Our county fair has changed over the years when it comes to the quality of calves that get to go to action. I do not know if it is political, economic or what but the judging criteria has not changed, just the quality of calves that get a blue ribbon. Years ago it was nothing to see half of a class get red with a few lower placing ribbons in same classes. Cattle had to be above average to get a blue ribbon, now every animal gets a blue ribbon. Calves that need 100 to 200 more pounds on them to even close to being finished are getting blues, norrow made low select type will get a blue.There were a few calves that got blue ribbons last year that are still on feed because they are poor doing cattle that will never finish. (Our fair was in July) Besides the poor qaulity being sold, our auction goes in order of how the animal placed in the show, so an under wieght calf that was in a class of 2 goes before a better calf who came out of the class with 9 calves in it from the 1300 pound class
I have sent letters to the fair board asking why they allow an inferior product be sold to the public as Blue Ribbon Beef, no replies.
My thoughts on why:
Kids or parrents complained that they had to much money invested and could not get their money back with a barn sell, threatened to quit participating .
Fair gets 3 percent of all proceed from the sell of animals sold through auction, nothing for barn sales.
They may have a target numbers of animals for the sale and since the number of steers has decreased over the years they allow all to go through.
You might thank that it is the everyone is a winner mentality, but red ribbons are given out in the swine, lambs, veal and goats.
Many people who come to buy an animal do not know what is good and what is not, it received a blue ribbon it must be good, once they get the meat and it has no marbling, taste or is like shoe lether. The average price for steers last year was 2.50 a pound not what you would like to pay for sub grade beef.
Do your fairs have a better grading policy, do you have this same thing happen, or (my guess) they exhibitors would be ashamed to bring an inferior project to your fair?
I have sent letters to the fair board asking why they allow an inferior product be sold to the public as Blue Ribbon Beef, no replies.
My thoughts on why:
Kids or parrents complained that they had to much money invested and could not get their money back with a barn sell, threatened to quit participating .
Fair gets 3 percent of all proceed from the sell of animals sold through auction, nothing for barn sales.
They may have a target numbers of animals for the sale and since the number of steers has decreased over the years they allow all to go through.
You might thank that it is the everyone is a winner mentality, but red ribbons are given out in the swine, lambs, veal and goats.
Many people who come to buy an animal do not know what is good and what is not, it received a blue ribbon it must be good, once they get the meat and it has no marbling, taste or is like shoe lether. The average price for steers last year was 2.50 a pound not what you would like to pay for sub grade beef.
Do your fairs have a better grading policy, do you have this same thing happen, or (my guess) they exhibitors would be ashamed to bring an inferior project to your fair?
