A prime win for Morgan County siblings
Even in the show cattle world, it’s what’s inside that really counts.
The Middlemist kids — Jocelynn, 17, Cassius, 15, Garrison, 11, and Caleb, 5, who showed Peanut Butter the bucket calf at the Morgan County Fair — work with their parents on their Angus cow calf operation near Fort Morgan, Colo.
Their mom, Ceri, said for their first year in the beef project they choose a home raised heifer, show her, and retain her for a breeding female.
Jocelynn enjoyed a full circle year by showing a steer that goes back to her first show heifer that she showed three years ago. After the county fair when the carcass awards were handed out, her steer was one of two that graded prime, and she won Reserve Champion Market Beef Carcass.
CHOOSING A STEER
Garrison had strict guidelines for the selection of his first prospect steer. He said he stood in the feed bunk and chose the first calf that licked him. It took about 2 minutes. The strategy paid off and earned him the second steer in the contest to grade prime and Grand Champion Market Beef Carcass honors. The steer was also fourth in the rate of gain contest.
As for beating his older sister in the contest, Jocelynn said Garrison has perhaps mentioned it once or twice.
Garrison said he plans to employ the same selection methods for his next steer, though his breeding heifer from last year’s fair may have a bull calf to show.
Though a top 10 finish wasn’t in the cards for Cassius, finishing his beef project came with its own rewards earning him a third place rate of finish. His home raised steer injured his back over the summer.
“There are so many different lessons in a season for different kids — he hurt his back pretty badly and Cassius almost had to drop him because he hurt so badly and was so grumpy,” Ceri said. “However, I am a physical therapist, and he is a strong and determined kid, so we rehabbed his back daily and he wound up making sale and getting 21st in the carcass contest.”
Marlin Eisenach, Morgan County’s Extension Livestock agent said the carcass contest often highlights more of the commercial livestock that utilize carcass trait genetics.
“Several families raise their own cattle for the showring and it’s important to recognize those individuals who are gearing up for working in the commercial cattle business,” he said. “That, of course, isn’t to take away anything from the live show placings.”
Eisenach said six of the top 10 carcasses were home-raised cattle. Fair board member Carter Mortensen, a West Texas A&M University graduate and meat judging standout, did the grading and was on hand to present information about the process and results to the 4-H members. Cargill, one of several award sponsors, was also represented by Kevin Bell. Sponsors of the carcass awards are Cargill, Superior Livestock, Timmerman Feedlots, Stagecoach Meats, 1010 KSIR Radio, Ted Wright, Carter Mortensen, Farmer’s State Bank in Brush, Standard Motor Supply, Livestock Exchange, LLC, and Mortensen Meat Company.
