Show Cattle Ethics

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aj

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Jul 5, 2006
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western kansas
All excellent points........I guess I have two rebuttal comments. The first one.........I would be scared to death to eat meat from a show steer today. There are so may additives and gunk and stuff that are thrown at these cattle. The second one.......I don't get to town very often but out at Denver one time.........I heard the judge give a speech just before he slapped the winning steer. He said something like this barn is filled with the future leaders of the beef industry and these cattle are the best the industry has to offer. I almost started crying and then I started laughing. 90% of the cattle in the barn were carriers of lethal genetic defects.........the fitters out numbered the showers 5 to one.......I guess that these would be my two main concerns. Its not a blanket assault on the premise of youth shows.
 

Tallcool1

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Jun 21, 2012
Messages
969
aj said:
All excellent points........I guess I have two rebuttal comments. The first one.........I would be scared to death to eat meat from a show steer today. There are so may additives and gunk and stuff that are thrown at these cattle. The second one.......I don't get to town very often but out at Denver one time.........I heard the judge give a speech just before he slapped the winning steer. He said something like this barn is filled with the future leaders of the beef industry and these cattle are the best the industry has to offer. I almost started crying and then I started laughing. 90% of the cattle in the barn were carriers of lethal genetic defects.........the fitters out numbered the showers 5 to one.......I guess that these would be my two main concerns. Its not a blanket assault on the premise of youth shows.

Now there are some points in here that I agree with.

The lethal gene carrier doesn't bother me, but I see how it may bother others. I believe that genetic progress will eventually handle the TH and PH deal.

However, not wanting to eat one of these steers...good point. The supplements don't bother me mostly because they don't bother the FDA. The "foreign substances" do bother me. It is now to the point that many packing houses won't take these cattle anymore. I'm not just talking about Majors either. I'm talking about County Fairs! 

The other point I agree with is the 5:1 fitter to exhibitor quote. Shows are trying to get control of this, but it is harder than it sounds. Traders are powerful and get signed up as "Assistant 4H Club Leaders so they can fit at fairs. They also have kids showing. That is tough too. 2016 will mark the first year that the Nebraska State Fair will no fitting. These show officials are just tired of this cat and mouse game.

I fear that the no fitting rule is going to widen the gap between haves and have nots. We used to see some pretty good cattle in good homes that could run at the high end steers with some hard work and skill. Not anymore. I think it's gonna hurt my kids. But in all honesty, I don't blame these show officials.

aj, I welcome this kind of discussion. You have a lifetime of knowledge that needs to be shared. Share some of the positive with us, not just the negative.
 

vc

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Jul 24, 2007
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1,811
Location
So-Cal
I really do not know how a steer that is a TH carrier has any effect on is value as a meat animal. Stress in hogs could affect the meat and I have no idea what sheep or goats might have as far a genetic defects, but I doubt they affect the carcass.

I do not know what you all feed your calves but we fed calf-manna and Stabilized Rice Bran, must have really screwed up the meat, they graded prime. The guy I work for/grew up showing with family buys 2 steers and 2 hogs every year, have for 40 years, cant eat store bought anymore just doesn't taste the same, i'm sure it is because the feed yard does not use any implants or supplements. Most the kids at county fair would not know about the additives that would be banned, it is hard enough to get them to worm on a schedule.

I will give you that some people are less than ethical, if I suspect that I simply do not buy that animal. We do bring them home feed them for a few weeks before the go, seems to help them relax and settle down prior to processing, and I guess if they had something in their system they should not it would help. 
 

knabe

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Feb 7, 2007
Messages
13,639
Location
Hollister, CA
aj said:
Historically.........the best way to counter my posts.......is to demonize every post I post. Knabe takes care of that.


historically, the best way to counter your posts is with the truth.  you bad mouth show cattle endlessly, then take a carrier to denver.


you demonize every post about show cattle. every opportunity. the best way to counter your posts is to expose your hypocrisy that you took a carrier to denver, you tout a shorthorn herd, yet your herd bull is a mongrel, just like your herd, you have typo's on a prominent bull on your website. you have very little to stand on except to demonize the show industry and me for pointing out the truth and your hypocrisy.


pretty simple. you have never had an answer for the truth. oh wait, yes you do, get drunk and post swear words.
 

knabe

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Feb 7, 2007
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13,639
Location
Hollister, CA
aj said:
The first one.........I would be scared to death to eat meat from a show steer today. i agree plus many don't grade in smaller shows. There are so may additives and gunk and stuff that are thrown at these cattle. The second one.......I don't get to town very often but out at Denver one time.........I heard the judge give a speech just before he slapped the winning steer. He said something like this barn is filled with the future leaders of the beef industry and these cattle are the best the industry has to offer. I almost started crying and then I started laughing. 90% of the cattle in the barn were carriers of lethal genetic defects. i'm assuming you turned in samples for the test........the fitters out numbered the showers 5 to one.......I guess that these would be my two main concerns. Its not a blanket assault on the premise of youth shows. it is a blanket statement that you took a carrier to denver while criticizing everyone else who does. it's pretty clear you have very little to offer.
 

aj

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Jul 5, 2006
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6,420
Location
western kansas
I thought that knabe might of been dead.........but thank god no. He's posting again.
 

onesmartcowgirl

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Joined
Apr 1, 2013
Messages
1
  I believe that if the steer was sound when bought and this is a genetic disorder the seller should make it good..either in a replacement or reimbursement...Seller should be responsible for what they are putting out there they knowwhat they are breeding...money doesn't grow on trees and most families don't have thousand od dollars to purchase another
 
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