Livestock Across Nebraska: Dairy!

Part three! Livestock Across Nebraska is actually a five part series that I started last summer, but never finished. In honor of June being Dairy Month, this post is all about showing dairy cattle. The person\

I interviewed for this is one of my best friends, Anna Ready. Anna graduated from Logan View high school this year and she has shown dairy cattle for a long time. She is currently serving as the 2020 Nebraska Dairy Princess! She lives on a family farm near Scriber, NE and will be attending Oklahoma State University studying Agricultural Education.

On the day of the show there is always a lots to do to prepare, no matter what the species! Anna told me that she starts at 4:00AM with washing. For those who aren't familiar with showing livestock, the reason that livestock are washed super clean, brushed and dried is because it helps the hair on cattle look better. It is also very important because the judge doesn't just look at the frame, muscle, or productivity of the animal, they are also judging you on how you present them and put in time to prepare for the show. After they are all washed up, it's time to fit the Toplines and clip final touches, which means making sure all the hair looks even and smooth. After that, it's time to get dressed for the show ring and go!

I love asking people about the favorite memories of their time showing livestock. Between long road trips, seeing some great friends, seeing some cool places, and learning some amazing life lessons it can be hard to pick! Anna told me that her favorite memory of showing livestock is showing at the Nebraska State Fair, probably because she got to see me! Haha! Her advice to younger showmen was to "Never be afraid to ask questions, never be afraid to ask questions, be kind to everyone, it is okay to be wrong! If you truly want to be a good showman, don’t buy an animal to win the show, but an animal that you can learn with. Work hard to train them and learn as much as you can. Be a sponge throughout ALL of your show career!"