For animal enthusiasts, livestock shows and fair events will kick off within the next six weeks. While veterinary teams provide health checks and certifications, animal health pros’ expertise will be valued beyond services and tactics. Given the increasing popularity of backyard rabbits, chickens and goats, the audience for show season preparation is not solely livestock owners.
Getting ready for a showring or tabletop-judged event is much like preparing for a speech and the animals must be prepared as well. It takes practice and sometimes, socialization.
We discovered a four-article series, Preparing for the show, you can use to help youth become better prepared and have a successful experience. The series focuses on The 3 C’s: cleanliness, confidence and clothing.
Source: University of Michigan Extension, June 23, 2014. Link.
Also see:
- Biosecurity for show chickens, Backyard Poultry, June 21, 2021. Link.
- Grooming, bathing chickens for a poultry show, Backyard Poultry, June 21, 2021. Link.
INSIGHTS: Supporting youth programs is almost second nature for animal health pros. In addition to influencing young lives, it develops lifelong bonds between you and existing, as well as prospective customers. As important, it demonstrates goodwill from you and your employers for supporting youngsters, teens and leaders. In addition to garnering some community awareness, you can help teach and demonstrate sound animal stewardship practices.
If you’re in a town with media that covers the event, work with event officials and offer to be a host to reporters so that they get the story right from the right sources. It could be a reporter’s first time at an event like this.