What it Takes to Show Cattle

Elissa with her Herford heifer, Velvet

Elissa Dynes, a seventh gradeer at Annawan Jr. High, is excited to show her Hereford Heifer, Velvet, at this years Henry County Fair. Elissa  showed cattle for the first time in 2012 and then took a year off from showing cattle last year. She originally purchased two exotic breed heifers from an online auction, for this years Henry County Fair, but neither of them worked out.

So in December, she purchased a Hereford heifer from a local breeder Matt Johnson. Elissa named her Velvet because reminded her of Red Velvet Cake. Velvet is a registered Herford, which means she is a purebred and has papers, similar to what a purebred dog may have.

Velvet is very well cared for, everyday she gets:  led, a balanced diet, brushed and hand watered. When it gets a little warmer, Velvet will also start to be washed. She will also have her hooves trimmed and be clipped for the fair, a kind of bovine pedicure.

Elissa brushes Velvet to prepare her for show 

In March, Elissa arranged Velvet to have her hair clipped. Hereford hair is EXTREMELY difficult to work with because it collects a lot of oil. So the winter hair is shaved to allow the new hair to grow in. Velvet is brushed about 30 minutes a day, every day.

Elissa hopes that Velvet will get a blue ribbon and after the fair Velvet will return home to be artificially inseminated by a purebred Hereford bull that Elissa picked out herself.
Next year Velvet will give birth to a calf and is to have Elissa hopes will show that calf in the 2016 Henry County Fair.

The Junior Beef Show is June 27th with the Open Beef Show the next day.