How to Raise & Show Chickens and Livestock in Houston

Houston is home to one of the nation's largest livestock shows

There's really only one place to show livestock and poultry in Texas' largest city, and that's the annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. The event takes place every year during the first three weeks of March and features some of the finest livestock and biggest prizes in the nation. In 2010, a 15-year-old girl raised the grand champion steer, a 1,295-pound Maine-Anjou. It sold for $175,000 at auction--far short of the $600,001 record set at the show in 2002.

Things You'll Need

• Boarding place for animals
• Grooming supplies for livestock
• Livestock and/or poultry feed
• Water for animals

Instructions

Showing Livestock

1. Look for animals with an outstanding pedigree. Several area farms have raised grand champion steers. Judges generally look for the best qualities of a breed when examining show animals. A good bloodline will give you a head start.

2. Find a place to board your livestock. Ask the county extension agent's office or local 4-H club for help finding a place to keep them since it's unlikely your Houston neighborhood will let you keep farm animals within city limits. Look for local farms in neighboring Fort Bend and Montgomery counties.

3. Keep careful records of weight and food consumption. Wash your animals frequently. Exercise them daily if possible since musculature is an important factor in judging show animals. Ensure that they have plenty of water and cool, shady places to rest, since Houston weather can be brutally hot for both people and animals.

4. Study the rules at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo website. Make sure your animals qualify for the show. Goats, for example, must be purebred and registered. Broilers and turkeys can be shown in the open competitions, while egg-laying hens are limited to 4-H and Future Farmers of America contests.

5. Register for the show. Contestants generally must register by December 1. Plan to transport your animals to the show in a way that keeps them cool and comfortable, with lots of available water. Spend plenty of time with them at the show--it's likely the first time they have been exposed to thousands of people, and most will be quite nervous.

References

• Rodeo 99: Houston Livestock Show Judging Contests
• HLSR: 2010 Steer Junior Auction Results
• University of Florida Extension Service: Selecting Chickens for Show
• Rockin the Ring: Tips on Raising a Steer
• University of Arkansas Extension Service: Raising Turkeys and Broilers for Show

Resources

• Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo