Show cattle selection is a very difficult skill to master. Showmen are notorious for selecting the less desirable calf in a pen of two. It takes a lot of exposure to cattle to be able to identify a great animal in a group of average club calves. One thing kids do is pick a heavy muscled steer with bad structure over one with adequately muscle plus tons of other attributes. Judges today don’t often look for pieces they look for packages. A steer that has a little bit of everything will almost always win over one lacking in an area and excelling in another. The most difficult thing to teach new showmen is to look at everything.  

Before you think about buying a show calf and specifics on selection, here are some things you can consider.

What is your focus? 

Before you go into evaluating cattle you will need to make some choices. Do you want a good steer or heifer that will win at fair? Or, do you want a showmanship animal? I am not saying that you can’t have both only that you need to make one of the two a priority. If your priority is showmanship, you might have to give up the heavier muscled steer or heifer for the one with the better profile. 

What is your budget? 

Never go to a sale without knowing how much you are willing to spend.  Do you want an inexpensive club calf that will make money for you at fair? Or, do you want to spend a little extra to try to win? Once you have decided on a price don’t spend over that. Remember, more money doesn’t guarantee better results, but it certainly gives you more options when you know what you are looking for. 

What weight or age will your calf need to be? 

The weight and age of your cattle is extremely important when you are selecting livestock. Look at your fair’s weight requirements before deciding on an animal.  The first thing you need to do is check your fair dates and calculate backwards to figure out the ideal weight of purchase. If you are a good showman that takes good care of your livestock, your calf should average a gain of about 3 pounds per day. Of course, you will need to consider the frame size and breed of your calf because some breeds will gain differently than others. Besides that, you absolutely must plan on feeding a complete show feed if you plan to get a good rate of gain.  

Market cattle should weigh between 1000 – 1350 pounds at fair so use that as your weight guide and plan accordingly. Some cattle are bigger now, but this is a good starting point. When it comes to age, your steer should be between 16 and 18 months of age at his end date. Many fairs have rules on age so be sure you are reading and following show rules.  

Special focuses for those buying showmanship cattle: 

Before you get into looking at actual pieces on animals, I want to discuss specifically the showmanship animal. If you are more concerned with showmanship, you will be selecting for different pieces. I have listed three things here that you will focus your attention on if your main goal is to do well in the showmanship class. 

1. Clean fronted 

The neck set and brisket on your steer is extremely important on showmanship cattle. This is because your animal must be comfortable walking and standing for long periods of time, with his head up. 

2. Level Topped 

Showmanship is all about making your animal look his very best. If he naturally holds himself together well, you won’t have to mess with him and try to convince the judge you are making him look as good as possible. You want your steer to hold himself together naturally, so you won’t need to readjust him as often. This way both you and your steer will be able to show longer without getting tired. 

3. Personality 

The temperament of your animal is something you must consider and especially for showmanship. Your animal’s disposition from day one will make a huge difference in your success. Make sure you get your hands on the halter of any animal you buy or at the very least call the breeder and ask about his personality.  

These are some things to consider before you begin working on the selection process and some things to decide on before you buy your show calf.

Once you have your animals, you can take it to the next level, training and mastering showmanship. If you want some help mastering cattle showmanship and impressing the judges, you might want to check out my book Show Your Way To The Top at mastershowmanship.com/shop