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 Preparing to show cattle takes a lot more than loading them in the
trailer. Proper preparation takes place months before the show.
Your cattle have got to be ready to compete against tough competition.
Getting the proper nutrition to your show cattle will make them more
resilient in the ring. Whether you are preparing for your sale, the
fall show, or your local 4-H achievement day, not having your show
cattle on the proper diet can leave you with an under finished, mediocre
animal.
Show
cattle require a unique diet which should start up to three months in
advance of their first show. Providing an appropriate diet will ensure
that your show cattle fill out properly, hold their condition, keep
their immune system strong, and attain that healthy shine that gets
cattle noticed in the ring.
 In order
to get those cattle to the condition they need to be, we need to start
making sure we have got the little things taken care of. Are they
getting enough starch? Too much starch? Less Protein? More Protein? Have
they got enough vitamins? Are they going to go off feed once I get them
to the show? The key is balance.
In
order to have them properly fitted for show day, show
cattle need more starch in their diet than pasture cattle.
However, too high a starch content can cause hoof problems and cut a
show animal's future short.
 The key to proper nutrition is to maintain
a balanced level of starch in their diet 60-90 days before the show. This will allow you to get thickness on your show cattle and it won’t
have the poor effect on their feet that an overfed, starch-based ration
will.
Feeding
your show cattle too much protein in the months before the show will
limit their ability to fill out properly. In order to slow the frame
growth and really thicken up your cattle a reduced protein diet is
required. Decreasing the protein and increasing the energy will get you
the condition you need in the show ring.
Show
cattle are also exposed to a lot more stress and, hence, are more
susceptible to disease than other cattle. That’s why it is important
that your show rations contain a balanced level of minerals. Increased
stress can come from transportation, increased human contact, and being
in the barn with dozens of other show cattle. In order for your show
cattle to maintain their health they need to have a strong immune
system.
When
developing a ration for show cattle the Country Junction Animal
Nutrition Team has formulated feeds that will help you get noticed in
the ring. Our Show Cattle Conditioners and Show Cattle
Growers are custom formulated with the proper amount of starch and
protein to get your cattle fitted for the ring. The infusion of proper
minerals and vitamins insure that your cattle are getting their proper
reproductive development and maintaining a strong immune system.
 Co-op Country Junction also has feeds specially
formulated for terminal animals. Our 4-H rations are designed to
get your calves to the front of the class. Ensuring good growth and
proper finish, our 4-H rations are designed to get you the maximum
return for your investment. They are designed for the terminal
animal that is also going to have some of the similar requirements as
show cattle. That is why we have formulated these feeds to meet
the same demands as our show cattle feeds, yet, keeping in mind that
they are for a terminal animal engineered for feed conversion.
All
feeds designed for show cattle are specially formulated to make your
cattle look the way you know they should on the day when they need to be
noticed. For more information about how Co-op Country Junction Show
Cattle Feeding programs will get you noticed in the ring call
1-800-729-9155 or, to request more information about how these feeds are
formulated for performance and increasing your bottom line contact us
via email. |
