Ia State Fair Sale of Champs

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Show Heifer

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I didn't get there in time for a seat (wasn't going to waste an hour or so), but did get to see them come and go.
I also got to mingle with the buyers a bit.....and this is my opinion and what I heard.

The buyers are scared. Not of the economy, not of spending money. But of buying a tainted animal.  A few years back a buyer bought a "drugged" animal and it hit that business hard. Lots of bad press, lots of fear of tainted food.......and lost money for the business.  To say the least, they do not buy anymore. Buyers are sick of being made a fool.  Do you blame them? They buy the animals for good press and good will, and when it comes back as tainted, it backfires.....the "screw me once" saying hits home there!!!

That being said, the animals in the sale were most impressive. Freaks for sure! Was glad to see a few tears from one of the hog exhibitors as that showed me she was attached to the animal that she had cared for the last few months.

I sure hope everything checks out legit and that we get the carcass data on them.
 

knabe

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same for 2 of the people  i sell steers to who used to help out by purchasing.  they want their meat vacuum packed and dry aged for 3 weeks, nor hormones, drugs etc, willing to pay more, $0.20 more live weight for now, some around here charge lots more.
 

maine106

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I am really curious about this conversation. 

What was the animal drugged with exactly?  What was the bad press and where can we find articles about it?  How did it hurt the business that bought the animal? 

 

maine106

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Well you made the statements and I would like to understand them.  Which year was this?  What did the State Fair have to say? 

 

Dusty

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The Fort Worth Stock Show figured out the perfect solution to the problem.  The Grand Champion steer goes to the zoo...  No carcasss to inspect=no controversy=no articles in the paper=everyone is happy.
 

chambero

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My kids took a some photos of the Grand steer from FW a couple of weeks ago at the zoo.  I'll get them posted.
 

simtal

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Dusty said:
The Fort Worth Stock Show figured out the perfect solution to the problem.  The Grand Champion steer goes to the zoo...  No carcasss to inspect=no controversy=no articles in the paper=everyone is happy.

Is it me, or does anyone else think thats what the animal rights terrorists want us to do?
 

chambero

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simtal said:
Dusty said:
The Fort Worth Stock Show figured out the perfect solution to the problem.  The Grand Champion steer goes to the zoo...  No carcasss to inspect=no controversy=no articles in the paper=everyone is happy.

Is it me, or does anyone else think thats what the animal rights terrorists want us to do?

Believe me, they don't have their claws in us down here on this kind of deal.  It's just kind of like the President pardoning a turkey at Thanksgiving.  Doesn't mean they don't test blood and urine samples and Fort Worth has semi-quitely not sent a few checks over the years.  The press got a hold of one case a few years ago when a lawsuit occurred. 

My nine year old understood why the steer was at the zoo.  I had explained it to him before.  When I explained it to my six year old though, we went through about a two week flurry of him hurrying his big  brother down to the barn to work on their calves extra hard so maybe one of them would be "spared" next winter.  It was kind of funny he took it so seriously.
 
 

knabe

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simtal said:
Dusty said:
The Fort Worth Stock Show figured out the perfect solution to the problem.  The Grand Champion steer goes to the zoo...  No carcasss to inspect=no controversy=no articles in the paper=everyone is happy.

Is it me, or does anyone else think thats what the animal rights terrorists want us to do?

using their logic, this is what they should want to do.

taken to it's logical conclusion, animal rightist's should kill themselves and quit imposing their consumption and waste on the rest of life.

to them, only humans must evade the circle of life.

on one hand they say we are an animal, yet we can't be a predator.

when my canine teeth change to to molars etc on my lower jaw i will switch to vegetarianism.
 

Show Heifer

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Reply to maine106: I will not disclose what species, or company, as that is privy info. Do some digging on the internet, you will find it.
The state fair revoked the "title" and thats about it.
I am always suspicous of posters that pop up when controversy is in the air.....sorry.

Maybe Ft.Worth has an idea....but....why not have a big (or not so big) B-B-Q at the zoo!!!! Or the following state fair? YUMMMYYYYY!
 

maine106

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So if this is all private information what will I find?  I am a new member that has responded to other messages so I did not just appear just for this post.    I must be extra tired because I am not understanding the intent of the original post if it was not to stir something up.  You spoke of buyers plural being made a fool of so how many times has this happened in Iowa? 

I think there is room for a discussion on the topic so I would like to understand the facts of what you speak.

Apparently there were not too many scared buyers since there were 4 new records set.
 

bcosu

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not to rag on the show steers or the club calf "breed" but how many of the fort worth steers are crippled by the time the next year comes around? do they all stay sound that long? just wondering. and how did the last one look chambero?
 

Show Heifer

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maine106: you had responded to 3 post before this one...thats a newbie to me.

Second, it is not "private" information....just information that I wish not to repeat for the sake of well, publicity. You can find it. LOOK. It wouldn't be that hard, unless you just want a freebie.

The orginal purpose of the post was relatively simple and must have been lost on you: Show animals are purchased for consumption by someone, whether a company or individual. What we put in those animals make an impact on the whole industry if we do not comply with the rules and laws.  This buyer bought a animal that was tainted and since it IS a food product and they are a food company, the backlash was so huge, they stopped buying fair animals totally. This is a buyer that had a history of spending big money for years.

So, did that clear it up for you?

 

fluffer

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We had a situation at a state fair several years ago where the Champion steer tested positive for something, I don't remember now, maybe banimine or something like that.  Anyways Kroger at that time bought all the champions at the sale.  When the state fair was trying to decide what to do with this steer Kroger said that if the steer got thrown out then Kroger would never come back and buy.  I didn't hear this straight from the horses mouth, so I will not swear that was the case, but I do know the steer sold and Kroger bought it.

Fluffer
 

chambero

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cbcfarms said:
not to rag on the show steers or the club calf "breed" but how many of the fort worth steers are crippled by the time the next year comes around? do they all stay sound that long? just wondering. and how did the last one look chambero?

In answer to your questions, look for my pictures on another post and see for yourself.  Last year's grand gets around just fine - long after a feedlot would have sent him to the plant if he was a normal commercial calf. 

The ones that make it to a major show at their finished weight were "sound enough" in my opinion. 

Feedlots would take those carcasses all day long.  Our carcass data from Texas shows proves that these "show steers" have much better carcasses than your average feedlot calf.  There is no huge, widespread problem with tainted carcasses down here.  We do have a few that test out, but they usually aren't the big winners.  When they do test, its almost always Lasix or Dex.  And its handled privately.  Not sure why this is an issue with fear issue with "buyers" as our buyers at major sales don't get to keep the calf or the meat anyway.  And those animals are DQ'd based on their urine test.  If those animals were tested by the time they made it to the slaughter facility those particular drugs would be long gone.  So, this isn't a "meat" issue as much as it is a show rule issue.

Feedlots don't worry about the soundness issue near as much you'd think.  If they can get to the trough and make finished weight, they don't care otherwise.  We've had some we rejected as show steers because they had "toed out" or were too straight off either end and without exception those calves have done just fine compared to their peers in the feedlot. 
 

simtal

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chambero said:
cbcfarms said:
not to rag on the show steers or the club calf "breed" but how many of the fort worth steers are crippled by the time the next year comes around? do they all stay sound that long? just wondering. and how did the last one look chambero?


Feedlots would take those carcasses all day long.  Our carcass data from Texas shows proves that these "show steers" have much better carcasses than your average feedlot calf. 

Feedlots don't worry about the soundness issue near as much you'd think.  If they can get to the trough and make finished weight, they don't care otherwise.  We've had some we rejected as show steers because they had "toed out" or were too straight off either end and without exception those calves have done just fine compared to their peers in the feedlot. 

First quote: cutability and carcass weight are important but not the end all be all.

Totally agree with the second quote.
 

maine106

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Huh.  I am not sure if there is as much attitude intended that is coming across or if it's a limitation of communicating on a message board. 

No nothing is cleared up for me.  You made statements that I would like to see backed up.  I am pretty handy with Google and did not find the scandal to which you allude. 

Of course people know it's not right to sell meat that is tainted.  I think it is a fair question to ask how many state fair champions are tainted when you state that buyers plural are tired of being made fools of. 

My intent was not to argue.  If someone happened upon this board that knew nothing about showing livestock they could walk away with the impression this happens all of the time.  I think it's essential that those of us iin the cattle portion of the livestock industry do not do more to hurt the reputation of meat in general with statements that seem (key word) to paint an overly broad ugly picture.

I think the true reflection is in the bottom line and as I said previously 4 new records are a good sign to me.



 
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