Show Lamb Guide - The Judging Connection .com

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Page 1
SHOW-RITE® Show Lamb Feeds are designed for the exhibitor who
wants their lamb to perform its very best.
• Added Ammonium Chloride to help prevent
urinary calculi
• Added Probiotics to optimize digestion
• Protienated Mineral for better mineral utilization
and absorption
• Heat Processed Grains to aid in digestibility
• Medicated with Deccox® to help control coccidiosis
Quality in every bag!
The name says it all!
W60310 (Rev. 01/09)
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Show-Rite® Show Lamb Weight Calculator
SUCCESS...
Where preparation, dedication and hard work come together!
Show-Rite® Lamb Power D13.6 (#66A2)
A complete lamb creep formulated to be fed to lambs
2-12 weeks of age. Medicated with Deccox® for
coccidiosis control.
17% Show Lamb D15 (#650C)
A texturized complete feed designed to be fed
continuously to growing and finishing show lambs.
Medicated with Deccox® for coccidiosis control.
17% Show Lamb D11.35 (#650P)
A pelleted complete feed designed to be fed continuously
to growing and finishing show lambs. Medicated with
Deccox® for coccidiosis control.
The Show-Rite® Show Feeds ... Putting You in the SpotLite!
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It’s Show Time!
Page 3
Putting You in the SpotLite
1st
Figure 9: Have your lamb properly braced
Have your lamb properly braced when the judge handles your lamb.
Remember, always keep the lamb bracing properly because you may
only have 10 to 15 seconds to influence the judge’s opinion.
If your lamb gets out of line, you will need to “circle” it. This is
done by pulling your lamb forward, going through the area where
your lamb was standing and coming back through the same place.
Never back your lamb out, as this is an example of overpowering the
animal, which will break the lamb of the will to brace.
Keep your lamb between yourself and the judge and do not cover
your lamb with your body, thus blocking the judge’s view.
The most important values to remember in showmanship:
Win without bragging!
Lose without complaining!
1st
Congratulate the winners!
Do your best ... that’s all you can do!
Don’t ever give up!
The class is not over
until the ribbons are distributed.
12
The show lamb industry is a very competitive game. The
management of your lamb project will determine the difference
between being in the “SpotLite” or watching from the sidelines.
Many hours of hard work and dedication are needed to get your
lamb in show shape. This hard work and dedication to your project
starts the day you get your lamb home.
is the gratification
of being able to present your lamb in a well-presented manner and
know that you have done everything to make your lamb look the
“BEST” on show day.
The payoff for all of this hard work and time
This guide is intended to help you learn management techniques to
help you put your animal in the “SpotLite” on show day!
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Getting Off to the “Rite” Start
”Getting Ready to Rumble”
Knowing the date of the fair and matching the weight and frame size of
your lamb will help immensely with the success of your lamb project.
This is not difficult to do and will help make your project look its best on
show day.
A simple and easy way to know what size your lamb should be is to
know the date of your show and the desired show weight for your
project. Keep in mind that not all lambs will look their best at the same
weight. This is where frame size and the maturity level come into
importance in figuring the correct weight for your lamb project. Simply
take an average daily gain of 0.50 to 0.75 pound per day of gain and
“back figure” what the correct weight should be at purchase time.
Sale Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 15th
Lamb Weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 pounds
Show Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . August 10th
Desired Show Weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 pounds
Weight Gained until Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 pounds
Days until Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 days
Average Daily Gain
(Needed to reach desired market weight) . . . . 0.45 pounds
Example:
(See “Show•Rite® Show Lamb Weight Calculator” on page 13.)
When you get your lamb home:
Have a clean, dry, well-bedded pen ready for your lamb prior to
bringing the animal home. Avoid any drafts and have access to clean,
fresh water at all times. Feed your lambs high quality alfalfa hay for the
first three days when you get your lamb home. Gradually introduce your
show feed to the lamb during the first three days. Feed very small
amounts of feed and gradually increase your lamb to full feed over an
extended period of time.
Figure 8: Keep your lamb alert.
While getting your lamb ready for show is important, it is
equally important that you are also “show day ready.” This includes
being properly attired for the occasion. If you look the part, you will
be the part.
•
•
•
No caps or hats should be worn.
Be neat in appearance but not overdressed.
No halters should be used in the show ring.
Before you show your lamb, go to the show ring and become
familiar with the ring and how the judge handles the lambs. This can
give you a decided advantage later on when you are going to show
your lamb. Watch how the judge evaluates a class so that you know
how he works the lambs in the ring. A good showman will
emphasize the strong points of the lamb and minimize the weak points.
Remain calm at all times and display a pleasant facial expression.
Stay alert and keep one eye on the judge and one eye on your project.
Be courteous to all exhibitors and find a good place to set your lamb
up, making the lamb look its very best. Stay out of the corners, out of
low places in the show ring and leave plenty of space between you
and other exhibitors. Set your lamb properly, keeping the body and
neck in a straight and upright position.
Keep the lamb’s head up at all times and ears forward. Keep the lamb
alert and “on its toes.”
2
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Show Day Preparation
When you get your lamb home:
Dock
Loin
Shoulder
Leg
Figure 6: “Slick shearing”
There is more to getting your lamb ready for the show than just getting it
sheared. Lambs should be washed prior to shearing with any livestock soap or
commercial dishwashing liquid soap. Make sure that you get all of the soap
rinsed out of your lamb’s wool prior to shearing. After the lamb is rinsed, use
either a blow dryer or chamois to dry your lamb.
Some people like to
shear their lambs while the wool is still damp but, by
washing your lamb prior to shearing, you will not only
extend clipper blade life, you will also get a closer,
smoother cut on your lamb’s wool. This will make your
lamb feel “tighter hided” and firmer to the touch. By
clipping closer to the time of the show, you will also
help your lamb keep the appearance of a tighter hide and
a smoother handle.
Shearing tips and equipment:
Figure 7: One area of
caution when shearing
The smoothest and closest shear for your lamb can be
achieved by using durable, high-quality clippers. The
appropriate blade and accurate blade tensioning will lessen the probability of
cutting the lamb when shearing the caution areas. Areas of caution when
shearing your lamb are the flank, the brisket, the elbow pocket, the sheath and
the area around the eyes and ears. These areas are very tender and cut easily.
When “slick shearing” your lamb, run the clippers horizontally rather than
vertically to the length of the body on your lamb. Shearing the lamb this way
will make your lamb look longer bodied and more balanced. You will also need
to trim the wool and hair below the knees and hock. This improves the balance
and eye appeal of the lamb. The hair and wool in this area needs to be carded or
combed and blended with hand shears or small electrical clippers.
10
Pasterns
Rack
Figure 1
Treat for internal parasites, over-eating disease, tetanus and prevention of coccidiosis
with the assistance of your local veterinarian. Once your lamb becomes acclimated to
its new environment, slick shear your lamb. Shearing your lamb will keep the animal
cooler, thereby increasing appetite and, at the same time, increasing overall growth
traits. These steps are all very important to getting your lamb off to a good, healthy start.
Proper weight manipulation and desired amount of finish will be achieved by
weighing your lambs everyday and monitoring their body condition by handling your
lambs and feeling for finish and muscle tone. An easy way to evaluate your lamb’s
condition is to gently feel for finish over mid rib of the lamb using the tips of your
fingers in a circular motion.
A good way to describe how condition feels on a market lamb is to take your hand and
make a fist. If the condition over the lamb’s ribs feels like the back side of your hand,
your lamb is over-conditioned. If the lamb’s ribs feel like the knuckles on your hand,
your lamb is under-conditioned. However, if your lamb’s ribs feel similar to the
covering on the lower part of the back side of your fingers, you are on the right track.
you are simply feeling
for the amount of muscle that your lamb has, how firm the muscle is and if the animal
is market ready. This can be achieved by evaluating three areas.
When evaluating muscle tone and volume of your lamb,
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Evaluating muscle tone in your lamb:
Showmanship – continued:
Figure 2: Muscle on lamb’s leg
1) Muscle over the lamb’s rack: When evaluating the muscle over the lamb’s
rack, one should start directly behind the shoulder by softly gripping the lamb’s top
and gliding your hand towards the rear of the animal. This area of the lamb’s top
should fill your hand and be firm and bulging with no evidence of the spine.
When evaluating the muscle over the lamb’s loin,
one should look for two areas of importance. The first area is for freshness of
muscle tone and condition across the top of the loin. This can be achieved in one of
two ways. First, the top of the loin should feel the same as over the rack, once again
firm and bulging with no evidence of the spine. The second area of concern is the
depth of muscle in the loin. This can be achieved by taking your fingers on the
underneath side of the loin and gripping the loin like a sandwich.
2) Muscle over the lamb’s loin:
Place your thumb on the spine of the animal and roll down in an outward motion.
If there is less muscle felt on each side of the spine when doing this procedure, your
lamb’s loin is “washed out.” “Washing out” happens when lambs are overworked
and under-fed. The lamb loses muscle volume and freshness in this area first. This
indicates that the lamb is not show ready and still needs more feed and condition. It
will take a minimum of 20 days with little to no exercise to regain muscle tone and
freshness in this area.
The final area to be evaluated for muscle tone is the
leg of the lamb. Grip the backside of the leg. This area should be extremely firm
and expressive. The leg should bulge with muscle from both the inner and outer
muscle areas with evidence of expression in the stifle region.
3) Muscle on the lamb’s leg:
4
Figure 5: Teaching your lamb to brace
After the lamb is trained to lead
and the feet are properly set, the lamb is ready to be taught to brace.
Bracing is where the lamb pushes or braces himself against the
exhibitor when the judge handles the lamb. Bracing is a constant
steady pressure that enables the lamb to express muscle definition
and firmness for the judge. By getting a good brace on your lamb,
you will enable the judge to evaluate your lamb easier. Always keep
the lamb’s front legs on the ground when bracing.
Teaching your lamb to brace:
Many different techniques are used when teaching the lamb to
brace. Use the technique that your lamb will respond to. Remember,
never overpower your lamb when teaching it to brace.
Also remember, when a lamb starts bad habits, it will be difficult to
break the lamb from those bad habits. The best way to avoid the
development of bad habits is to be careful not to over-practice when
teaching the lamb how to push.
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Showmanship – continued:
Page 7
Exercising Your Lamb – The Key to Toning and Conditioning
Continually monitoring fat deposition and muscle development will
be essential in developing the ideal show lamb. Knowing how your
lamb responds to a combination of feed and exercise will determine
the outcome of this feeding and exercise regimen.
If lambs continue to be over-conditioned and soft-handling, one may
consider decreasing the feed intake and increasing the amount of
exercise. If lambs are losing too much condition, one needs to
consider decreasing the exercise and increasing the amount of feed.
Figure 3: Leading your lamb
Acceptable ways to lead a show lamb: When leading your lamb, get rid of
the halter and place one hand under the chin and one hand on the backside of
his head. Some lambs will balk when you begin applying this technique but
all you need to do is place one hand on the dock of your lamb and keep the
other hand underneath its chin while
moving forward. This will teach the lamb
to lead correctly in the show ring. Always
lead with your arm extended and your
body 1 to 1 1/2 feet away from the lamb.
Setting your lamb up: After the lamb is
taught to lead, it is time to teach your
lamb how to set up properly. First, the
hind legs should be properly set by
reaching over the top of the lamb and
setting the rear legs squarely underneath
the lamb. Then place the front legs by
Figure 4: Setting your lamb up
setting the legs in the same manner as the
rear legs. Always remember, once you have the legs set squarely underneath
the lamb, keep the head and neck in a straight line and the head held in a
highly proud position – with the ears up and forward. This gives the
impression that your lamb is long-necked and stylish.
8
If the condition of the lamb is not continually monitored, lambs will
either “wash out” or become over-conditioned. Not all lambs
respond to exercise and feeding programs in the same manner so
each lamb needs to be monitored individually on a daily basis. The
ultimate goal of a feeding and exercise program is to have your
animal handling the best that it can on show day. A term used to
describe this is “being at twelve o’clock.”
Common mistakes in exercising lambs:
•
The biggest mistake in exercising lambs is to exercise them
before they have enough condition on them.
•
Failing to keep the lamb replenished with fluid to allow for
proper muscle development is a costly mistake. A lamb’s
muscle is made up of 70 to 80 percent water.
•
Exercising lambs for too long a period will actually tear down
muscle, rather than build muscle. A 350- to 450-yard sprint is
plenty. The goal of an exercising program is to produce
adrenaline and get the adrenaline running through the lamb’s
body. Adrenaline production encourages the development of muscle.
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Exercising Your Lamb – continued:
Consider the following when choosing a nutritional program for
your lamb project:
Keep in mind that exercise and nutrition go hand in hand.
•
•
•
High quality ingredients
Ingredients in the right ratio
Locked formulas for consistency
®
Show•Rite Lamb Feeds are designed with the following
ingredients:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
6
Soypass – a bypass protein that is high in quality for maximum
muscle growth
Fish meal and blood meal – for fit, not fat, muscular lambs
Vitamin E and selenium – needed for fast growth and a healthy
immune system
Distillers grains – high in B complex vitamins for increased
appetite
Linseed meal – needed for optimal muscle deposition
Barley and oats – an excellent supply of slow-released energy
and highly digestible fiber
Cottonseed hulls – to help increase rumen digestibility
Deccox® – a drug that initially works as a coccidiostat, but then
works to increase the rumen’s digestible efficiency
Ammonium chloride – helps keep the urinary tract healthy (no
water bellies or other related problems such as kidney stones)
Page 8
Showmanship – Making your animal look its BEST on show day:
The amount of time and hard work that you put into your project at
home will be in direct correlation with the amount of success that
you will experience at the fair.
Showmanship contests are won at home – not at the show.
Showmanship is divided into two parts:
1) Pre-show preparation
2) Show ring presentation
Pre-show preparation – Keep in mind the following factors:
• Some lambs are gentle and easy to train, while others are
difficult and harder to train.
• Most lambs can be trained, provided enough time and effort
are spent.
Halter breaking: First of all, lambs need to be halter broken. The
easiest way to halter break a lamb is to catch the lamb, halter it and
tie it to a fence. Tie the lamb allowing 12 inches of slack. This
amount of space should be enough to create respect for the halter,
but should not allow the lamb to hurt itself. Remember, never leave
tied lambs unattended. While lambs are tied, place your lamb’s feet
properly in order to get your lamb accustomed to being “set up.”
(See Figure 4 on following page.)
Show them the “Rite” Way – The Show-Rite® Way!
HUB1484-Showrite Lamb Rev.qxd:ShowriteLambGuide.qxd
3/31/09
1:32 PM
Exercising Your Lamb – continued:
Consider the following when choosing a nutritional program for
your lamb project:
Keep in mind that exercise and nutrition go hand in hand.
•
•
•
High quality ingredients
Ingredients in the right ratio
Locked formulas for consistency
®
Show•Rite Lamb Feeds are designed with the following
ingredients:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
6
Soypass – a bypass protein that is high in quality for maximum
muscle growth
Fish meal and blood meal – for fit, not fat, muscular lambs
Vitamin E and selenium – needed for fast growth and a healthy
immune system
Distillers grains – high in B complex vitamins for increased
appetite
Linseed meal – needed for optimal muscle deposition
Barley and oats – an excellent supply of slow-released energy
and highly digestible fiber
Cottonseed hulls – to help increase rumen digestibility
Deccox® – a drug that initially works as a coccidiostat, but then
works to increase the rumen’s digestible efficiency
Ammonium chloride – helps keep the urinary tract healthy (no
water bellies or other related problems such as kidney stones)
Page 8
Showmanship – Making your animal look its BEST on show day:
The amount of time and hard work that you put into your project at
home will be in direct correlation with the amount of success that
you will experience at the fair.
Showmanship contests are won at home – not at the show.
Showmanship is divided into two parts:
1) Pre-show preparation
2) Show ring presentation
Pre-show preparation – Keep in mind the following factors:
• Some lambs are gentle and easy to train, while others are
difficult and harder to train.
• Most lambs can be trained, provided enough time and effort
are spent.
Halter breaking: First of all, lambs need to be halter broken. The
easiest way to halter break a lamb is to catch the lamb, halter it and
tie it to a fence. Tie the lamb allowing 12 inches of slack. This
amount of space should be enough to create respect for the halter,
but should not allow the lamb to hurt itself. Remember, never leave
tied lambs unattended. While lambs are tied, place your lamb’s feet
properly in order to get your lamb accustomed to being “set up.”
(See Figure 4 on following page.)
Show them the “Rite” Way – The Show-Rite® Way!
HUB1484-Showrite Lamb Rev.qxd:ShowriteLambGuide.qxd
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1:32 PM
Showmanship – continued:
Page 7
Exercising Your Lamb – The Key to Toning and Conditioning
Continually monitoring fat deposition and muscle development will
be essential in developing the ideal show lamb. Knowing how your
lamb responds to a combination of feed and exercise will determine
the outcome of this feeding and exercise regimen.
If lambs continue to be over-conditioned and soft-handling, one may
consider decreasing the feed intake and increasing the amount of
exercise. If lambs are losing too much condition, one needs to
consider decreasing the exercise and increasing the amount of feed.
Figure 3: Leading your lamb
Acceptable ways to lead a show lamb: When leading your lamb, get rid of
the halter and place one hand under the chin and one hand on the backside of
his head. Some lambs will balk when you begin applying this technique but
all you need to do is place one hand on the dock of your lamb and keep the
other hand underneath its chin while
moving forward. This will teach the lamb
to lead correctly in the show ring. Always
lead with your arm extended and your
body 1 to 1 1/2 feet away from the lamb.
Setting your lamb up: After the lamb is
taught to lead, it is time to teach your
lamb how to set up properly. First, the
hind legs should be properly set by
reaching over the top of the lamb and
setting the rear legs squarely underneath
the lamb. Then place the front legs by
Figure 4: Setting your lamb up
setting the legs in the same manner as the
rear legs. Always remember, once you have the legs set squarely underneath
the lamb, keep the head and neck in a straight line and the head held in a
highly proud position – with the ears up and forward. This gives the
impression that your lamb is long-necked and stylish.
8
If the condition of the lamb is not continually monitored, lambs will
either “wash out” or become over-conditioned. Not all lambs
respond to exercise and feeding programs in the same manner so
each lamb needs to be monitored individually on a daily basis. The
ultimate goal of a feeding and exercise program is to have your
animal handling the best that it can on show day. A term used to
describe this is “being at twelve o’clock.”
Common mistakes in exercising lambs:
•
The biggest mistake in exercising lambs is to exercise them
before they have enough condition on them.
•
Failing to keep the lamb replenished with fluid to allow for
proper muscle development is a costly mistake. A lamb’s
muscle is made up of 70 to 80 percent water.
•
Exercising lambs for too long a period will actually tear down
muscle, rather than build muscle. A 350- to 450-yard sprint is
plenty. The goal of an exercising program is to produce
adrenaline and get the adrenaline running through the lamb’s
body. Adrenaline production encourages the development of muscle.
HUB1484-Showrite Lamb Rev.qxd:ShowriteLambGuide.qxd
3/31/09
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Page 6
Evaluating muscle tone in your lamb:
Showmanship – continued:
Figure 2: Muscle on lamb’s leg
1) Muscle over the lamb’s rack: When evaluating the muscle over the lamb’s
rack, one should start directly behind the shoulder by softly gripping the lamb’s top
and gliding your hand towards the rear of the animal. This area of the lamb’s top
should fill your hand and be firm and bulging with no evidence of the spine.
When evaluating the muscle over the lamb’s loin,
one should look for two areas of importance. The first area is for freshness of
muscle tone and condition across the top of the loin. This can be achieved in one of
two ways. First, the top of the loin should feel the same as over the rack, once again
firm and bulging with no evidence of the spine. The second area of concern is the
depth of muscle in the loin. This can be achieved by taking your fingers on the
underneath side of the loin and gripping the loin like a sandwich.
2) Muscle over the lamb’s loin:
Place your thumb on the spine of the animal and roll down in an outward motion.
If there is less muscle felt on each side of the spine when doing this procedure, your
lamb’s loin is “washed out.” “Washing out” happens when lambs are overworked
and under-fed. The lamb loses muscle volume and freshness in this area first. This
indicates that the lamb is not show ready and still needs more feed and condition. It
will take a minimum of 20 days with little to no exercise to regain muscle tone and
freshness in this area.
The final area to be evaluated for muscle tone is the
leg of the lamb. Grip the backside of the leg. This area should be extremely firm
and expressive. The leg should bulge with muscle from both the inner and outer
muscle areas with evidence of expression in the stifle region.
3) Muscle on the lamb’s leg:
4
Figure 5: Teaching your lamb to brace
After the lamb is trained to lead
and the feet are properly set, the lamb is ready to be taught to brace.
Bracing is where the lamb pushes or braces himself against the
exhibitor when the judge handles the lamb. Bracing is a constant
steady pressure that enables the lamb to express muscle definition
and firmness for the judge. By getting a good brace on your lamb,
you will enable the judge to evaluate your lamb easier. Always keep
the lamb’s front legs on the ground when bracing.
Teaching your lamb to brace:
Many different techniques are used when teaching the lamb to
brace. Use the technique that your lamb will respond to. Remember,
never overpower your lamb when teaching it to brace.
Also remember, when a lamb starts bad habits, it will be difficult to
break the lamb from those bad habits. The best way to avoid the
development of bad habits is to be careful not to over-practice when
teaching the lamb how to push.
HUB1484-Showrite Lamb Rev.qxd:ShowriteLambGuide.qxd
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Page 5
Show Day Preparation
When you get your lamb home:
Dock
Loin
Shoulder
Leg
Figure 6: “Slick shearing”
There is more to getting your lamb ready for the show than just getting it
sheared. Lambs should be washed prior to shearing with any livestock soap or
commercial dishwashing liquid soap. Make sure that you get all of the soap
rinsed out of your lamb’s wool prior to shearing. After the lamb is rinsed, use
either a blow dryer or chamois to dry your lamb.
Some people like to
shear their lambs while the wool is still damp but, by
washing your lamb prior to shearing, you will not only
extend clipper blade life, you will also get a closer,
smoother cut on your lamb’s wool. This will make your
lamb feel “tighter hided” and firmer to the touch. By
clipping closer to the time of the show, you will also
help your lamb keep the appearance of a tighter hide and
a smoother handle.
Shearing tips and equipment:
Figure 7: One area of
caution when shearing
The smoothest and closest shear for your lamb can be
achieved by using durable, high-quality clippers. The
appropriate blade and accurate blade tensioning will lessen the probability of
cutting the lamb when shearing the caution areas. Areas of caution when
shearing your lamb are the flank, the brisket, the elbow pocket, the sheath and
the area around the eyes and ears. These areas are very tender and cut easily.
When “slick shearing” your lamb, run the clippers horizontally rather than
vertically to the length of the body on your lamb. Shearing the lamb this way
will make your lamb look longer bodied and more balanced. You will also need
to trim the wool and hair below the knees and hock. This improves the balance
and eye appeal of the lamb. The hair and wool in this area needs to be carded or
combed and blended with hand shears or small electrical clippers.
10
Pasterns
Rack
Figure 1
Treat for internal parasites, over-eating disease, tetanus and prevention of coccidiosis
with the assistance of your local veterinarian. Once your lamb becomes acclimated to
its new environment, slick shear your lamb. Shearing your lamb will keep the animal
cooler, thereby increasing appetite and, at the same time, increasing overall growth
traits. These steps are all very important to getting your lamb off to a good, healthy start.
Proper weight manipulation and desired amount of finish will be achieved by
weighing your lambs everyday and monitoring their body condition by handling your
lambs and feeling for finish and muscle tone. An easy way to evaluate your lamb’s
condition is to gently feel for finish over mid rib of the lamb using the tips of your
fingers in a circular motion.
A good way to describe how condition feels on a market lamb is to take your hand and
make a fist. If the condition over the lamb’s ribs feels like the back side of your hand,
your lamb is over-conditioned. If the lamb’s ribs feel like the knuckles on your hand,
your lamb is under-conditioned. However, if your lamb’s ribs feel similar to the
covering on the lower part of the back side of your fingers, you are on the right track.
you are simply feeling
for the amount of muscle that your lamb has, how firm the muscle is and if the animal
is market ready. This can be achieved by evaluating three areas.
When evaluating muscle tone and volume of your lamb,
HUB1484-Showrite Lamb Rev.qxd:ShowriteLambGuide.qxd
3/31/09
1:32 PM
Page 4
Getting Off to the “Rite” Start
”Getting Ready to Rumble”
Knowing the date of the fair and matching the weight and frame size of
your lamb will help immensely with the success of your lamb project.
This is not difficult to do and will help make your project look its best on
show day.
A simple and easy way to know what size your lamb should be is to
know the date of your show and the desired show weight for your
project. Keep in mind that not all lambs will look their best at the same
weight. This is where frame size and the maturity level come into
importance in figuring the correct weight for your lamb project. Simply
take an average daily gain of 0.50 to 0.75 pound per day of gain and
“back figure” what the correct weight should be at purchase time.
Sale Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . April 15th
Lamb Weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 pounds
Show Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . August 10th
Desired Show Weight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 pounds
Weight Gained until Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 pounds
Days until Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 days
Average Daily Gain
(Needed to reach desired market weight) . . . . 0.45 pounds
Example:
(See “Show•Rite® Show Lamb Weight Calculator” on page 13.)
When you get your lamb home:
Have a clean, dry, well-bedded pen ready for your lamb prior to
bringing the animal home. Avoid any drafts and have access to clean,
fresh water at all times. Feed your lambs high quality alfalfa hay for the
first three days when you get your lamb home. Gradually introduce your
show feed to the lamb during the first three days. Feed very small
amounts of feed and gradually increase your lamb to full feed over an
extended period of time.
Figure 8: Keep your lamb alert.
While getting your lamb ready for show is important, it is
equally important that you are also “show day ready.” This includes
being properly attired for the occasion. If you look the part, you will
be the part.
•
•
•
No caps or hats should be worn.
Be neat in appearance but not overdressed.
No halters should be used in the show ring.
Before you show your lamb, go to the show ring and become
familiar with the ring and how the judge handles the lambs. This can
give you a decided advantage later on when you are going to show
your lamb. Watch how the judge evaluates a class so that you know
how he works the lambs in the ring. A good showman will
emphasize the strong points of the lamb and minimize the weak points.
Remain calm at all times and display a pleasant facial expression.
Stay alert and keep one eye on the judge and one eye on your project.
Be courteous to all exhibitors and find a good place to set your lamb
up, making the lamb look its very best. Stay out of the corners, out of
low places in the show ring and leave plenty of space between you
and other exhibitors. Set your lamb properly, keeping the body and
neck in a straight and upright position.
Keep the lamb’s head up at all times and ears forward. Keep the lamb
alert and “on its toes.”
2
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It’s Show Time!
Page 3
Putting You in the SpotLite
1st
Figure 9: Have your lamb properly braced
Have your lamb properly braced when the judge handles your lamb.
Remember, always keep the lamb bracing properly because you may
only have 10 to 15 seconds to influence the judge’s opinion.
If your lamb gets out of line, you will need to “circle” it. This is
done by pulling your lamb forward, going through the area where
your lamb was standing and coming back through the same place.
Never back your lamb out, as this is an example of overpowering the
animal, which will break the lamb of the will to brace.
Keep your lamb between yourself and the judge and do not cover
your lamb with your body, thus blocking the judge’s view.
The most important values to remember in showmanship:
Win without bragging!
Lose without complaining!
1st
Congratulate the winners!
Do your best ... that’s all you can do!
Don’t ever give up!
The class is not over
until the ribbons are distributed.
12
The show lamb industry is a very competitive game. The
management of your lamb project will determine the difference
between being in the “SpotLite” or watching from the sidelines.
Many hours of hard work and dedication are needed to get your
lamb in show shape. This hard work and dedication to your project
starts the day you get your lamb home.
is the gratification
of being able to present your lamb in a well-presented manner and
know that you have done everything to make your lamb look the
“BEST” on show day.
The payoff for all of this hard work and time
This guide is intended to help you learn management techniques to
help you put your animal in the “SpotLite” on show day!
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Show-Rite® Show Lamb Weight Calculator
SUCCESS...
Where preparation, dedication and hard work come together!
Show-Rite® Lamb Power D13.6 (#66A2)
A complete lamb creep formulated to be fed to lambs
2-12 weeks of age. Medicated with Deccox® for
coccidiosis control.
17% Show Lamb D15 (#650C)
A texturized complete feed designed to be fed
continuously to growing and finishing show lambs.
Medicated with Deccox® for coccidiosis control.
17% Show Lamb D11.35 (#650P)
A pelleted complete feed designed to be fed continuously
to growing and finishing show lambs. Medicated with
Deccox® for coccidiosis control.
The Show-Rite® Show Feeds ... Putting You in the SpotLite!
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SHOW-RITE® Show Lamb Feeds are designed for the exhibitor who
wants their lamb to perform its very best.
• Added Ammonium Chloride to help prevent
urinary calculi
• Added Probiotics to optimize digestion
• Protienated Mineral for better mineral utilization
and absorption
• Heat Processed Grains to aid in digestibility
• Medicated with Deccox® to help control coccidiosis
Quality in every bag!
The name says it all!
W60310 (Rev. 01/09)