Cattle

Wisconsin wouldn’t be America’s Dairyland without our cattle. Each year, approximately 1,100 dairy cattle and 500 beef cattle are shown by their exhibitors at the Wisconsin State Fair.

The Junior Dairy Cattle Show is the largest of its kind throughout the nation.

Cattle can be found in the Lower Cattle Barn, Upper Cattle Barns, Dairy Lane Exhibit, Milking Parlor, and Compeer Financial Discovery Barnyard.

Read on below to learn more about cattle terminology and the type of competitions they are shown in during their stay.

Dairy Cattle Judging

Cattle at the Wisconsin State Fair

Red Angus Cattle

Quick Cattle Facts

Key Cattle Terminology
  • Bovine: the scientific name for cattle
  • Bull: a mature male bovine
  • Cow: a mature female bovine that has given birth to a calf
  • Calf: a young bovine
  • Heifer: a young female bovine which has not yet given birth to a calf
  • Steer: a castrated male bovine
  • Beef Cattle: cattle raised for meat production
  • Dairy Cattle: cattle raised for milk production
  • Herd: refers to a group of cattle
Common Breeds Shown at State Fair
  • Beef Cattle Breeds:
    • Angus (red angus shown in photo above)
    • Hereford
    • Simmental
    • Shorthorn
    • Limousin
    • Maine-Anjou
  • Dairy Cattle Breeds:
    • Ayrshire
    • Brown Swiss
    • Guernsey
    • Holstein
    • Jersey
    • Milking Shorthorn
    • Red & White
Beef Cattle Judging

Cattle Event Descriptions

All cattle shows are held in the Coliseum. Click through the boxes below to see what happens in each of these judging events.

In order for a beef and dairy cattle to be eligible for this class, the exhibitor must have owned the beef cattle’s mother and raised the beef cattle from youth.

The beef and dairy cattle are then evaluated on the overall correctness of their body proportions and how well their characteristics match the standard for their breed.

Beef cattle are evaluated on the presence of desired maternal attributes, the overall correctness of their body proportions, and how well their characteristics match the standard for their breed.

Mature dairy cows are evaluated on whether they have full and balanced udder, the overall correctness of their body proportions, and how well their characteristics match the standard for their breed.

Dairy heifers are evaluated on the presence of desired maternal attributes, the overall correctness of their body proportions, and how well their characteristics match the standard for their breed.

Beef cattle are evaluated on their idealness for meat production, the overall correctness of their body proportions, and how well their characteristics match the standard for their breed.

This competition culminates at the State Fair with a visual appraisal ranking of each beef cattle.

In addition, each beef cattle is also rated on its weight gain over a set period of time along with the overall body composition in terms of lean muscle to fat ratio.

In this event, the exhibitor is evaluated on their knowledge of and their ability to handle and maneuver their animal.

The judge selects an overall champion across all types or breeds of cattle.

The judge selects an overall champion within a specific type or breed of cattle.