Has showing had it's day...

[Rob R]

...as a cattle breeding tool?

A thought provoking opinion in the Farmers Weekly this week that I think is perhaps relevant, to a degree, to the replacement of traditional showing with more towards Linear Assessment, particularly with more closed herds around, for biosecurity purposes.

I know where he's coming from in his comments, and do still think showing has it's place as an enjoyable hobby. In the sheep world there has been a lot of bidding up of show stock, with breeders keeping flocks purely for the ring, not expecting them to pay their way, and therefore breeding them for, for example, more pronounced facial markings, while their mothering ability. In some breeds there seems to be a divergence, with show winning stock hitting the headlines and no doubt doing the breed profile the world of good, especially in the interbreeds, but then the 'commercial' breeders going off in a different direction meaning that what you see in the ring doesn't reflect the breed as a whole (which may or may not be a bad thing, depending upon what you're looking for).

What are your thoughts on this?

[Louisa Gidney]

E. R. Cochrane 1944 The Milch Cow in England Plate V & page 196
When one considers the amount of skill, time, energy and expense which the pre-war show game involved - not only at the show itself but in the breeding, rearing and "bringing out" in so many herds behind the scenes - one can but wonder at so much human and bovine endeavour being expended on so little practical gain.

[Rob R]

Perhaps I'm looking at it from the wrong angle, and it is farming that has had it's day, given the problems over prices in most sectors at the moment. Maybe farming should be/is just an enjoyable hobby...

[Saffy]

I believe without going and looking it up we can generally go...freedivers apart...

3 minutes without air.

3 days without water.

3 weeks without food.

The public need food and farmers!

I think and hope showing will always have its place, it is a great day out whether you are taking animals or produce or just spectating but I am also a fan of Linear Assessment as I had my dairy herd assessed from the late 70s/early 80s and it is a brilliant way to look at an animal.

Farmers should be appreciated more Rob! They are producing such an important thing and in general because they like doing it but then they make a lovely job of it and look after the countryside at the same time. So why on earth for the last several decades are they being squeezed so hard financially for their efforts and often openly disliked for it to boot? It is very wrong.

Sorry to digress but it helps illustrate the point - I rarely get walkers but recently saw one, he lives a half mile away in the village and I have known him 30 years. He and his dog weren't on a path, my sheepdogs ran down to play and the man tried his best to kick them....as if he was kicking at goal in rugby before I could run across the field to stop him, fortunately they gleefully dodged him... he said they were attacking him and called me a f..k..g landowner! Nice. They just love people, silly man!!!

Why are farmers and landowners so disliked? Why has it become the thing to do to knock us? I don't think most of us deserve the treatment. We in general love the land, our animals and the flora and fauna, and are doing our best to keep a balance. I think the NFU, FUW etc should be persuaded to get together and start a campaign to raise awareness of the good farmers do to improve the face of farmers and farming.

Stephanie

[Louisa Gidney]

I think the main reason showing has survived for so long is that it remains an excellent marketing tool. One might have the most superb cattle with Linear scores to die for and superlative health status but no one is going to see them if they are not shown. The show ring gives observers the chance to note good and bad points and actually handle cattle. I've not bid for 2 bulls that looked fantastic stood still because one couldn't walk properly and one had poor teat placements. Without seeing one walk round the show ring and handling the other, neither fault would have been apparent. Those on the show circuit get mentioned in dispatches in the local press throughout the summer, creating a background of awareness of particular herds for individual breeds. That must have a subliminal effect on potential customers. There's also the chat in the lines and the chance to build connections. I still get people making contact out of the blue because I'm "the lady with the Dexters" and may have advice for novices, a bull for hire or stock for sale. That's a legacy from the 90's as I've done very little showing since.