No misters at Illinois State Fair

A friend and I were discussing and cussing new ISF rules. No fans in the tie-outs. No misters or cooling aids in the barns. What does everyone think?

Does that mean no fans in the barns too? Isn't that a little unethical if there are no fans in the barns and it's hot outside? ???

yeah thats true, i think thats bad if they dont even allow misters

Well, I don't put fans in the tie-outs but I usually use misters.  I wonder what their reasoning for this is.  Looks like my hand fogger will be getting a pretty good workout.

Is this just in the junior barn or is this for the open barns as well?

I have some insight after working the Junior show for over 20 years. (Now retired.)

The cattle barns are not wired adequately to supply power to all of the fans, blowers and misters that are being used today.  A full upgrade cannot be justified due to the infrequent usage of the barns.  Upgrading them would not bring any more business either.  Power usage must be limited somewhat.

Misters create another problem.  It is reasonable to foresee that excess water on the floor and bedding, together with power cords, create a safety hazard.  Misters also blow across the fence and affect other cattle along with people and their possessions.

Fans in the tieout areas are not closely monitored.  Fans fall over, are stolen or damaged.  A generator must be used to power them.  Once again, these are not continuously monitored so they get stolen/damaged or can throw a spark to cause a fire. 

I suggested years ago the ISF go to a slick show format.  Imagine how much more comfortable the cattle would be and how much less equipment exhibitors would have to bring to the fair.  That type of show is what the buildings were originally designed for.

LLBUX said:

I have some insight after working the Junior show for over 20 years. (Now retired.)

The cattle barns are not wired adequately to supply power to all of the fans, blowers and misters that are being used today.  A full upgrade cannot be justified due to the infrequent usage of the barns.  Upgrading them would not bring any more business either.  Power usage must be limited somewhat.

Misters create another problem.  It is reasonable to foresee that excess water on the floor and bedding, together with power cords, create a safety hazard.   Misters also blow across the fence and affect other cattle along with people and their possessions.

Fans in the tieout areas are not closely monitored.  Fans fall over, are stolen or damaged.  A generator must be used to power them.  Once again, these are not continuously monitored so they get stolen/damaged or can throw a spark to cause a fire.   

I suggested years ago the ISF go to a slick show format.  Imagine how much more comfortable the cattle would be and how much less equipment exhibitors would have to bring to the fair.  That type of show is what the buildings were originally designed for.

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being a resident of the state, I completely agree.  Think of the save electric, water, and liablity.. No brainer to me. 

The state fairground's wiring is poor at best, IMO multiple buildings.

Fans in the barn are allowed in Jr  , swamp coolers aren't in the Jr building  , they have been used in the open barn (NOT suggested because of the many power breaks we had last year ) I am one of the superitendent  for the open show .
and we use fans in tie out , no one ever said anything last year

Can you still toss a bag of ice on the fan in a last ditch effort to cool 'em off a little bit?

I have been showin for 20 yrs now, in the south, and I have never had a mister at a show, and I have never had an issue, it doesnt say fans are not allowed, just that you cant use misters, and I think this makes good sense to me.  I wouldnt want a barn full of misters at a fair cause it is a recipe for a mess if not done right.  I have also never had fans in tie outs, but I only tie out at night, when my cattle are ussually out and dont have a fan anyway.  I know its hot this summer, but that just means a little more effort into dragging em to the wash rack and rinsing em good several times a day to keep em cool.
I may be a little slow, but I dont see the problem here.  We have no rules against it down here and people still dont bring em to the show.

I personally don't care one way or the other. I do have a fogger that uses less than 3 gal. per hour on highest setting. That's not very much water. My main complaint is the power. I carry an  8000 watt generator everywhere we show because the fairgrounds we go to don't have the capacity to run everything. If I pay an entry fee to show and pay for passes and camping and everything else our world famous Illinois politicians can figure out to charge for- if I have to make my own electricity, at least let me use it as I see fit. I believe my " U.L." listed fogger is a little safer than a bag of ice dripping on an electric fan.

For all of you thinking slick shear, you obviously have never been to one and see how easily and how quickly, and severly you can have calves sun burn, wind burn, and just plain be put in pain when you take the hair off of them, and it is very difficult to control, think again.

a slick fair is stupid if a kid works every day for his cow to have hair they deserve it to have hair at fair that is one thing you have to work for that separates kids and the shows should let you use your own generator if it isnt theres how can they say what you can do with it

I agree with twistedhshowstock, down here I've never had a problem and I've never used misters at a show.

I'm very pro-hair you could say, and I don't like the -level playing field idea of slicking- but slicking is easy. Unless you keep your calf in a cooler where it doesn't see the light of day then you slick it and kick it out on a 100 degree day with the wind blowing 20 miles an hour it'll be fine. I always slick my heifers after Houston. I slick them, spray them down with revive, and then turn them out a little more and more each day for about three days and then they go to the pasture for at least a month. I've probably done this with ten calves and I've never had a problem.

Sounds like people just need to do a little more planning when getting ready for shows.  Just because you can grow 4" of hair in the summer by using a cooler, it doesn't mean that is the right thing to do when you know that fans, A/C, misters, etc. will be limited at the show.  Part of getting ready for a show is getting ready for the " WHOLE SHOW".  You need to understand the barns, the tie outs, the lines for checking (plenty have died standing in line to unload the trailer). 

Maybe the perfect preparation for a show may be to turn the cooler off a month ahead of the show, and get a calf used to dealing with the heat and just stand under a fan in the shade.  You may have to take a little extra hair off of them to keep them comfortable.

LLBUX said:

I have some insight after working the Junior show for over 20 years. (Now retired.)

The cattle barns are not wired adequately to supply power to all of the fans, blowers and misters that are being used today.  A full upgrade cannot be justified due to the infrequent usage of the barns.  Upgrading them would not bring any more business either.  Power usage must be limited somewhat.

Misters create another problem.  It is reasonable to foresee that excess water on the floor and bedding, together with power cords, create a safety hazard.   Misters also blow across the fence and affect other cattle along with people and their possessions.

Fans in the tieout areas are not closely monitored.  Fans fall over, are stolen or damaged.  A generator must be used to power them.  Once again, these are not continuously monitored so they get stolen/damaged or can throw a spark to cause a fire.  

I suggested years ago the ISF go to a slick show format.  Imagine how much more comfortable the cattle would be and how much less equipment exhibitors would have to bring to the fair.  That type of show is what the buildings were originally designed for.

Click to expand...

That seems to be the prevailing train of thought with people in charge of running extension shows in the midwest anymore. How can we make it easier on us and harder on the kids and family so that so many of them don't want to show up. New rules every year and a just" let em have a bucket and a brush" attitude . It use to be this country wanted to see the best of the best and applaud people that wanted to succeed. Now everybody is worried about what it will cost  and whether little Johnny Justthrowfeedatem will be able to play too.

Personally, I slick all of my animals out for our county fair, and we still use fans to keep them cool. We don't use misters, but when we know that it will be a hot show and there will be limited power, we bring a genetaror along. We don't use fans in the tie outs, but if it is a hot day and the cattle are panting, we will put fans on them. We arent trying to grow hair or anything..just want them to be cool and comfortable, especailly if they are there for more than a few days. IMHO, if my cattle are hot and there isn't enough power for fans in a cattle barn, then I'll use a generator and make my own. I understand not letting misters be used, but if there is a power problem in the barn, I can see bringing a generator if your cattle are hot. Just saying  ;D

mooch said:

LLBUX said:

I have some insight after working the Junior show for over 20 years. (Now retired.)

The cattle barns are not wired adequately to supply power to all of the fans, blowers and misters that are being used today.  A full upgrade cannot be justified due to the infrequent usage of the barns.  Upgrading them would not bring any more business either.  Power usage must be limited somewhat.

Misters create another problem.  It is reasonable to foresee that excess water on the floor and bedding, together with power cords, create a safety hazard.   Misters also blow across the fence and affect other cattle along with people and their possessions.

Fans in the tieout areas are not closely monitored.  Fans fall over, are stolen or damaged.  A generator must be used to power them.  Once again, these are not continuously monitored so they get stolen/damaged or can throw a spark to cause a fire.  

I suggested years ago the ISF go to a slick show format.  Imagine how much more comfortable the cattle would be and how much less equipment exhibitors would have to bring to the fair.  That type of show is what the buildings were originally designed for.

Click to expand...

That seems to be the prevailing train of thought with people in charge of running extension shows in the midwest anymore. How can we make it easier on us and harder on the kids and family so that so many of them don't want to show up. New rules every year and a just" let em have a bucket and a brush" attitude . It use to be this country wanted to see the best of the best and applaud people that wanted to succeed. Now everybody is worried about what it will cost  and whether little Johnny Justthrowfeedatem will be able to play too.

Click to expand...

This country still is and strives to be the best of the best. It simply doesn't make economical sense to overhaul the power system in the barn. It's not that they don't want people to show up. If they doubled entry fees, and created new fees to cover it everybody would gripe about the rising cost. The people running it are running it like a business which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

I'm not a fan of slicking because I enjoy working hair. Not because it gives me an advantage because little jimmy doesn't know how and he won't put in the work. Sometimes a slick show is the best way to go though. This is a prime example of that. Years ago Houston had the same problem with electricity and safety hazards. They went to a slick show and that solved the problem. Guess what though! The same families and breeders still won it, and Houston still is won of the toughest steer shows in the world to win.

ZNT couldn't have said it better.... management of the animal is the whole deal, not just growing hair.


JWW

Fans are a must in the stall, just not in tie outs thats just crazy. If a place will let me use the fogger or misters i will do it just keep in mind some people do not know the difference between misting and soaking. Ill do anything to keep my cattle feeling better. A lot of the really good cattle wont show up to a place where the facilities and the electric is inadequate just no point in putting your cattle through hell just for a jr show. Houston and San Antonio goes freaking crazy if you use corded clippers like one set of clippers is going to bring the whole grid down. Oh well either way im not going, good luck to all that are.