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Dairy cattle left out of Heart of Texas Livestock Show

Posted at 9:19 PM, Aug 04, 2020
and last updated 2020-08-04 22:19:34-04

The Heart of Texas Livestock Show recently announced that they will still have their 2020 livestock show, but this year, the show will not include dairy cows.

COVID-19 has canceled or changed a lot, including livestock shows. Kids in 4H and the FFA put a lot of hard work into raising and caring for their animals, only to now be told this year the show won’t go on for dairy cows.

“They have spent countless hours with these animals in order to get them ready for show, and for them to not have a place to be able to exhibit their animals is just downright disappointing to them,” said dairy advocate Abbi Goldenberg.

“Feed them, love on them, brush them down, fly spray them. Usually once or twice a week I wash them to wash all the fly spray and dander off and all the mud so I’ll know if there’s any scratches I need to heal,” said Member of Friendship 4H of Johnson County Ashleigh Fullerton.

The Heart of Texas Livestock Show is still scheduled to take place. They have now cut back the animals in the exhibit, which includes dairy cattle. The show wouldn’t explain why this decision was made, but many believe it’s due to the number of participants.

“I don’t want youth that show a one-off breed or a one-off species to feel like they are less valuable that someone may consider the major players in the livestock game. It takes just as much hard work and effort and the youth learn the same lessons,”said Goldenberg.

“We put in just as much time and money and hard work as the beef people, and I don’t really see how it's fair to beef people that they get to show and we don’t,” said Fullerton.

Fullerton has already seen some shows canceled. She was really looking forward to finally being able to show Bell and Pepper, but now is faced with another disappointment.

“I’m kinda sad and disappointed, because I put a whole bunch of time and love and care for them and I work with them everyday,”said Fullerton.

For kids like Ashleigh, her dairy cows are more than just animals, they are friends.

“Every time I come outside, they run to me because they love me and I love them back,” she said.

The Heart of Texas Livestock show is set to take place in October, and kids like Ashleigh are hoping that they change their minds.