FFA students work for success showing livestock
*This story received an Honorable Mention Individual Achievement Award from UIL’s Interscholastic League Press Conference.
Buying animals to show can be expensive and the time they require can be an abundance. Showing livestock is a big commitment but it can be so rewarding. Taking care of animals is not a hobby but a job for FFA students. It is something these individuals have a passion for.
Junior Kambree Jones started her journey with a $2,280 purchase of a shorthorn steer.
“On top of that I buy six bags of feed biweekly for $15 each,” Jones said.
Jones washes and blow dries him once a week so that his hair is in the ideal condition which takes anywhere from two to three hours.
Jones also walks him once a week which can take anywhere from 30- 45 minutes.
To get her steer into the livestock show there are requirements he has to meet. The steer has to weigh a certain amount prior to each show.
“My favorite part is the connection my steer and I have because we have to bond in order to work with each other to win,” Jones said.
The day of a stock show, Jones arrives at approximately 5 a.m. and starts washing then drying her steer. She also trims his hair and makes sure he has food and water in front of him all day so that he is full when entering the ring. Right before entering the ring, Jones blows the shavings out of his hair and sprays Show Sheen on him to make him shine.
“My steer and I have placed second at a small show, eighth at the State Fair and third at Collin County,” Jones said.
The selling of the animals usually takes place the day after the show.
“The price the animal sells for depends on the show you go to and market price at that time during the year,” Jones said.
Sophomore Emma Cox began her story when she bought her pig for $700. She also spends a total of $1,000 on feed and hair care that will last her pig through the whole season. Once a week, Cox has to change the shavings in the barn which usually takes about an hour. She gives the pig a bath which takes 10 minutes, and walks her for more than 30 minutes. In order to show her pig, it must weigh a certain amount.
“The day of a stock show I give my pig a bath, put oil on her hair or even shave it off,” Cox said.
She attends five stock shows total and after the last one, she puts her pig on the trailer to go to the slaughter house.
“Showing my pig has been a learning experience, you learn new things all the time but showing has to be the best part,” Cox said.
