Welcome to the Beef Barn at the Stephenson County Fair!
As you look around, you’ll see exhibitors hard at work caring for their cattle — feeding rations, filling water buckets, washing animals, and using large fans to keep them cool and comfortable. All of this care helps the animals look and feel their best for show day.
Beef cattle here are entered in market and breeding classes. In market classes, steers are judged based on muscle, structure, and overall build — traits that reflect how well the animal will perform in meat production. In breeding classes, bulls, heifers, and cows are evaluated on characteristics like balance, structure, and reproductive quality.
Beef cattle are raised primarily for meat, which ranges from juicy hamburgers to high-end steaks. Their hides are also used to make leather goods like boots, belts, and saddles. Even their by-products appear in everyday items like gelatin and cosmetics. Some cattle are also sold as breeding stock or roughstock for rodeos, where specific traits are selected and passed along through generations.
Take a closer look and learn how beef cattle are a vital part of the agricultural economy — and your dinner plate!
Be sure to head over to the Sheep Barn to listen to the Sheep Barn tour — or explore all the other fun activities happening across the fairgrounds!