Beef Buzz News
In the Judge's Chambers - Tulsa State Fair Livestock Judge on What Makes a Champion Steer
Fri, 07 Oct 2016 15:22:20 CDT
Judging the Tulsa State Fair Market Steer Show this year is Dr. Mark Hoge, a professor at Western Illinois University and one of the leading livestock judges in the country. Farm Director Ron Hays caught up with Dr. Hoge at the fair to find out what exactly he is looking for when it comes to picking champions. He says those competing for champion steer have already proved to be very competitive, surfacing to the top of their breeds and divisions. While all these animals got to this point by having superior fundamental traits of a market steer - combining muscle, proper finish and structural correctness - he says he looks for something a little extra.
"It is very, very minute differences that sort them," Hoge said, "and I want that unique creature that's so wide and so stout yet so athletic in their motion, and then they look like a supermodel on the cover of Vogue. All of those things blended together is what we want in an ultimate champion."
Even in his own classroom, Dr. Hoge has observed that more and more students, although many familiar with exhibiting livestock, have not actually grown up around production agriculture on a working cattle ranch or hog operation. He says it is important for his students, and everyone for that matter to understand the differences between commercial and show livestock.
"That's an interesting debate that I have with my students on a daily basis," Hoge said. "We need to keep that bridge connected. We want market fundamentals to parallel the commercial sector. The difference between the commercial and the show is that we're proud of making sure that these cattle have beautiful symmetry."
According to Dr. Hoge, both he and his wife are products of 4-H and FFA and they hope to instill the same values they developed showing livestock to their three children, saying that they believe in the program and the positive influences it has on kids.
Listen to Dr. Mark Hoge and Farm Director Ron Hays discuss showing livestock at the Tulsa State Fair on today's Beef Buzz.
The Beef Buzz is a regular feature heard on radio stations around the region on the Radio Oklahoma Network and is a regular audio feature found on this website as well. Click on the LISTEN BAR below for today's show and check out our archives for older Beef Buzz shows covering the gamut of the beef cattle industry today.
Listen to Dr. Mark Hoge and Ron Hays discuss showing livestock at the Tulsa State Fair
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