Does anybody here show livestock?

[heathenmom]

What kind? How'd you get started? Tell me everything! LOL

My girls (6 and 3) want to start showing animals. We wanted them to start with goats, but they want COWS! Anyway, the only local info I can find on livestock showing is for kids in 4H or FFA, and they're obviously too young for either (we don't have a cloverleaf chapter in our county). I'd love to hear other family's experiences ....

Thanks!

[Alyantavid]

I used to show cows. Both beef steers and dairy heifers (our extension office runs an amazing dairy program). My ds (8) wants to start showing but so far he's only mentioned pigs or chickens. Thank God, cows are an incredible amount of work.

Here, they can start showing through 4H as Cloverbuds, but not until they're 8. And they can't sell at the county fair until they're 9. You should have a county extension office, I'd call them and ask if there's anything available for kids that age.

Cows are alot of work, but it's pretty rewarding too. I loved my animals and as long as you worked with them every day, they got into the showing groove pretty quickly.

[heathenmom]

Thanks for the reminder RE the co-op ext. office!! I went to see them at lunch and talked with a lady who is going to have the ag guy call me. She runs the county 4H program and said that we don't have Cloverbuds because she doesn't have a volunteer to run it. Guess who might have just volunteered? I want to get more information about all it entails, but we were looking at starting our own GS troop ... and I think I'd rather do this instead.

I know that very young kids show at our county fair. There were some kids that looked to be 5 or so showing in the swine competition last year, and a 6-y/o daughter of one of the ext. agents showed a cow last year. So, now I just wait to hear back from the ag guy.

I'm getting so excited!!

[dizzysmom]

I used to show rabbits, poultry, and pigs through 4-H. Around here, you can't start showing with 4-H until you're 8 years old (Cloverbuds can only show non-animal exhibits). DS will be old enough next year, but he doesn't have any interest in joining 4-H. I'm hoping that when DD is old enough she will want to join - I really had a blast doing it!

[MamaMonica]

Here you can't win premiums for showing or handle large animals (cows, horses) until you're a junior (age 9 or grade 3). You can enter as a primary and get a participation ribbon in small animal and other non-livestock projects.

[forestrymom]

I've shown steers, pigs, and horses, and for young kids, pigs/sheep/goats are the way to go to start. You can always "move up" to cows later on. They are just a big strong animal, and even gentle animals get wound up in the showring. My goats are small enough I wouldn't worry at all about either of my older two in any circumstance.

its a lot of fun!

[an_aurora]

I showed lambs and pigs as a kid, from age 9 until I graduated HS and moved away. I loved it and I want to get my kids into 4H when they are old enough. I think with Cloverbuds they can start at age 5 or so with bunnies and chickens. I wouldn't let a kid show steers until they are a bit older (say 12 or so). It's super cute though seeing a teeny kid with a big ol' steer!

[Alyantavid]

I don't want my kids showing steers because it's a ton of work and I just don't know if I'm up to it. But I started showing at 9 and never had any issues, other than a few foot mashings.

[forestrymom]

I showed steers at 9, too, but the op said hers were 3 and 6, which seems a bit young for that.

[Alyantavid]

Maybe. 3 definitely, but I could see 6 depending on the kid. I was mostly commenting on the pp that mentioned waiting until they were 12.