Tips for Selecting our First Beef Show Heifer

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Trapam

New member
Joined
Oct 22, 2019
Messages
1
This is our first opportunity to select our first beef heifer for our daughter who has been wanting to show and recently signed up with our local 4H.  Does anyone have any tips for us as beginners on what to look for or how to choose a good show heifer calf.  We have found someone who is going to loan her a Fleckveih semmental but we arent sure how to "choose" a good show calf.
 

hevmando

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 14, 2009
Messages
180
Location
Ruskin, MN
Starting out can be challenging as you often don't know what you don't know.  Don't know where you want to go much less how to get there.  12 years later after starting with a clubby bred heifer and steer I would give this advice.

1. Do you want to raise your own calves or buy new ones every year?  Buying a new one every year can actually be cheaper until/unless you get a good one right away that makes really good ones.

2. Do you want to show clubbies or breed heifers?  If you want to raise your own eventually I would suggest breed heifers as the market for well bred bulls is deeper that average/well bred clubby steers imo.

3. Talk to established breeders that also have shown and build a relationship with one you are comfortable with.  Part of what you pay for is their experience and advice.  This is worth a bunch.  You may overpay for what you get initially but if you show them you can do a job job caring for and presenting their stock often times the quality goes up higher and faster than the price does.
 
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