The Rural Voice, 1981-03, Page 37THE YOUNG FARMER
Local gfrl shows
prize winning steers
BY DEBBIE RANNEY
A lot goes into raising a prize-winning
beef animal and 18 year old Jennifer Rock
of R.R. 3. Monkton ought to know. She
has won numerous prizes with her steers
and heifers since becoming a 4-H
member eight years ago.
Jennifer who has competed in the
Queen's Guineas class at the Royal
Winter Fair in Toronto for three years will
go again this year.
Classes for the beef cattle at the Royal -
include Limousin and Shorthorn.
Winners are placed into three prize
groups. For the last two years, Jennifer
and her calf have placed in the first prize
group. The year before that she got into
the third group.
Jennifer's interest in showing cattle
comes naturally as her mother used to go
to the Royal when she was younger. Any
4-H member 14 years of age by January 1
is eligible to enter the senior steer class at
the Royal.
Every year Jennifer shows her calf at
the 4-H Achievement Day at the Mitchell
Fair. Two years ago she won first for
showmanship for her club. Last year she
won for showmanship in her own club and
also against the Mitchell club.
Not only have her heifers and steers
won in Perth, but in Huron County as
well. Before Monkton had a beef club,
Jennifer competed with her calves in the
Huron County club. Her steer placed first
in the class for showmanship at the
Brussels fair four years ago and in the
Huron County 4-H show at Seaforth, she
had the grand champion heifer both three
and four years ago.
The steer Jennifer is raising now was
born off the heifer that was the grand
champion from the start of her 4-H
membership. Getting the animal ready
for competition goes something like this!
The calf is raised on the cow for quite a
JENNIFER ROCK
while and after being taken off is given
hay and fed barley corn and concentrate.
When 4-H members want their steers to
gain weight, they give them Extra -Vim,
Steak Maker or a similar product. The
calves also have to be walked a fair bit to
harden the muscles.
Calves have to gain at least 2.3 pounds
per day for 150 days on an average and
the 4-H member is expected to keep a
record of that. The weigh-in takes place
in the first week of May and again in the
first week of October and determines
whether or not the animal gained 2.3
pounds per day. They have to be seen and
weighed on and off by the 4-H co-
ordinator.
In looking for a prize winning steer,
Jennifer says, the judges want something
long with long legs, a nice straight top
line, a good rump, well -quartered and
strong legs.
As for the difference between raising
the Limousin -Angus cross and other
breeds, Jennifer said the Limousin are
fairly new, they seem to be winning a lot
more awards and the meat is really good.
Limousin -Angus are good gainers she
said and they dress out to higher
percentage than most other cattle.
"They've always done well for me,"
Jennifer said.
Jennifer has always raised Limousin
and Angus -cross steers and she plans to
keep showing until she reaches age limit
19 years old by January 1.
She says she enjoys the 4-H work
because most of her friends are in 4-H.
"you can meet a lot of people and you can
win a lot of things." she said.
In other 4-H activities, Jennifer has
gone on two 4-H exchange trips and a
leadership trip and has completed 12
agricultural clubs.
THE RURAL VOICE/ MARCH 1981 PG. 31