Well-groomed cattle clean up at District Fair

The cattle get shampooed every day during the SEMO District Fair. Most don't complain.

"They love it," said Brian Meier of Jackson as he rinsed the soap off one of his Angus calves at the fair in Cape Girardeau Tuesday morning.

Cattle don't get this kind of treatment down on the farm, said Darrell Aufdenberg of Jackson as he soaped and rinsed Nicky, a 6-month-old Hereford calf.

Shampoos and even dishwashing detergents are used by farm families to get their cattle ready to show at the fair.

"Joy works really good. It is easy on their hair," Aufdenberg said.

The bath regimen includes bleaching the white hair on the show cattle.

This year's weeklong fair includes 282 beef cattle, 169 dairy cattle, 203 sheep, 73 goats, 105 swine and 106 draft horses, mules and ponies. Also housed on the fairgrounds are 624 chickens, 185 rabbits, 113 ducks, 68 pigeons, 23 turkeys and 17 geese.

But the cattle are the main attraction for many. "If we didn't have the cattle, I don't think we could have a fair," Aufdenberg said.

Sherwood Burns of Coulterville, Ill., even uses conditioner on his cattle. Burns, who is semi-retired, spends his summers going from fair to fair to show his beef cattle.

Burns is always looking to sell his animals. "If they are willing to pay the price, they can have them," he said.

Burns' beef cattle typically eat 15 pounds a day of feed, a mixture that includes corn, oats and soybean meal.

Steve and Michele Schabbing of Gordonville looked over their four shorthorn cattle in a livestock barn on the fairgrounds at Arena Park. The rough-haired cattle -- two steers and two heifers -- are being shown by their sons Tanner, 9, and Collin, 11 in the 4-H competition.

Leading around cattle in a show ring can be a challenge, Michele Schabbing said, particularly for children.

"You've got a 65-pound kid leading a 1,400-pound steer. It's a handful even for us."

Her sons know what will become of their steers after the fair, she said.

"We take good care of them, but we know they will be hamburgers."

The heifers, on the other hand, are pregnant and will return to the farm to help grow the herd, she said.

The Schabbings said the livestock competition teaches children responsibility.

"You've got to leave them water. You've got to keep them clean. You've got to clip them," said Collin, who is participating in showing livestock in his fifth district fair.

Tanner is showing livestock in his fourth fair.

A smiling Tanner noted the added bonus to showing livestock at the district fair.

"You get off from school," he said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 123