A3B-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 6, 2001
Farm Show Preparation
(Continued from Pag* A 1)
hour to an hour and a half to dry
one.
“This is the busiest time of the
year with Farm Show steers plus
summer show steers. Right now
I have six cattle that are getting
geared up to be shown.”
The payoff is the coat grows
better and is conditioned. Keep
ing the animals clean, on wood
chips, and the fans going on
them during the day keeps the
animals cool and promotes hair
growth.
“If you don’t want to do it
(show animals competitively),
you’re not going to go out and
rinse calves every day,” said
Nate, who said that show ring
preparation and exhibition
teaches responsibility.
Simply handling the animals
every day makes the them more
manageable during show time.
“It helps working with them to
get them halter broke. It gets
them used to you when you’re
with them every day,” said
Nate. “Whenever you go any
where with them, then they’re
calmer.”
Nate likens working with ani
mals at home to completing
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homework. “It’s like a big test.
If you don’t do your homework,
you’re going to fail the test.”
“It makes a big difference,”
said Joseph. “When you go to fit
them, they’re not going to be
kicking at you or fighting to get
away.”
The steers’ feeding program is
another facet of show ring prep
aration. Nate’s Shorthorn is “a
little soft, so we changed the
feed around and he gets walked
one mile every day.” he said.
Nate plans to take a steer, heifer,
and pig to the Farm Show.
Preparation for the lambs in
cludes an exercise program on
the ramp three times a week, ac
cording to Joseph. “The first
time they’re not sure what’s
going on, but it’s easier after
that,” he said. This year Joseph
plans to take a steer, Angus
heifer, crossbred lamb, and
crossbred hog to the fair.
Besides exercising the lambs,
and WV
The Tices mix their own feed
for the hogs and keep a careful
eye on the hogs’ weight. The
hogs will also be clipped just
before the show.
The brothers will also move
the hogs periodically before the
show so they get used to han
dling, since managing hogs in
the large Farm Show ring and
maneuvering the animals
through the crowd proves to be a
challenge, according to the
Tices.
Besides readying the animals,
Farm Show preparation also en
Joseph also routinely works
with the lambs for show ring
preparation. “I teach them to set
their feet right, to brace into me
so they will flex their top and
legs,” he said.
“It doesn’t take too much as
long as they’re not too stub
born,” said Nate.
“It’s a matter of getting them
to stand still for a certain
amount of time,” said Joseph.
tails an all-out, behind-the
scenes effort. “People don’t
think about all the work that
goes into the display,” said
Joseph, “Like the dividers be
tween the stalls or the signs to
hang up.”
“Packing is the hardest part,”
said Nate. “I get nervous about
what I forgot right before we’re
ready to leave.”
He recalled the time when the
Tices were headed to Eastern
Nationals in Maryland. He
packed the trailer but forgot his
clothes, which prompted a quick
phone call to another Lebanon
Lancaster Farming
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resident, who also unfortunately
forgot the clothes the next day>
“I had to make an emergency
shopping trip for clothes and a
toothbrush,” said Nate.
Years of experience have been
an important teacher for the
brothers. Said Nate, “When I
think I have a really good
chance I get nervous, but it’s not
good for you or your animal
when you get nervous. Just slow
down and take your time.”
Besides the Farm Show, the
brothers exhibit their animals at
(Turn to Page A 39)
See