Morgan Junior Livestock Showmanship and sale information

The Morgan County Fair is almost here, which means the livestock shows are right around the corner. Each livestock show at the fair always starts with showmanship. This year’s Morgan County Jr. Livestock Ambassadors have some tips and tricks to help all the 4-H and FFA livestock kids get ready for this year’s showmanship classes. 

Hog Showmanship tips, by: Brynn Peterson and Jadie Shupe

We are this year's hog ambassadors. We love showmanship and want to share some of our tips and tricks with you. We both have shown together for the past eight years, and we have been to shows all over the state. 

To start off we are going to talk about things to not do in the ring. Having your hand on your hip/buttock is not recommended. It looks awkward and unnatural. Instead, put your elbow on your hip and have your forearm resting in front of your stomach, making it so your hand is there to brush off your pig if needed. You can even carry a brush in that hand if you need to brush off your pig. 

Hair is in, meaning don’t clip your pig. The only part of your pig you need to clip is their head, then you’ll blend the hair into their neck. You also want to be taking care of your pig’s skin now. You don’t want to wait until the fair to start focusing on skin care. This is something that will make you stand out to the judge. If there is a tie in the show the judge may look at your pig’s skin to determine who wins. We like to condition our pigs every day, with conditioners that you can purchase at the dollar store. We also put lotion on our white pigs and oil on our dark pigs to express their color more. 

First impressions are everything, the first three steps into the ring are the most important. Act like you are the best and are going to win. You want to be intense and have good eye contact with the judge. Always stay calm no matter what your pig is doing. When you are a calm showman, it will impress the judge. While you're in the ring, make sure you are making long passes, and wide turns, using the whole ring to show off your pig. Another thing to be thinking about is making sure you are showing all the angles of your pig to the judge the front, back, and sides. And most important of all, remember to have fun!

While you are showing, the judge may ask you questions. Some questions may be about your pig, while others may be about the pig industry itself. You need to make sure that you do your research so that you are ready to answer any questions the judge may ask you. Some examples of questions the judge may ask are: what's your pig's ear notch, how much does your pig weigh, what is your daily routine, what are some issues in the pig industries, etc. Having a good understanding of the pig industry can benefit you in the show!

Some ring tips that we suggest keeping in mind are to make sure you have a whip that you and your pig are comfortable with. To carry either a brush or a rag in the show ring with you. Sometimes judges will sprinkle shavings on your pig, and it is good to have a brush to get it off. Things not to bring in the ring are cell phones, hats, sunglasses, and never chew gum. All these things look unprofessional in the show ring. 

Having a well-trained pig is essential for showmanship. Some judges might leave all the gates open. They also might even have you leave the ring and come back. Some judges might have you switch pigs with another showman. You never know what a judge might ask you to do, they can make you do some pretty crazy stuff. 

Sheep Showmanship tips, by: Kayla Gale & Sydney Jensen

Today we are going to talk about lamb showmanship. Showmanship is a large part of the livestock business as you are showing the lamb. Making the lamb look its best is the most important part of showmanship. When you're showing a lamb there are a few key points to elevate your lamb’s best features. The first way to make this happen is hand walking, the second is setting the legs properly, and third making sure they brace. If we can get our lambs to do this while in the ring, we can create champions.

First, allow the lamb to look its best while walking. This is by far the most important part of the showmanship process. A good way to train them is by hand walking for 15 minutes every day. When we walk our lambs, we want them to walk with their heads held up high and at a pace that will suit the lamb, and yourself. We want them to be constantly putting one foot in front of the other. Sometimes when our lamb doesn’t want to work for us, a good way to get them moving again is by gently tapping their inner side a couple of times. This is better than tapping them on their dock. When we tap them on their dock, they tend to hunch their backs and pull their back legs under them. This makes the lamb look bad and makes the judge less interested in you or your lamb. When we have a lamb that will hand walk correctly, it makes the judge see you in a favorable way and gives you a better chance for success in the show ring.

The second key point of showmanship is keeping your lamb set correctly. Setting the legs in the right spot is what the judge sees the most, so doing this correctly is important. Oftentimes in the show ring, our lambs’ legs can be off by even the smallest amount and it can cause us to lose the win. When you set the legs, you want to make sure you aren’t stretching them too far, this is called supermanning them. We also don’t want to set them too close to each other, when we do this, they become hunched in their back. When setting the legs we want to make sure the back legs are slightly extended, and the front legs are straight off their front shoulders. To make sure the legs are set, look over the lamb. If you can see both hocks, the back legs are set correctly. You want to set the front legs directly underneath the lamb. When you set legs, take a step to the side while still holding their head, and make sure they don’t look stretched or not stretched enough. Hand-setting legs is considered better than pushing them with your feet or bracing until they set.

The last key point of showmanship is bracing. They don’t need to be bracing the entire time, as long as they look like they are bracing. A good way to help them learn how to brace is by backing them down a hill or bracing them into a ditch. This way they will learn to drive uphill. We also want to make sure when they brace their front end does not sink. This does not make the lamb look good, and this makes it harder to brace. Make sure as you are bracing your lamb, they are standing tall and holding their head up properly.

Showmanship is about how you and your lamb look together. When your lamb works well for you, it makes you look better. We want to make sure you and your lamb look your best. We want your lamb to have a fresh, clean hide and clean leg wool. Also, make sure we look professional and confident.

In conclusion, hand walking is the most important thing in the show ring. We want their heads held high and have them walking at a pace where the lamb is constantly moving and looking its best. Next, when setting the legs we want them in the right place and not off from one another. We don’t want them supermanning but we also don’t want them hunched. And third, making sure they brace. Allowing your lamb to stand tall and drive forward. If you have any questions about this, please contact us. 

Show time

We have two weeks until the fair, so be sure to practice with your animals every day! The weather has been hot so be sure that you and your livestock stay well hydrated. We want to wish everyone the best of luck. If you see us during the fair and have any questions, please be sure to ask. We are happy to help in any way we can. See you at the fair!

What to expect at the Jr. Livestock sale Aug. 3

If you have ever been to an auction, you know it is fast-paced and full of action. The Morgan County Jr. Livestock Sale is no different. On the day of the sale, the exhibitors are hustling to prepare their animals for the sale. Fair patrons are wandering around to view the livestock projects, and you, the buyer are trying to find out how to complete the buyer registration process. We would like to make this a little easier for you this year and give you a step-by-step look at a day in the life of a Morgan County Jr. Livestock Buyer. 

When you arrive at the Morgan County Fairgrounds on Saturday, August 3, 2024, you will be directed to the buyer’s parking lot. From there, make your way to the north end of Ray Little Pavilion. Go to the Buyer’s sign-in table and pick up your buyer’s number. You will be asked for contact information for billing and meat-cutting instructions. After you have received your number, please enjoy the complimentary donuts and juice/coffee. Feel free to wander around the barn and observe our youth preparing their animals for the sale. The steers, hogs, and lambs are located under the pavilion. 

The sale will begin at 10:00 a.m. The Grand and Reserve Champions from each species will sell first beginning with the steers, then hogs, then lambs. After the champions have sold, the animals will sell in order of their placing in the show ring. The sale program will designate blue, then red ribbon animals. White ribbon animals are not eligible for the sale. We sell a predetermined number of steers followed by hogs and then lambs in a rotation. For example: 2 steers, 10 hogs, 6 lambs. 

If you would like to bid on an animal, please raise your buyer number into the air. Our ringmen will acknowledge your bid with a LOUD shout! The auctioneer will then continue to ask for a higher price. If you are outbid, the ringmen will look to you to bid again. If you are successful in buying the animal, a 4-H/FFA member will bring you a buyer’s slip. On this slip, you will indicate if you would like to keep the animal and have it processed or if you would like to pay the amount between what you bid and what the floor price is for the animal. This information is on the sales program. If you choose to keep the animal, you will need to indicate on the buyer’s slip where you would like to have the animal processed. You will be responsible for the cost of the cut and wrap. As a small gesture of thanks, you will also be given 2 tickets to the buyer’s lunch for each animal you purchase. 

Following the sale, please go to the Settlement Table on the south side of the pavilion and pay for your animal(s). You may pay with a check, credit card, or choose to have us send you an invoice. From there, please  enjoy the buyer’s lunch.

What is the Live Weigh vs. Hanging Weight and what kind of yield can I expect?

There is always some confusion about how much an animal weighs when it is purchased at the sale and how much meat will actually be put into the freezer. We hope that the following will help you determine what it all means. Live weight is the weight of the animal before slaughter. The hanging weight or carcass weight is the weight of the slaughtered animal as it hangs from the rail. At this point, the hide and organs have been removed. The animal is then cut into packaged meat cuts. Freezer weight is how much meat goes into the freezer after it is packaged. 

Buyer’s corner processing and cuts of meat

Determining how to have your animal processed can be confusing. At the Morgan County Jr. Livestock Sale, we try to make this process as easy as possible. After the sale, representatives from some of our different processing companies will be there to help you through this process. Before you arrive, it is always nice to have a better understanding of what you can expect to get from your purchased animal. The following is a general list for steer, hog, and lamb. 

Note: All animals are purchased whole. You will need to find someone to share with if you don’t want the entire animal. We may be able to help you if you are unable to find anyone. 

Steer:  A quarter of beef will not take up more than 3 shelves in a side-by-side refrigerator or two ordinary-size ice chests. (for a whole beef x 4) 

· 2-3 chuck roasts 

· 1-2 cross rib roasts 

· 3 – 4 packages of short ribs 

· 2-3 London broil 

· 1 bottom round roast 

· 1 sirloin tip roast 

· 1 brisket 

· 2-3 packages of sirloin steaks 

· 3-4 packages of New York steaks or 2 packages of T-bone steaks 

· 2 packages of Tenderloin steaks or 1-2 packages of porterhouse steaks 

· 4 packages of rib steaks 

· 2 packages of round steaks 

· 1 tri-tip 

· 2 – 3 packages of stew meat 

· Approximately 10 – 20 packages of hamburger in1 & 1/2 lb. package 

Hog: A half of a hog will take approximately two shelves in a side-by-side refrigerator. (for a whole hog x2) 

· 2 pork roasts 

· 4 packages of shoulder steaks 

· 7-8 packages of pork chops 

· 2 packages of spare ribs 

· 5-6 packages of fresh side (bacon that is not cured or smoked) 

· 1/2 fresh ham (not cured or smoked) 

· 2-4 packages of ham steaks 

· 2 packages sirloin chops 

· 2 packages of spare ribs 

· 6-9 packages of breakfast sausage 

Lamb: A whole lamb will take approximately two shelves in a side-by-side refrigerator. 

· 8 packages shoulder chops -2 chops per package 

· 4 packages of 4 rib racks, Frenched 

· 4 packages loin chops -4 chops per package 

· 2 packages of single-packed foreshanks 

· 2 packages of single-packed hind shanks 

· 2 packages of Denver ribs 

· 2 packages single-packed sirloin steaks 

· 2 packages bone-in leg roasts 

· 2-4 packages of meaty neck slices for stock or stew 

 Our hope is this will help you be better prepared when the sale date arrives. If you have any questions about this    process, please feel free to call: 

Craig or Leslie Shupe, Chairmen of 

Morgan Jr. Livestock Committee 801-791-1079 or 801-791-5579.

How a purchase is made/boosts

• When you wish to place a bid on the animal in the ring, raise your hand until the ring man acknowledges your bid. Bids are based on dollars per head. The buyer is the highest bidder.

• All buyers need to register at the sales table where they will receive a bid number. Upon being recognized as the buyer, you will be asked for your buyer number or your name, business, or group that you represent. (Buyers’ numbers are encouraged to assure proper recognition by the auctioneer.)

• A representative of the Morgan County Jr. Livestock group will bring a sales receipt to you. You will verify the sale price and indicate how you are purchasing your animal. If you are keeping the animal, indicate where you would like to send it to be processed. 

• Boost option:  This is a great option if you don’t want to purchase an animal, but still want to support a livestock exhibitor. A boost is a monetary donation that can be given to any exhibitor in any amount. You can contribute to the exhibitor by saying, “Great job on your project.” If you would like to boost, go to this link: https://morganjrlivestock.wixsite.com/website or locate the boost table under the office tent on the day of the sale. 

How to pay for your purchase 

• Credit cards accepted: 3% fee added

• Make checks payable to: Morgan Junior Livestock Sale 

• Payment is encouraged on the day of the sale. 

• Payments not made at the close of the sale should be sent to: 

• Venmo: @MorganJr-Livestock

• Checks can be mailed:

 Morgan County Jr. Livestock Sale 

PO BOX 14 

Morgan, UT 84050