Water. It’s a simple nutrient, but it is also the most essential for all living beings – show livestock included. As things heat up across the country, both in terms of temperature and competition in the ring, it is crucial to focus on the most vital nutrient…WATER. High-quality drinking water is key to ensuring that you have healthy and productive animals that feel and look their best on show day.
Staying Hydrated for Health & Performance
Proper hydration is one of the simplest—yet most powerful—tools for keeping show livestock looking and performing their best. Water supports nearly every bodily function, from digestion to temperature regulation, and directly impacts hair and skin quality. Well-hydrated animals maintain a healthy skin tone, sleek, healthy hide, and soft, conditioned hair that’s easier to work with and train. Without adequate water intake, livestock can quickly lose bloom, resulting in a dull coat, flaky skin, and reduced overall eye appeal in the show ring.
Beyond appearance, hydration plays a critical role in the health and performance of show animals. Water aids nutrient absorption, supports muscle function, and helps the body flush out toxins, all of which are essential for keeping animals strong and show-ready. A properly hydrated animal is more alert, recovers faster after exercise or hauling, and can better handle the stress of travel, fitting, and competition. In short, water isn’t just a necessity—it’s a competitive advantage for livestock exhibitors.
Keeping Animals Hydrated
However, water quality or taste isn’t always the issue. Occasionally, show animals simply do not want to drink! So, here are a few tips to make sure your animal stays hydrated when traveling to shows.
The Sure Champ® Team has compiled 4 simple tips to help ensure your animals drink at home and at the show.
1. Bucket Train
If it’s the animal’s first time at a show, make sure they know how to drink out of a water bucket. Some animals struggle with drinking out of a bucket if they have not done so at home. Before going to the show, try watering your animal a few times with the bucket so they acclimate to it upon arrival.
“Even though our show pigs have the cup and nipple watering systems, we shut those down about a week before our first show. We offer them fresh, cold water out of a bucket, like we take to the show several times throughout the day. That way, we know when we get to the show, they are accustomed to drinking from buckets,” said Shelia Grobosky, BioZyme® Content & PR Administrator.
2. Provide Clean Water
Always make sure you have a clean water source. Don’t let water buckets or pig cups fill up with dirt or bedding and then try to water. Always get a clean bucket or fresh water for your animal when it is time to water them.
Some people will even haul water to shows to ensure that their animal has water that they are familiar with. If you do this, be sure that your water carriers or jugs are also clean and mold-free before filling them.
3. Use a Water Filter
Some exhibitors find that using a water filter at home and the show helps keep water tasting consistent. Consistency is key to ensuring animals continually drink water.
4. Add Sure Champ® Liquid Boost®
Consider adding Sure Champ® Liquid Boost® to your water. Not only will your animals get their daily dose of AO-Biotics® Amaferm® to help stimulate their digestive system, but the berry flavor will become familiar to them and help mask some of the foreign taste of chlorine in “city water” when on the show road.
This product is labeled for all species and is truly one that should be in your inventory at all times.
We hope these tips will be helpful for you to share with your customers. Regardless of the time of year or temperature, water intake is vital. Proper water intake promotes appetite, which leads to optimal success in the show ring.
Order your Sure Champ Liquid Boost today, and keep your customers’ animals drinking, eating, and performing their best!