The Madness Before the Miles of Memories

by Megan Underwood

You’ve put in the hours in the barn preparing your cattle for a show. You’ve packed your suitcase with your favorite show day outfits and lucky socks. The trailer is loaded and ready to hit the road, but have you helped pack the trailer for a successful, safe trip? Most juniors leave the show travel to their parents, however, you can take steps to make the trip run more smoothly by starting to understand travel essentials such as planning ahead, trailer weight distribution, vehicle and trailer maintenance and packing essentials. Before you hit the road to Oklahoma City, Denver or spring shows, work with your family to ensure the best trip possible.

Chasing the White Lines

Always choose a trailer that will meet your needs for space and safely pair with your vehicle tow capacity. Once you’ve made this decision, check the condition of both the truck and trailer. Address any issues at home before leaving the barn.

You should check all latches and safety chains to be sure they are fastened securely. Encourage your sibling or parent to check the latches and safety chains with you. Additionally, check the wiring and connections of your trailer and truck lights — brake lights, turn signals and taillights. Check your tires and ensure all lug nuts are tight and secure.

Always travel with a bedded trailer with a clean travel floor or rubber mats to prevent injuries.

Loading livestock can be difficult, but the following tips can make this process easier. Before any livestock enter the trailer, check for any broken or sharp objects that could cause an injury. Fix any issues to prevent potential injuries.

It’s recommended to load cattle from oldest and largest to the youngest and smallest for good weight distribution. Tie your animals securely in the trailer and in highly visible places so your cattle can see you entering and exiting the trailer. Finally, make sure all the trailer’s gates and the barn are closed and fastened.

Pro Tip: Never lock your trailer while traveling for easy access to your cattle in case of an emergency.

Once you hit the road, maintain a safe speed, keep your lights on and always be alert. Keep a safe distance from any vehicle in front of you as braking time increases with a heavy trailer load. Be conscious of weather conditions throughout your drive to prepare for the safest trip possible. Also, plan your travel time carefully to create a trip that isn’t rushed and keeps you and your animals safe.

Preparing for Long Hauls

Many juniors travel from the East or West Coasts to bring cattle to the Midwest for exhibition. These long trips require adequate preparation before the trip to set yourself up for success. Handle your cattle easily to reduce stress. Long trips can be stressful, so be careful not to upset your animals and allow them to rest a few days before making the trip.

Additionally, hauling your animal on an empty stomach prevents their gut from turning upside down. Feed plenty of hay during stops and avoid feeding grain to keep their guts light on the trip. Once you arrive at the show, unload your cattle into tie outs with plenty of hay and water. You can start your animals back on feed at this point with half of their normal grain-based ration.

Many showmen prefer to haul calves loose during long trips to keep them comfortable, but caution should be taken to keep cattle safe. Consider purchasing rubber mats at your local farm store to create comfort and promote joint health.

If using a fine-textured bedding like cedar fiber or pellets, wet the bedding to pack it down until it is three to six inches thick. This creates heavily padded bedding and prevents the bedding from getting stuck in your calf’s hair. If you choose straw bedding, make sure it’s at least eight to 10 inches deep. If you choose to tie your cattle, allow three to four feet per calf and tie them low so they can lie down comfortably.

Pro Tip: If you are traveling a long distance, find a place to layover to allow you and your animals to rest. It’s a general rule to layover for twice the amount of time the animals were on the trailer. For example, if you drove 12 hours, you should layover for 24 hours.

Cool, Crisp Congress Climate

As you prepare for the Cattlemen’s Congress national Red Angus shows, think about preparing your calves for colder weather and potentially driving through snow and ice.

Look up the Oklahoma City weather to better understand how to adjust your cattle to the climate. January temperatures can be extremely cold so try adjusting your animals to a cooler barn to prevent illness.

Additionally, prepare your vehicle and trailer for travel during potential snow by checking your tires, adding side skirts to the trailer and packing an ice scrapper. Be cautious where you choose to unload your cattle and tack to avoid injuries to your or your animals from slipping on ice.

Plan your travel with flexibility to allow for any potential weather issues. It’s strongly encouraged to pack your bucket water heaters and heaters for your animals to stay warm during the cold show.

Ultimate Trailer Packing List

Packing the trailer can be stressful because it’s easy to forget one important item like your show stick, water hose, health certificates or feed. Sit down with your family to create a checklist of the items you will need. Highlight any items you tend to forget. Keep this list close to your tack and designate someone to be in charge of checking off all items. Important items for every show are your showbox, wash rack supplies, feed, snacks for the hungry showman, show sticks, show halters, stall equipment and all-important paperwork needed.

Be cautious of the weather when packing your trailer as some products do better in colder weather than others. Also, check your trailer for potential leaks or water entry to avoid any important items from becoming wet.

Pro Tip: Always check your list at least twice.

Junior members can play an important role by working with stock show moms and dads to ensure a safe and successful trip. By helping take responsibility, your family can set itself up for success before you even leave the barn.

Every showman has left something important at home before. Prepare yourself early for potential hiccups to make your show experience less stressful for you and your cattle. B&B

Don’t forget!

• Make a list and check it before you leave the house for every show.

• Plan your trips to give you plenty of spare time and to avoid rush hour traffic.

• If you are arriving in harsh weather, move in as quickly and safely as possible, but also work with the show staff since they have been battling the harsh weather just as much as you have.

Advice from Walter Steely, former JRA exhibitor and current sponsorships coordinator at Kentucky Venues

Photo courtesy of B. Lynn Gordon

Safe travels to Cattlemen's Congress!

Watch valuable trailer loading tips from the Texas Youth Livestock and Agriculture at https://bit.ly/Trailertips