Cado's Take on Raising Animals

The local newspaper asked Cayden to write a story on what it was like to raise animals for the County Fair that is coming up next week. He wrote it up and then was pleasantly surprised to get paid $40.00 for it. That was a lot less work than raising animals in his opinion! Here is his story.

The Inside Scoop of Raising Livestock for the County Fair!

Raising animals isn't all that it is cracked up to be. In fact it's kinda hard work. This year it all started in the freezing month of February when my parents left me and my brothers home so they could go to Mexico.

We had to stay home because the pigs were going to have their babies. My brother went outside to check on them about every hour and then, just like that, he's back telling us that our sow is having her babies and that they're all over the farrowing pen because someone did not close the gate to her pen.

We get done gathering the pigs and putting them where they belong. Finally we think she is done having her batch because she started to calm down. We're out in the freezing barn for about two hours and then we hear quiet little sounds that sound like baby pigs.

We start looking for what is making that noise. It was coming from under the farrowing crate. We shine a flashlight down there and see baby pigs. We start digging to where they are at. When we do find them they are about dead so we have to run to our house with the baby pigs and put them under warm water so they don't freeze. That was a really long night. And the beginning of our stock show hogs.

Right now in the summer I get up at 6 a.m. and go feed the animals. You have to fill their self-feeder up with grain, give them fresh water; fill up the mud holes and look around to see what else they have wrecked from yesterday that might need to be fixed. My dad doesn't feel sorry for me one bit. He said he had to do the same thing when he was my age, only back then the summers were hotter!

You only can work with your pigs during two parts of the day--early in the morning and late at night because the pigs are too lazy to even walk when the sun is up in the day.

Oh and while you're doing all of this you also have to work with your sheep. Sheep are a lot easier to take care of when they are born, but they are a lot harder to train for the county fair livestock show.

First you have to catch your lamb and let it get used to you, and then you get it in the right stance and walk it around. That's not even mentioning feeding it.

Finally it is the start of the fair. You go there and then you have to weigh your pigs and sheep to see if they are big enough. If they don't weigh enough...well then better luck next year. Then, you have to get their pens ready because they will be living at the county fair for almost the whole week. You need to wash your pig and sheet too. Everyone is washing their animals so they look better than normal. You should try to look good yourself.

Second day: This is the showmanship day where the judge is judging you to see how you show your animal. Some kids are pros at this and know exactly how to make their animal look good and some kids - especially the kids just starting out, usually have a hareder time. If you smile a lot that is good. But it can be really hard to remember to smile.

Third day: This is the read deal. This is where the judge judges your animal. In my opinion that's what really matters. With pigs all you do is walk around and whack them with your cane--but you don't whack them too hard, it's for sure not a whack that hurts them. It's more like a tap really, but you do this to try to keep control of your pig in the show ring.

But for your sheep the judge has got to feel them, you have to walk them around and get them in the right stance. It's really scary. My first yeart when I was 9 years old, I could barely hand on to my sheep that was twice as big as me. Mine got away from me the first year, and then the judge caught it for me. Losing control of my sheep sure did not rack up any good points for me wtih the judge.

Finally the judge places you. It's not that cool when you're in last place and you just have to stand there in front of everybody and they all know you're in last. Believe me, I've had it happen!

Then the fourth day at the county fair livestock show is the sale. On sale day, your're really happy to get money for your animal but you're also kind of sad to see it go. I've ben in both boats. One thing that I've learned over the years is that it's actually not that bad to be in last place because it seems like last place gets more money than everybody...except Grand and Reserve Champion!