Should I raise a cow for fair?

[4HLady]

Hello everyone I am new to this forum.I my mom and I are usually on backyardchickens. I have the most experience with poultry and I do well with my chickens every year at fair and other shows. Next year I want to show something different at fair along with my chickens. My friend who I have known for a very long time is trying to convince me to show a cow. I have horses but I have never had anything as big as a cow.She took be into the cow barn and to be honest I was a little scared. Even though she is as small as me(around five feet tall and 100lbs) I still couldn't imagine raising one or trying to lead one. I know next to nothing about cows other than the people who sell them make a descent amount. So I have a couple questions:


In general are cows as nice as horses?

What is a good beginner breed of cow?

What are some of the + and - of raising cows?

If I raised a beef cow would I have to sell it for meat or could I sell it back to a breeder?
( If it were a nice cow I think I would get way too attached to it to sell it for meat)

 

[Stubbornhillfarm]

A consideration for you may be to find a farmer that is near by that would let you "raise" one of his cows. You could do the work and keep it at his farm. That way you could learn the ropes, get comfortable with cows and go from there. I have got to think that there are plenty of farmers around who already take their cows to the fair that would let you do such a thing. Just a suggestion. Lets see what others might suggest.

 

[herfrds]

Ok first are you asking about a bred heifer (female) or a steer (castrated male)?

I would go with a Hereford with a good temperment your first year and then maybe change to a different breed like Angus or Maine Anjoun.
I watched a MA steer drag it's owner around the showring one year. seen some Angus do the same thing.

Our vets daughter has bought a steer from us for the last 4 years for 4-H. She had one that no matter how high up she tied him he would find a way to lay down and sleep.

If you raise the steer for 4-H they are normally sold at the end in an auction.

 

[greybeard]

Should you raise one? Of course, but then I think everyone should once in their lives. Keep in mind tho, that calves are a lot more work than poultry, if for no other reason than they are a lot bigger and have at least as much strength, muscle mass and stamina as you do. They are also more expensive in terms of initial cost, feed, and equipmwent. Unless it is your last year eligible, get with one of your friends who is rasing a show calf and learn as much as possible from them this year, then next show season, raise your own.

As "gentle" as horses? That depends--I've known some horses that gentle doesn't describe, and others that were just big babies.
Calves, just like horses tho, can be trained to do as you want them to do. It takes some time--a LOT of patience, and a fair amount of work, but for my money, it's well worth the effort. Good luck to you!

 

[kacey142]

Hi, Im new to this website I didnt know if i should raise a calf . Right now i have 9 goats and im in a 4-club. Im looking for a pet steer, eventually i know i will have to sell it but should i start of with a black angus calf? I know it willl be a lot different then 9 goats but i wanted to try a new species of animal. Im in a dairy club so i will learn about dairy cow . What kind of cow should i start with? I did round robin last year and i showed a dairy cow and thought it was pretty cool. It was really small and nice.

 

[Royd Wood]

A consideration for you may be to find a farmer that is near by that would let you "raise" one of his cows. You could do the work and keep it at his farm. That way you could learn the ropes, get comfortable with cows and go from there. I have got to think that there are plenty of farmers around who already take their cows to the fair that would let you do such a thing. Just a suggestion. Lets see what others might suggest.

A good suggestion here and we do exactly that with a friend of my daughters, She comes down for halter training and general working with the cattle then the two of them do the 4H fall fairs then the National Galloway show at the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto.
Go for it and enjoy

In general are cows as nice as horses? - All comes down to show day and what kind of mood their in

What is a good beginner breed of cow? - I've seen all sorts of breeds showing well - sometimes cattle losing it totally and fully grown guys and galls getting taken for a ringside ride

What are some of the + and - of raising cows? - The hay bill - lots of + and only a few -

GO WITH YOUR FRIENDS REQUEST AND SHOW ONE OF THEIR CALVES NEXT YEAR
Good luck

 

[herfrds]

Kacey I would look at a different breed for the first steer. I'd go with either a Hereford or as Royd will say a Galloway.
Better temperments.
I've seen too many 4-H kids get dragged around the arenea or not be able to even show their steers because of that breeds temperment.

yes we owned a black angus bull......... once and never again. After $600 worth of damage to our corral and loss in open heifers plus he tried to charge me we got rid of him.

 

[WildRoseBeef]

Hi, Im new to this website I didnt know if i should raise a calf . Right now i have 9 goats and im in a 4-club. Im looking for a pet steer, eventually i know i will have to sell it but should i start of with a black angus calf? I know it willl be a lot different then 9 goats but i wanted to try a new species of animal. Im in a dairy club so i will learn about dairy cow . What kind of cow should i start with? I did round robin last year and i showed a dairy cow and thought it was pretty cool. It was really small and nice.

Black Angus cattle are BEEF cattle, not dairy. If you want a dairy calf, go Jersey, Holstein, Brown Swiss, Ayrshire, Guernsey, or any other breed that has dairy characteristics and is bred for dairy, not beef.

But if you want to switch to beef cattle, go Hereford or Red Poll or even Galloway, but stay away from them crazy Angus unless you know what you are looking for in terms of temperament (which I doubt you do....no offense). Also stay the heck away from Charolais, Limousin, Maine Anjou and Saler cattle.

 

[VioletandBodie]

for your inexperance and and size i would say go with a spring yearly for your first year (you gotta start somwhere)

In general are cows as nice as horses? some are nicer some arnt depends on how they were raised personaly i like cows over horses for temperment but im baised because i have alwas worked with cows

What is a good beginner breed of cow? i alwas love a clasic holstein but brown swises can be real sweat hearts to

What are some of the + and - of raising cows? Pros: there fun, nice, playful, uniqe, good at suplying you with milk and cheese Cons: there expenisve, they need a strong confident trainer, can be moody, needs space and grasing, food, medical etc

i would say go for it its a great and fun thing to do i have been showing for over 7 years its great even when you dont win. you meet so many nice people and make soom real friends.

 

[greybeard]

Kacey I would look at a different breed for the first steer. I'd go with either a Hereford or as Royd will say a Galloway.
Better temperments.
I've seen too many 4-H kids get dragged around the arenea or not be able to even show their steers because of that breeds temperment.

yes we owned a black angus bull......... once and never again. After $600 worth of damage to our corral and loss in open heifers plus he tried to charge me we got rid of him.

I'm kinda the same way, from an experience as a teenager when I was going to show an Angus heifer. Might have just been this particular animal, but she was the most stubborn bovine I've had the misfortune to be around--coulda just been me too.... I'm being easy on myself , but let's just say she led me a lot more than me leading her. The word "drag" does come to mind. The next year I went with a polled Hereford, and next year showed a hog with much better results both times. Wow--was that really 45 years ago already?
But to be fair, I have seen some Angus show calves that behaved perfectly while being shown and led by young ladies no bigger than a button.