Good morning from the beautiful commonwealth of Kentucky. Much has changed in our state since March 13, however, I can honestly say that our geography and rural landscape remains beautiful and well worth the time to drive around and through the state. Granted if you do plan a trip make sure you pack your lunch and plan accordingly because you may or may not find businesses and restaurants open for service.
My motivation for writing today is not to discuss Kentucky tourism, although that's always encouraged, I want to address the shut-down of Kentucky's livestock shows and possible cancellation of the Kentucky State Fair due to Covid 19. I want to clarify that I am all for keeping everyone healthy and safe, but believe that livestock shows can continue in Kentucky just like horse shows. Let Kentucky show.
Exhibiting livestock for 4-H and FFA youth is not just a hobby or a project for the majority of these kids and their families. Raising and exhibiting livestock is their daily life and livelihood. Exhibiting livestock for our youth is just an extension of their daily life on the farm and a way to further learn about nutrition, animal health, genetics, marketing, and the simple but important issues of life like responsibility and the rewards of working hard, setting goals, and diligence in meeting those goals.
Livestock families are just that, families. I am so thankful for the families and dear friends that my kids grew up with at livestock shows. The friends and the older kid and adult mentors that taught them so much about livestock production, showmanship, and fitting and grooming their animals for the show ring are the closest friends and are life-long friends.
Photo Credit: Jerome Settles
Photo Credit: Ashley Thomas
Photo Credit: Sarah Coomer
The livestock shows are important to producers to market the animals. As a livestock producer we are always striving to improve on what we have in our pasture with each mating. I don't understand the failure to see the importance and weight of having the Kentucky State Fair, or any state fair. The shows are as important to the breeders as the Kentucky Derby is to the horse farms. There may not be the large amounts of money involved, but bull semen costs range from $20 to $500 per straw and embryos and female flushes costs producers thousands. All of this to improve overall production. The loss of livestock shows for producers to exhibit their animals can ultimately cost them money and the chance to cash in on their investments. Bottom line, winning race horses sell stallion seasons and shares, and winning bulls, heifers, and market animals sell livestock, semen, and embryos.
Photo Credit: Mollie Tichenor
The Kentucky State Fair has been our family's vacation for over 25 years. We have taken the kids and exhibited beef cattle, market hogs, market goats, and market lambs. It is not a restful vacation but one that we look forward to and enjoy. It is a week to ten days filled with very early mornings, wash racks, making stalls and displays, hectic show days and late nights. We love every minute of the work and time spent together with friends in the stalls, at ringside, and sharing meals at favorite restaurants.
I'm not sure that everyone understands that many of our youth have their own herds, their own farms, and their own livestock production business even before they are 16. Many have worked to turn their life's passion into their own business or extension of their family business but be well aware that these kids are making and spending their own money in their business purchasing not only the animals but feed, equipment, and medications for their program.
My point again is that this is not a hobby or just a sport. It is a living and a way of life and livelihood for many. I do not understand how the state can open an amusement park for 16,000 and not allow livestock shows to be held in a normal setting. We now have a livestock show schedule for the summer with three shows in June and the majority of district shows for all species scheduled for July with many restrictions due to Covid 19.
The Kentucky State Fair is the goal show for many Kentucky youth exhibitors with both market animals and breeding stock. That means that they have been fed for months on a schedule, with the goal weight for the August date of the Kentucky State Fair. Many people may not understand the science and management that goes into each animal and how feed rations are adjusted to keep an animal on a schedule to reach a specific goal weight at a specific time. This is also true for the major shows like the North American International Livestock Exposition in Louisville, the American Royal in Kansas City, and the National Western Stock Show in Denver. Animals are fed with those specific show dates as their goal.
Photo Credit: Brooke Benton
Let Kentucky show. Please allow the hard-working agriculture youth to showcase their projects, exhibit their animals and step onto those coveted green shavings at the Kentucky State Fair.
