News

Most Missouri State Fair livestock exhibitors are youth

The majority of livestock exhibitors at the Missouri State Fair are young people.  Livestock Superintendent David Dick tells Brownfield the State Fair is a learning platform for youth who want to enter the livestock business.

“The livestock here at the fair is very important, the youth aspect of that is more so important, because these are their projects through 4-H and through FFA,” Dick told Brownfield Ag News at the fair.  “They’re learning processes to learn how to get into the cattle business, or the hog business, or lambs, or goats, or any of those other things.”

Two new cattle breeds are being shown at the Missouri State Fair this year, Red Angus and Dexters, which Dick says is because of the nature of Missouri’s cattle herd.

“We’ve got this diversity here,” he said, “and amongst that are some breeds like the Red Angus that have been around for a long time, have had good numbers in the state and never have had a State Fair Red Angus Show.”

Dick says the high number of cattle farms in Missouri contribute to good beef genetics.  The Missouri State Fair continues through Sunday.

AUDIO: David Dick (3 min. MP3)