Stock Show University- tution paid for by Sullivan Supply

Photo Courtesy of Sullivan Supply

      This past weekend I had the opportunity to attend the fist "Stock Show University" clinic in Texas. Just a few blocks away at the TSU barn was the annual Tarleton State University Livestock Spectacular. Teaching this clinic was Jeff Sargent, manager of WHR Shorthorns. He began by discussing feeding, selection, daily care, fitting and finished with showman ship.
      Some points that Jeff focused on Feeding were : 

• Choosing a feed that not only is available in your area, but one that is frequently used and more likely to be fresh due to minimum amounts feed dealers must order it in.
• The feed has to be palatable- so if they don't like it, they wont eat.
• Cheaper feed vs. more pricey feed, how much better is it for the money? What are producers cutting out to make it cheaper?  And again you can spend half the money on feed but if they don't eat its just wasted money.
• Calf Manna is just one of many feed additives, yes it is pricey for just twenty five lbs but it smells like licorice and will usually convince a picky eater to clean their bowl.
• The steers that win are big butted, new muscle additives are all the rage but Jeff cautioned about using the advised amount "If a half pound works-the a whole pound should work even better," not always. If you keep adding and adding, somethings gotta give-more than likely structure. If the calf can;'t get around the ring he can't win. 

Jeff Skimmed over Selection briefly and went on to Daily Care

• As far as Selection went he talked about structure, if its not great when they're 400lbs, its only going to get worse when they're 1400lbs. 
• He also talked about the hair, when he looks at cattle headed to slick shows, hair is not a deciding factor but if they are for hair shows he wouldn't but one with bad hair.
• He said he bathed with soap once a week.
• His daily wash routine he stated was : begin by blowing dirt out of the hair, water the steer down the cover the bottom of a bucket with Vinegar and fill with water, the mix is poured all over the calf, hosed off then the calf is covered with watered down Mane & Tail conditioner, the hair is pulled forward and up toward the head and blown in that direction.

 As far as Fitting goes

• Jeff demonstrated begging the fitting session by clipping high points and leaving low so that blend.
• This method can be used anywhere- neck, top line, brisket, lower legs
• Last but not least we were shown how to use Adhesive on the leg and how to comb to achieve a natural look.

Overall is was a great experience I encourage everyone to attend if they have the chance to. The show ran late and the 6:00pm clinic was delayed 2 hours, I didn't leave the clinic till around 10:30  so i would like to thank Sullivan's, Jeff and those helping with the clinic for staying later than predicted.

-Shelby

Major decision

I haven't posted in over a week but I'm going to try to post more often. Today I go to thinking about my major compared to all my friends both here at Tarleton State and back home in my small town of Marion, Tx. I'm pursueing a Agriculture Education major with a Ag Eco minor. I have a handful of friends going Pre-vet  (Which is so much harder than trying to become a doctor!) as well as a other Agriculture majors, Animal Science,  Bussiness and Hortilculture friends. When I discuss my next classes with friends they all look at me & ask if I need that or if it's elective. As far as basics go I need;

2 History Courses

2 Political Science Courses

1 Math

2 Science

1 Wellness Course (I took bowling)

2 Writing Courses

Other than these basics, I have to complete a list of Agriculture and Education courses. This Semester I took Power Units, where my partner & I took a part an engine and reassembled it then had to make sure it ran. Yesterday afternoon we found out the timeing was off & had to go and take it apart again..... I also took Intro to Welding, I was one of the better in the Lab/shop portion-surprisingly. I wasn't screaming when I had to light the Oxy-Acetylene which some were. Haha.

As far as next fall goes I'm looking at Agriculture Annalysis, Wildlife Management or Meat Science while most of my friends are debating on which upper level biology to take or upper level math course(s) to take.  

 Just a little update :))

-Shelby

Graduation came and went....

      This May marks the one year since graduation as well as being 30 credits closer to my degree in Agriculture Education. I remember all the fun times I had in high school, all the friends I had and all the things I said would never change. Boy, was I wrong.I wasn't popular by any means but I was surrounded by a group people at almost any moment. Whether it was before class on a Monday morning or midnight on a Saturday night we were always close. I tried to be a social butterfly our group was no less that 6 but if we hit a movie we were closer to 8 or 9. Nowadays I have moved to a new lily pad in Tarleton. But so has everyone back home.....

      Its just so weird a year ago if you would tell me the guy i went to prom is now a frat guy, one of my friends is now into guys and the girl that was a virgin is now expecting i would have thought they were lying.  We had a close group, closer than most but now i drive four hours home & i talk to one of my friends. My best friend whom I saw as my maid of honor has not texted or messaged me all semester though she called me twice, to ask if I bought her little sis cigaretts and another to ask how to sober someone up. 

      Its so easy for ties to be broken so fast. Six months has totally changed friendships six years in the making.I'm glad there's memories & I have the friends I've made.

This was just something I've had on my mind lately,

Shelby

Purple Thursdays: In the Spirit of TSU

      Here at Tarleton State, we have "Purple Thursdays". Whether you sport a "I Love Poo" shirt or that shirt they gave you at Duck Camp back in 2000 and something. The point is, its a great feeling to be surrounded in purple throughout the day. One of the other things that Tarleton is known for is the Purple Poo. They are a secret organization that begun in the 1920's. there are 16 active poo at a time and they're never all in the same place in costume. Members are not unveiled until the Leadership and Services Awards each year, after wards they come back in costume for football games and other events dressed up. You can spot an alumni because they can show skin on their arms and hand. You can't try to become a poo, they pick you.

 

Photo Courtesy of http://www.tarleton.edu/traditions/purplepoo.html

Some Funny things about the Purple Poo:

They curse ALOT.
On Monday nights, they place signs around campus & many people try to steal them- its a right of passage.
Many students are scared & will walk out of their way to not run into the poo (i yell & run to hug them....lol).
They let purple painted pigs loose in the presidents house, its been rumored they painted numbers 1,2, and 4.
At graduation members hand the president a little pig.
The poo once placed a cow atop the math building.


One of my goals is to be chosen as a poo.

-Shelby

Pearlsnaps

Photo Courtesy of http://www.KylePark.com

      Well for my first post I looked to my roommate & best friend Illy for advice. During our conversation we skipped around on ideas and I decided on the perfect one, "Pearl snap" shirts. They can be both casual or dressy. But, they can make a great impression on some people as we learned fist hand at our Collegiate FFA meeting last semester.
      A guy walked in wearing a pastel pink pearl snap shirt matched with a nice pair of jeans and a black felt cowboy hat. Every girl in the room stopped for a moment then the whispers started. I'm pretty sure there were puddles of drool on every table (there was certainly one on mine). We listened to speeches, voted on officers and who received the most votes in the end? None other than the cowboy in the pink shirt. In the time between today & that day we've ran into him many times with this being Tarleton which is a smaller university. Every time we see him all we can think is "He's really not that pretty-why were we all so starstruck??...." I guess this just point out the fact that people today are not only judgmental but that they can easily be fooled. So next time you go out try a pearl snap shirt weather its solid or paisley (just stay away from that western retro look! ) and see what people think of you.

-Shelby