This practice is runninlg rampant in our area, and I feel probably across the entire state of Texas and who knows how many other states! Here locally, we've tried to get show management, veterinarians, slaughter plants, etc.. to work together to identify and nail the culprits, but with no success. It seems that none of these entities want to "stick their necks out" in order to attack and do away with this activity. I'm talking even at the big Texas majors! My question is whether any of you all throughout the nation have experienced this and if it has successfully been eliminated. This is extremely discouraging to the majority of us that have a conscience and like to sleep good at night without having to lower ourselves to such extreme levels in order to get to the winner's circle. Any feedback is greatly appreciated!
Pumping/Airing of Showsteers-Any way to control this?
- Thread starter 4C
- Start date
Help Support Steer Planet:
knabe
Well-known member
fizzies?
rasor club calves
Well-known member
at some jackpots here in ohio that are juiner shows people are taking there calves out to there trailers and pumping them. At a show we heard a lot of rucuss coming from the trailer beside us.
buddy love
New member
- Joined
- Jan 16, 2011
- Messages
- 1
it is going on in kansas to at our jr. shows to
CM Cattle
Well-known member
What does pumping, or airing even mean? ???
showsteerdlux
Well-known member
This practice has gone on for awhile. I have heard a lot of stories from Texas boys that they bring in a certain trailer to every major and are getting everything fine tuned to the best degree they can. This is one of those practices which is going to continue no matter what. The thing about this is, is air isn't the only thing you can use to get the same results. They are a couple of other secrets the big jocks have that are in that gray area but aren't specifically illegal.
To CM, airing is where you take the animal, use a needle connected to a small air compressor, insert in the skin and it breaks the bind between the skin and muscle layer. You feed them a high fat ration after doing this and the fat fills in the new space that has been created. Pumping is where you stick a certain type of hose down a calf and put water or other liquids in them to give them more fill or to rehydrate them.
To rasor cc, pumping is the last thing I would be worried about going on at the shows.
To CM, airing is where you take the animal, use a needle connected to a small air compressor, insert in the skin and it breaks the bind between the skin and muscle layer. You feed them a high fat ration after doing this and the fat fills in the new space that has been created. Pumping is where you stick a certain type of hose down a calf and put water or other liquids in them to give them more fill or to rehydrate them.
To rasor cc, pumping is the last thing I would be worried about going on at the shows.
Bradenh
Well-known member
theres no way you can stop it. there is always some way ppl will try get ahead of the competition. its a part of the business. if they crack down on airing they will call that unethical whatever. same concept can be said for implanting, pumping, fake hair even feed supplements, ect. so if they get rid of one thing. pressure will be on to get rid of anything that can possibly seperate the top of the class to the bottom. therefore no body will be able to be ahead of the competition. take it for what its worth but if one thing goes. its all going to go
DCC show cattle
Well-known member
It has gone on for a long time and there is no way to track it after the carcass has healed I did a project on it not the most ethical but as stated there are other ways that some jocks change cattle that are way worse than bustin the skin membrane and enhancing the look of a calf with external fat. I havent seen it done just asked and researched the topic quite a bit. A good calf with be a good calf no question. Best way to win is to buy them good and feed them good. In my opinion no real way of stoping it so find some better cattle and compete with them (general statement not attacking anyones cattle or intergrity their choices are their choices). In saying that I was blessed with 4 breed or reserve breeds at houston both heifers and steers and none of those cattle had been aired just feed consistently and worked everyday! Goodluck this year guys!
In Texas 10 years ago they sonogramed the cattle at San Antonio and Houston for a few years during that time all the manufacturing practices were at an all time low. Maybe because they did think they would get caught it did not happen near as much. Then they stopped sonograming, reasons you hear is cost or they did not catch anyone. Wish they would start up again anything is better then what goes on now.
There is nothing to catch with a sonogram. It is just fat and you cant tell what is normal and what isnt. Airing is a very old practice- at least going back to the 70s. And yes, it is very common. In reality, it is an old habit for some. I don't think it passes the logic test for actually doing an appreciable amount of good. At best, it could result in minor differences among top end calves at majors.
Wasn't refering to cattle that had been aired earlier in their feeding period. No you could not tell, but when A& M did their reasearch on fresh air and oil and water the folks that witnessed the experiments and the checking it with a sonogram said you would see a " black hole" if there was something fresh under the hide. Don't know anything about some of the tings that have been figured out since then. An d not to say that they could catch everyone then, but it was definately a deterant.
gobigorgohome
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 13, 2010
- Messages
- 60
i don't see what the big deal is. its just enhancements same as feed supplements fake hair adhesives and anything your fitter does to create and illusion on your calf and like showstopper said if you get rid of one thing then you have to get rid of everything. its not like its plastic surgery and you have completely changed your calf. its like saying a boob job on a woman is unethical. sure its not fair when you don't go as far as airing pumping and implanting and you get beat by one who has but that's what separates the best from the rest.
There is a very big difference between implanting one with a implant that is legal for cattle, feeding any of the products like showmaxx, optiflex that is approved for use in beef cattle and the unelical problems that 4C is addressing. Unfortunately it is a put your head in the sand and ignore the rules our shows have in place. By the way in a slick shear show there is no hair longer then 1/4 inch so there is no twining or fake hair even at Ft. Worth they won't allow it. Large difference between twine on the legs, underline, or tailhead as far as animal welfare goes and if anything ever happens that exploits some of the things done it would be tough for junior show to continue.
OKshorthorn
Well-known member
gobigorgohome said:
You are wrong. It is like plastic surgery. Basically you are saying that if you stand second to a calf that has been artifically enhanced, you essentially deserve to be second because you didn't do the necessary steps in order to be the best? I think your entire post is nothing more than a childish, selfish, and unthethical excuse to cheat. Apparently you can't raise good enough cattle to win without artifically enhancing them, so you are attempting to rationalize the actions of someone that doesn't deserve to be in the barn. I feel the same way about twining a calfs leg to appear larger boned. The problem with comparing it to breast augmentation, is that the women who decide to have it done do it knowingly, with their consent, also, they do not compete in contests. Using adhesive doesn't create something that the calf genetically doesn't already have, or naturally grow, the same with clippers, they don't create anything that the calf doesn't already have.
showsteerdlux
Well-known member
Oh yes they do, beauty contests. Sorry, but that is whole other can of worms that probably shouldn't be brought into this discussion.OKshorthorn said:
farmin female
Well-known member
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2009
- Messages
- 205
showsteernc said:
gobigorgohome
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 13, 2010
- Messages
- 60
its illegal and frowned apon, the risk is anyones to take enough said i believe.
showsteerdlux
Well-known member
FWIW, I was saying the discussion about humans and airing (to be polite) was a can of worms. If you look back, I was openly discussing airing and the ethics behind it.farmin female said:
