822-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 27, 1991
CHESTER D. HUGHES
Extension Agent, Livestock
For 4-H and FFA members,
showing livestock at a roundup or
fair can be the highlight of your
project year.
Shows provide an opportunity
to let people learn about agricul
ture, youth programs, and the meat
industry. Showmanship is an an in
which the showperson exhibits an
animal in a manner to highlight its
strengths. In other words, the
showperson wants to leave a good
image of the animal in the judge's
mind.
Showing a livestock project has
several benefits for the exhibitor.
You will learn a lot about yourself
and your animal, how to be patient,
and how to enjoy competition.
Showing will also give you the
chance to compare your project
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10’ i.
F
A
R
MANAGEMENT
LABOR EFFICIENCY
Duane Stevenson
Farm Management Agent
Northampton, Lehigh
and Schuylkill
Counties
This is the final article in the series written by the
five southeastern/central Penn State Extension farm
management agents, covering various farm profitabil
ity and efficiency measurement tools and ratios.
In recent years, labor has become a costly resource.
High wage rates in non-farm sectors have caused wage
increases for farm labor.
The general public seems to favor comparable wage
rates for industry and agricultural labor. If a farmer desires
to pay fair wages or is to be well paid for his own labor, it is
essential that the work be productive.
The wages which can be paid will depend on the result
ing product. Keeping labor fully employed at productive
work would make it possible to pay wages and fringe ben
efits which are comparable with similar non-farm
employment.
One of the problems facing a farmer in organizing the
farm business is to estimate the amount of labor needed
and its allocation to get the work done at the proper time.
By comparing the available labor with the amount needed,
you can determine what adjustments must be made to
balance the needs with the supply.
A meaningful measure and valid comparisons of labor
efficiency are difficult to obtain. Where there is low vol
ume of production, it is extremely difficult to get efficient
use of labor.
A 300-acre dairy farm uses labor more efficiently than
on a grain farm of the same size. Thus it is advisable to
compare dairy farms with other dairy farms, grain farms
with other grain farms, etc.
Still, there may be considerable differences in volume
among dairy farms of the same number of acres. If we are
making comparison within the same size and type of
farms, we can make a further grouping according to the
level of mechanization, or those having similar machinery
investments. Then labor efficiency measure should be
meaningful.
Some labor measures which can help us to evaluate effi
ciency are: •
• Labor Cost Per Tillable Acre which includes the val
ue placed on operator and family labor plus the amount
spent for hired labor, expressed on a tillable acre basis.
Livestock
Ledger
By
Chester D. Hughes
Extension Livestock Specialist
with those of other 4-H and FFA
members.
Showing is fairly easy. The best
way to learn how to show is by
watching someone else do it. Work
with an experienced showperson,
such as another member of your
club. He or she could practice with
you and show you how to move the
animal the way you will need to.
Following are some tips for
showing beef, swine, and sheep.
When exhibiting beef cattle,
some of the things you will need to
train your animal to do are:
• To set the four feet under the
"comers" of the body. Use a show
stick to position the feet properly.
• Keep the head up by holding
the halter.
• Lead it around with the halter
and lead.
Measuring Labor
Efficiency
Beef
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• Scratch the belly with your
show stick to straighten its back.
You need to be in control of
your animal's movements around
the show ring at all times. You
should stand at your animal's left
side. Always follow the instruc
tions of the judge and ring person.
The judge will move around the
show ring to get a good look at the
animals from all sides. Try to keep
your animal between you and the
judge. Don't block the judge's view
of your animal.
Smile, be attentive, and look at
the judge. Eye contact between
you and the judge is very impor
tant. Be courteous to other show
persons, too.
When you enter your animal in a
show, you are also entering your
self. Keep yourself clean and neat,
too. Wear clean clothes and boots
and brush your hair. Some shows
have dress codes which must be
followed.
What will the judge be looking
for in you and your beef animal?
In type classes, the judge will
look at how well your animal and
the other animals in the class com
pare with an ideal market or breed
ing animal.
In showmanship classes, the
judge will look at how well you
present and control your animal.
In fitting classes the judge will
look at how clean and well-
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During a swine show, your job
is to guide and direct the pig with
your show cane or whip.
You need to be in control of
your pig's movements around the
show ring. To guide the pig, use a
cane or whip to gently tap it on the
side. Teach your pig to turn or stop
by tapping lightly on its nose or
side. Also use your cane or whip to
keep your pig from rooting the
ground with its snout and from
moving into the comers of the pen.
Keep your pig away from the
other pigs and keep it moving.
Sometimes pigs will fight with
one another! A hurdle or panel is
used to break up fights between
pigs. Don't try to break up a fight
yourself.
Never hit your pig on the ham,
put your hand on the pig's back,
move too fast, or be mean to your
Pig-
The judge will move around the
show ring to get a good look at the
animals from all sides. Always
keep the pig between you and the
judge. You don’t ever want to
block the judge's view of your ani
mal. Smile, be attentive, and look
at the judge. Eye contact between
you and the judge is very impor
tant. Be courteous to other show
persons, too.
When you enter your pig in a
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show, you are also entering your
self. Keep yourself clean and neat,
too. Wear clean clothes and boots
or shoes and brush your hair. Some
shows have dress codes which
must be followed.
What will the judge be looking
for in you and your pig? There may
be three things:
• Fitting how well the ani
mal is cleaned and groomed.
• Showmanship how well
the showperson controls and pre
sents the animal.
• Type or Conformation
how similar the pig is to the ideal
animal for its purpose. For exam
ple, a class of market hogs would
be judged on their size, structure
and meatiness.
Sheep
When showing your sheep pro
ject, know where die judge is and
make the sheep look its best all the
time.
Keep the sheep between you and
the judge so the judge sees the
sheep. Be alert and ready to follow
the instructions of the judge.
Have the sheep well-trained
before the show so the sheep will
do what is expected.
• Be ready to enter the nng when
your class is called.
• Line up where the judge or ring
worker tells you to.
• Kneel beside the sheep when
showing, but don't put your knees
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