Junior Livestock Show and Auction

Have you ever been to a Junior Livestock Show or Auction?

Suzy Scribbles, roving reporter for Raising-Rabbits, went to a Junior Livestock Show and Auction in Clallam County, WA. As a first-timer to this kind of event, it was very entertaining and informative. Read all about the experience in Suzy's own words.... 

(This article contains content about livestock animals that were sold to become a source of food. While there is no graphic content in pictures or text, some readers may find this subject disturbing.)

I was assigned coverage of the local Junior Livestock Show and Auction. It turned out to be a great opportunity to see young people show off and reap the rewards for all their hard work caring for their farm animals.

These events are very educational for the general public! You get to learn about not just just the various animals themselves, but also the ways the animals are cared for. You'll observe the process of buying livestock that will eventually become a menu item on yours or someone else's dinner table.

(Pictured: Regal New Zealand White from What the Fluffle Rabbitry in NC. New Zealands are an excellent meat rabbit breed.)

What to Wear at a Junior Livestock Show... and Why

Junior Livestock Shows and auctions are held mostly outside in summer months. This means cool clothing, sunblock, hats, umbrellas or parasols, and even portable camping chairs are highly recommended.

The one aspect of livestock show wear that must be considered very carefully are shoes.

Because, ewww, the poo! I saw several dozen animals of different species, and none of them (except rabbits) were toilet trained or shy about doing their business in front of an audience. There were a few particularly pungent specimens....

Anytime you are going to an event that includes close proximity to animals, wear shoes that you can hose the poo off of.

(Pictured: Sweet New Zealand baby rabbit from What the Fluffle in NC.)

The Kids and Critters at a Junior Livestock Show

There were several types of livestock: Cows, sheep, goats, chickens, turkeys, pigs, and of course rabbits. I went first to the rabbit tent because that’s where the action was. They had a good chart displaying the feed costs and meat yields of rabbit meat versus beef, and rabbit is definitely much more economical from a farmer’s point of view.

The animals and their young caretakers were all from mini farms and homesteads, so raising smaller livestock is a very practical option. The cages all had information about the individual animals, then there was a poster with a picture and brief introduction to each kid. The biggest surprise about the animal contestants was that there were lots more turkeys than chickens. Big turkeys too - you could cook one for Thanksgiving and still not be done eating by Christmas.

The children themselves ranged in age from about 7 to 15, and were usually members of 4H or FFA (Future Farmers of America).

They had been actively involved in caring for the animal, including food, shelter, medical care, grooming, and looking after their general welfare.

The girl who was showing her rabbits had an ice chest with ceramic floor tiles. She checked on her rabbits regularly to ensure they weren’t stressed in the August afternoon heat, and regularly switched out tiles from the ice chest to help keep them cool. 

If you would like to learn more about Cooling Rabbits animals in summer, the link will take you to our full page on cooling rabbits. 

The character of farm children was very noticeable - they had high degrees of resolve, confidence, and competence.

Due to working responsibly every day with their animals, especially animals as large as or larger than the child, the kids had developed strong focused personalities, tempered by responsible stewardship.

They dressed like you would stereotypically expect, plaid or western style shirts, jeans, cowboy hats, boots made for walking in poo, and really big, shiny belt buckles. (It seems that there is a rule that belt buckles need to be at least as large as the wearers face....) 

(Pictured: proud champions of a Junior Livestock Show.)

What Happens at a Junior Livestock Show?

The auction was split into categories, so all of the rabbits were auctioned, then all the chickens, onto turkeys, etc., etc., and finally ending with pigs.

Each child would come out and introduce themselves and talk a little bit about their animal, including the weight of the animal.

Then the bidding began. In order to bid, you needed to come early in order to register and receive an assigned bidding number. If you win an auction, you have the choice of receiving the animal live or cleaned and processed, ready for the freezer.

(Pictured: New Zealand Rabbit being weighed.)

The crowd was split into two sections, with a referee for each section. Luckily, the auctioneer wasn’t one of those crazy fast talkers like in the movies. As he called numbers, the referees would point to someone who bid that number, until finally it came down to the last bid. The numbers being bid were price per pound of the animal.

Pig bidding started at $3 per pound, and usually sold for about $5.15 per pound. One impressive specimen at the Junior Livestock Show was 289 pounds, so his price came in at a piping hot $1,488.00. 

The animals were encouraged to walk around during the bidding so that buyers could see the animal's conformation, and that it was in good health and had been well cared for.

The kids learned to manage their animals either through rope leads or for the pigs, with long tapping sticks. The tapping was more to cause the pig annoyance if it tried to wander off. 

One ponderous porker must have been thirsty because he kept trying to head back for my soda.

Once the bidding was finished, the winner turned in their card. Other participants also had opportunity to turn in pledge cards called “extras.” Extras are basically like tips. People who wished to support the young ranchers could make donations to the child(ren) of their choice. One could choose a specific kid, several kids, or perhaps a certain group, like all of the kids selling goats.

There was also a feature called a “turn in” where a bargain hunter may be able to get a deal. If a buyer decides he doesn’t want an animal, he is still liable for his bid. This is to prevent artificial price inflation or defrauding sellers. However, he could choose to turn in the animal instead.

Pictured: Californian Rabbit, a popular meat rabbit breed sometimes bred to New Zealand Rabbits.

Bargain hunters could request to be put on a waitlist, and specify the type of animal desired. Each animal type was assigned a minimum price. In the event of a turn in, the bargain hunter would be contacted and would pay that minimum price, which would be subtracted from the bid price from the auction. As a result, the original bidder would only be liable for the balance. This ensures the child would still get the full price from the auction.

There were other interesting features at these auctions, such as snacks, silent auctions, and raffles. I purchased a snazzy new t-shirt, but skipped the raffle. It was for a whole pig! I don’t know if my neighborhood is zoned for swine, and I didn’t want to risk my neighbors creating an HOA because I brought home a barnyard behemoth.

Junior Livestock Auctions, even small scale events like the one I attended are a wonderful way to spend an afternoon.

You gain insight into the young people who will become the farmers that will sustain the nation, and you learn a lot about animal needs and agriculture, especially as pertains to the roles of junior livestock show raisers.

Go see the sights and smell the smells of a Junior Livestock Show!

(Pictured: What the Fluffle?! Its a lovely New Zealand doe with her babies.)

Raising rabbits? Consider a membership to the American Rabbit Breeders Association
For more information on the Northwest Junior Livestock Show: https://nwjls.com/