Steer Planet - Show Steers and Club Calves Forum

Our county use ultrsound backfat readings to cull steers from getting in the fair. Our rules are at least .25 backf at, weigh over 950 pounds, and gain at least 2 pounds a day for 150 days. Is this common at other county fairs.

1050 Min and grade at least select by ultra sound

Our junior show does have a minimum weight to make the sale, and I wish they had decided to use more of this technology to cull steers that weren't ready for a finished show before they decided NOT to have a sale this year. We just found out they've canceled the steer sale at our state steer show, which is a terminal show. It's been a long time coming, and all the while heading in that direction, it's just frustrating. I don't have steers (thank goodness) and I hope I wouldn't be relying on state extension staff to get them sold if I did, but I'm disappointed about some of the decisions that get made.

The requirements may seem strict to some people, but they may also be the difference between a successful junior beef program in your area and the deterioration of these types of opportunities for kids who want to show.

We have a 1,000lb min weight at our local and state fair. We do not have a min daily weight gain that we have to meet even though there is an award for that. Our steers are ultrasounded for the marbling and back fat percentage also. Usually the clubby steers do not do well in the ultrasound but do well in the ring and the opposite for the kids that show the range steers as they do well in the ultrasound but not so well in the ring. Even though a Walks Alone steer we sold to a girl that was shown 2 years ago to took reserve grand champion and also took 2nd in the ultrasound results and had the highest daily weight gain in the barn which got an award also. But that steer was 2 months behind most of the other calves as he was born late as his dam did not take from the previous 2 AI attempts, so he was born late and had to be pushed hard and made a finished weight of 1,183lbs being pushed all the way to show day.

our terminal show steers have to be 950 for the 4h show and after the steers are sold and killed the carcasses are judged. in order to qualify for that your steer must have an average daily weight gain of 2 pounds a day their entire lives. The steers can still be shown they just wont get judged on the rail. They have started ultrasounding the market lambs at this same show.. so it wont be long before the steers are ultrasounded as well!