays/ Oils/ Hair Coat Enhancements Grooming Washing Blow Drying Brushing/ Combing Clipping Fitting Your Calf For Show Show Day Preparation Leg Preparation The Body Showmanship Using The Halter Using The Show Stick Setting Up Your Steer At Show Time When It Is Time To Walk The Cattle When It Is Time to Stop On The Profile When Turning An Animal Courtesy and Sportsmanship Common Showmanship Questions 1 Common Beef Breeds Angus is a breed of cattle commonly used in beef production. Angus is a breed of cattle that produces "marbled" meat that is considered to be of very high quality. Angus were developed from cattle native to the counties of Aberdeenshire and Angus in Scotland, and are known as Aberdeen Angus in most parts of the world. Angus are naturally polled (do not have horns) and are solid black or red, although the udder may be white. There have always been both red and black individuals in the population, however in the USA they are regarded as two separate breeds - Red Angus and Black Angus. Black Angus is the most popular beef breed of cattle in the United States. Herefords ("whitefaces") are eager grazers and one of the most popular American beef breeds. The Polled Hereford breed is bred for its deep forequarters, depth and muscling, docile temperament, fast-growing calves, and good quality of beef. Hereford cattle are also known to be easy breeders and easy calvers. Many strains of Hereford have used other cattle breeds to import desired characteristics, and this has led to changes in the breed as a whole. However, some strains have been kept separate. These separated strains have retained characteristics of the earlier breed, such as hardiness and thriftiness. The Traditional Hereford is now treated as a minority breed. The Shorthorn breed of cattle originated in the North East of England in the late 18th century. The breed was developed as dual purpose, suitable for both dairy and beef production; however there were always certain blood lines within the breed which emphasized one quality or the other. Over time these different lines diverged and by the second half of the 20th century two separate breeds had developed - the Beef Shorthorn, and the Dairy Shorthorn. All Shorthorn cattle are colored red, white or roan, although roan cattle are preferred by some, and completely white animals are not common. However, one type of Shorthorn has been bred to be consistently white – the White bred Shorthorn, which was developed to cross with black Galloway cattle to produce a popular blue roan crossbreed, the Blue Grey. The Charolais are a full size beef cattle breed that grow to 2000 lbs. Charolais are a larger breed of beef cattle compared to the Angus and dairy breeds. Charolais compare to Angus Cattle as far 2 as the taste. Charolais cattle are larger than normal cattle with mature Charolais bulls weighing from 2,000 to well over 2,500 pounds. Charolais cows weigh from 1,250 to over 2,000 pounds. Charolais are very hardy beef cattle with the ability to walk and graze well in warm weather and are able to withstand reasonably cold weather. Charolais cattle are known for producing heavy calves which is a trait that has made them quite popular with those who have raised them. The Simmental has historically been used for dairy and beef production. Simmental cattle are a hardy breed and are more draught resistant. Simmental are particularly renowned for the rapid growth of their young, if given sufficient feed. Simmentals provide more combined weaning gain (growth) and milk yield than any other breed. The traditional coloration of the Simmental has been described variously as "red and white spotted" or "gold and white". However, there is no specific standard coloration, and the dominant shade varies from a pale yellow-gold all the way to very dark red. The face is normally white, and this characteristic is usually passed to crossbred calves. The white face of a Simmental is genetically distinct from the white head of the Hereford. Selection Of Beef Cattle When choosing a steer for your market project there are four areas to consider in your evaluation process. Structural Correctness o Level Design ♦ Desirable slope to shoulder and pasterns ♦ All four legs set "at the corners" ♦ Toes are pointed forward, hocks are square, not in or bowed out ♦ Stride is long, smooth and the front track should be filled by the back track Volume and Capacity o Length of body o Depth of body o Rib shape o Width of base 3 Muscle Loin o Stifle o Forearm Fat or Condition o Tail Head o Loin o Ribs o Flank o Brisket 4 5 6 7 8 Equipment Needed for Fitting BRUSHES - brushes (assortment: rice root, synthetic fiber, wash brushes) A Rice root brush is one of the most important grooming materials that is needed when training the hair of the animal. Brush the hair of the animal forward with the rice root brush. The brush will help remove the dead hair from the animal, as well as, training the hair to stand up straight. A wash brush (one made of plastic with soft bristles or a wash plastic wash mitt) is just what it sounds like a brush used when washing cattle. Brushing during the washing process helps the exhibitor get the cattle cleaner. Scrub the entire animal thoroughly, head, neck, face, feet, legs, and etc., in order to clean it properly. COMBS -Scotch combs Scotch combs are used when grooming the cattle's hair. Run the comb in a forward and upward direction. The points of the combs can be very sharp so the exhibitor must be gentle with the cattle. Most exhibitors prefer to have two of these combs available - one for grooming body hair and one for using with adhesives in grooming leg and tail head hair. A fluffer comb is used much like that of the regular scotch comb, but it's teeth are set further apart allowing the hair of the animal to pop or "fluff" when the comb is run through the hair. BLOW DRYER This piece of equipment helps dry the beef project after they have been washed or rinsed, helps clean the hair of dust and foreign matter and is a valuable aid in training the hair. It is advisable to purchase a blower that has not only a blower but also a heating element to speed the drying process. 9 CLIPPERS There is a WIDE variety of clippers on the market today for use on livestock projects. It is best to chose a set of clippers with a good motor and interchangeable heads. Heads can be changed for clipping longer body hair or for close clipping of hair on such body parts as the head and tail. SCISSORS Scissors can be a very valuable tool as well when it comes to "fine- tuning" your final clip job. Be sure to invest in a pair that is sharp and able to cut through the sticky adhesives used on legs and tail heads. GROOMING PRODUCTS SHAMPOOS (i.e. dish soap or shampoo) or other inexpensive soaps for general washing. ADHESIVES There are three types of adhesives used today for grooming of beef cattle. Standard or Leg Adhesive This type of adhesive is rather heavy and slower to dry than other types and some exhibitors prefer to use this type on the legs. If only one kind of adhesive can be purchased, the standard type will do for most general purpose use. Tail Adhesive - This adhesive is another heavy type adhesive that dries quickly. It is generally used to set tail heads and in forming the bush of the tail. Tail adhesive may be applied to leg hair when a fuller leg appearance is needed. Body Adhesive - This type of adhesive is very light and dries slowly. It is useful in setting body hair and it allows for easy combing through the hair even after it has set. Adhesive Remover - A good commercial adhesive remover is a must to take out the show day preparations and to insure the quality of the hair after the show. 10 Show Foams/Shaving Cream These are generally applied only on the day of show and are used to work up and set hard to manage hair. SPRAYS/OILS/HAIR COAT ENHANCEMENTS These products are all typically used to add sheen and luster to the hair coat of animals. Reading of the label of each product is necessary to determine the use of the product. Some products can be used daily for hair training purposes, while others are only to be used the day of show. - Grooming - The following steps will take exhibitors from the wash rack to the show ring. We will discuss in steps washing, blow drying, combing, clipping, fitting, and presenting your animal for show. STEP # 1 -WASHING Washing consists of cleaning the mud, manure, and dirt from the steers hair. It is also beneficial in stimulating hair growth. This is a very simple procedure but, you may get very wet at times. You will need the following items when washing your steer: water hose, shampoo of your choice (try not to use harsh shampoos), and a wash brush. While in the wash rack, secure your steer to the pipe stanchion to restrict its movement. Sometimes the wash racks at shows are very full, so please try to be considerate of others and wait your turn.